Viruses and Eukaryotes Flashcards
Adenovirus
dsDNA virus. Naked virus. Most common infection of the adenoids (tissue behind the nasal cavity) and tonsils, thus leading to tonsilitis.
Transmitted via respiratory droplets and fecal-oral route.
Most commonly affects children, those who frequent pools, and army barracks.
Causes hemorrhagic cystitis, which presents with hematouria, viral conjunctivitis, and as mentioned above, tonsilitis.
Live attenuated vaccine available but given mostly to military recruits to prevent eye infections
Arenavirus
ssRNA negative sense virus, replicates in the cytoplasm, enveloped.
Unique: it’s ambisense. Helical shaped nucleocapsid, similar to rhabdo and Filovirus.
One of the four segmented BOAR viruses (Bunya, Orthomyxo, arena, reo) and has two segments.
Transmitted via rodents
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCV)
Leads to febrile aseptic meningoencephalitis
Inactivated by heat, irradiation.
Sketchy picture: Arena fights (not included in viral screenshot file)
Aspergillus fumigatus
Catalase positive fungus (like candida). Peanuts associated with aflatoxins that are produced by Aspergillus flavus, as well as wheat plants. Of interest because aflatoxins are extremely carcinogenic, specifically for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Structurally, the hyphae of Aspergillus have acute branching angles and possess septations between the “squares” of the fungi.
Spread: In fruiting bodies, will form conidiophores on stems, released into the air, and then inhaled by us.
Causes three different infections:
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Asperigillosis
Type I Hypersensitivity reaction that causes wheezing, fever, and migrating pulmonary infiltrates. Will also see increased circulating IgE
Aspergillomas
Solid balls of fungus found in lungs, typically associated with preexisting cavities (ex. from TB or Klebsiella). Be aware that the cavities are gravity dependent, which can affect how they appear on radiography
Angioinvasive aspergillosis
Affects immunocompromised patients, particularly those with neutropenia from leukemia or lymphoma. Invades blood vessels and disseminates very quickly throughout the body. Can be observed on microscopy with the acute angle, septated hyphae invading tissues.
Would see fever, cough, hemoptosis. End stage disease will lead to kidney failure, endocarditis, and ring enhancing brain lesions. Can also spread to paranasal sinuses and cause necrosis around the nose
Treatment
Less serious infections, treat with voriconazole. Aspergilomas aso need to be surgically treated
Angioinvasive disesase will be treated with amphotericin B
Babesia (microti/bovis)
Causes babesiosis. Most of the symptoms are blood-related, such as hemolytic anemia, hemoglobinuria, and resulting jaundice. Many people can carry this asymptomatically
Carried by the Ixodes (Deer) tick, and spread via the tick salivations, so coinfection with Borrelia Burgdorferi (sp?) is common
Symptoms: Fever, irregularly cycling fevers, as well as the ones listed above. Higher risk of severe diseases in sickle cell disease, association seems to be due to the fact that asplenic individuals tend to have more severe symptoms and sickle cell patients almost uniformly lack a spleen
Diagnosis: Thick blood cell smear and Maltese cross appearance in RBCs, formed by tetrad of trophozoites and useful for differentiation from malaria
Treatment: Atovaquone and azithromycin (macrolide)
Blastomycosis dermatitidis
Dimorphic fungus (mold in the cold, yeast in the heat). Spores can be aerosolized in the soil, and once in our respiratory tract because yeast. Reproduce by budding, however is broad based (size of buds will be similar to size of parent cell)
Blastomycosis are very large and are about the size of RBCs.
