Theme 1: Lecture 4: Fungal pathogens Flashcards
What is the normal/reference range?
defines the values of a biochemical test found in healthy subjects against which patient values can be compared
What factors affect reference ranges?
- age
- gender
- diet
- pregnancy
- time of month
- time of day
- time of year
- weight
- stimulus
What is HbA1c?
- stable glycosylated haemoglobin
- % concentration indicates cumulative glucose exposure
What are the two types of yeast growth forms?
- hypha = moulds
2. yeast cells = yeasts
How do yeasts reproduce?
asexually and/or sexually, spore formation
What are saprophytes?
growing on dead/ decaying organic matter
What are the 3 types of fungi that cause superficial infection?
- dermatophytes
- malassezia
- candida
What do superficial infections affect?
skin, hair, nails and mucocutaneous tissue
What are the 2 types of fungi that cause systemic infection?
-candida
-aspergillus
Affects deep-seated organs
What are dermatophytes and where do they originate?
- groups of moulds
- causes of disease in skin, hair and nail
- originate in soil, other animals/humans
What does geophillic mean?
originate from soil
What does zoophilic mean
transmission from animal to human
what does anthropophillic mean?
human to human transmission
What is the medical name for athletes foot?
tinea pedis
What is the medical name for fungal nail disease?
tinea unquium / onychomyosis
What is the medical name for ‘jock itch’?
tinea cruris
What is the medical name for ringworm?
tinea corporis
What is the medical name for scalp ringworm?
tinea capitis
What are the symptoms of tinea pedis?
- itching, flaking, fissuring of skin
- soles of feet dry and scaly
- “moccasin foot” - if skin of whole of foot affected
- may spread to infect toe nails
Which fungi is typically the cause of tinea pedis?
trichophyton rubrum
What are the typical fungal causes of tinea unguium?
trichophyton rubrum and T. interdigitale
What are the 4 main types of fungal nail infection?
- Lateral/ distal subungual
- superficial white
- proximal
- total nail dystrophy
What happens to your nails with tinea unguium?
thickening, discolouring, dystrophy
What are the symptoms of tinea cruris?
- itching, scaling, erythematous plaques with distinct edges
- satellite lesions can be present
- may extend to buttocks, back and lower abdomen
What is the typical cause of Ttinea cruris?
T. rubrum
In what age group is tinea capitis usually seen?
mainly pre-pubescent children