Systemic mycoses Flashcards
What are some of the categories of systemic mycoses?
- Cryptococcosis
- Aspergillosis
- Systemic candidiasis
- Mucormycosis/Phycomycosis
- Pneumocystis jiroveci
- Dimorphic fungi (restricted geographical locations, rare in Singapore)
What fungi causes Cryptococcosis?
C. neoformans (compromised patients)
C. gattii (normal immune system)
How is Cryptococcosis transmitted?
Breathe in from soil and trees
What does Cryptococcosis cause?
CNS (meningitis, cryptococcoma) lungs (pneumonia, pleural effusion, cryptococcoma), skin, systemic (fever), prostate, bloodstream
How to diagnose Cryptococcosis?
- Antigen test (serum, CSF, urine)
- Culture (CSF, blood, urine, tissue)
- Microscopy india ink (CSF)
- specific but not very sensitive test to show capsules
What fungi causes Aspergillosis?
Aspergillus species (filamentous fungus)
What does Aspergillosis cause?
- Allergic (bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis - Type I)
- Fungus ball in lung (forms in cavity)
- Invasive Aspergillosis (immunocompromised, neutropenia)
Who is at risk for Aspergillosis?
immunodeficiency, diseased lungs, patients on steroids, chemotherapy treatment resulting in severe neutropenia, stem cell and solid organ transplantation, AIDS
How does Aspergillosis transmit?
Airbone
They are ubiquitous! Esp. construction sites
What is used to treat invasive Aspergillosis?
Empirical amphotericin (hard to diagnose)
Systemic candidiasis is an ___ of superficial candidiasis
extension
Who is at risk of systemic candidiasis?
Antibiotics, immunocompromised, surgery, intravascular line, preterm neonates
What is the most common source of infection of systemic candidiasis?
Central line may be source of infection
What are the Candida vascular infections?
- Cardiac
* Purulent pericarditis
* Myocarditis - Endocarditis
- Urinary tract
* Candiduria
* Upper tract (kidneys)
* Haematogenous or ascending infection
- Fungus balls, perinephric abscess, papillary necrosis
In who does Mucormycosis occur in?
Immunocompromised patients (not in normal people!)