Causes blastomycosis, leads to a patchy alveolar infiltrate on X ray (hazyness), potentially lesions or cavity. However, majority infections are subclinical
Systemic infections only seen in immunocompromised. Disseminated infections of blasto target the skin and bone, leading to osteomyelitis
Tend to be found around the Greak Lakes and Ohio River Valley
Diagnosis: KOH stain, urine antigen test
Treatment: local infection, use itraconazole. Systemic infection: amphotericin B
Bunyavirus (hantavirus
ssRNA, negative sense, enveloped virus. Unlike other viruses, Bunyavirus obtains its envelop from Golgi complex of host cells. One of the four segmented viruses (BOAR - bunya, orthomyxo, arenavirus, Reovirus), bunyavirus have three segments
Bunyaviruses are mostly arboviruses (arthropod vector)
Hantavirus
Resevoir is a deer mouse and spread via feces and urine.
Symptoms: pulmonary edema via capillary leak and pre-renal azotemia (most common cause of acute renal failure, excess of nitrogen compounds in blood stream due to lack of blood flow to each kidney). Can also cause hemorrhagic fever
Rift Valley/California encephalitis Fever
Causes seizures, encephalitis. Vector carried by the Aedes mosquito
Candida albicans
Causes cutaneous and systemic infections. Dimorphic, however in a backwards fashion; forms budding yeast and pseudohyphae in the cold and germ tubes (hyphae) at high temperatures. Is also catalase positive, bear in mind that individuals with chronic granulomatous disease are susceptible to infection
Normal GI flora, so generally see it infecting only in immunocompromised patients. Also keep in mind that since it is present in the oral flora, can contaminate sputum cultures
In children
Diaper rash is a characteristic distribution due to heat and humidity within a baby’s diaper
Oral candidiasis (White pseudomembranes)
Can be seen at any age, but particulary immunocompromised patients or those using oral steroids (such as inhalers, can be avoided by oral rinsing). These white patches can be scraped off (in contrast to leukoplakia, which cannot be scraped off)
It also can descend into the esophagus and cause Candidal esophagitis. This is classical AIDS defining illness and we tend to see it at CD4 less than 100
Treated with nystatin which is used specifically for oral and esophageal candidiasis
Vaginal candidiasis (Candidal vulvovaginitis)
Can be seen in women taking antibiotics (diminish normal flora and allow candida to flourish), diabetics, or those on birth control. Candida does not change vaginal pH
Candidal endocarditis
Commonly seen in drug users because candida can grow in heroin. Because the first valve it would encounter is the tricuspid valve, that is the one it is most likely to infect.
Treatment
Amphotericin B for severe, disseminated infections. Capsofungin can also be used to disseminated infections that are resistant to amphotericin B. Iconazoles for localized infections
Cestodes (tapeworms): Tinea solium/saginata, Diphyllobothrium latum, Echinococcus granulosus
Tinea solium/saginata
Saginata is carried in cattle, solium in pigs. T. solium has hooks on their proglottid heads and can be seen on O&P. T. saginata lacks these hooks. Ingestion of the worms simply causes GI involvement.
Can cause neurocysticercosis when people ingest water contaminated with eggs from these species, which causes the parasite to go to the brain and cause cystic brain lesions (looks like Swiss cheese on MRI), which have the potential to cause seizures and hydrocephalus
Treatment: Praziquantel, if neurocysicercosis then additionally treat with albendazole
Diphyllobothrium latum (Fish tapeworm)
Resides in the small bowel and causes diarrhea and is associated with B12 (cobalamine) deficiency, leading to megaloblastic anemia. Largest of the tapeworms and can grow up to 10 meters long
Diagnosis: proglottid segments seen on stool O&P
Treatment: Praziquantel or Niclosamide
Echinococcus granulosus
Dogs are the definitive host, sheep are the intermediate host. Humans are incidental hosts when we ingested things contaminated by dog feces. Will cause eggshell calcifications in cysts within the liver that can be visualized on CT. Shape is that of a hydratid cyst (cysts wall containing hydatid sand, scolices, and brood capsules)
Trouble occurs when the cysts rupture, which can cause an anaphylactic reaction and acute abdomen. In these cases, surgeons will inject ethanol or hypertonic saline to kill these cells before removing the cyst.
Treatment: Surgical removal of the cysts comibined with albendazole
As with all helminths, all these bugs cause eosinophilia
Coccidiodes immitis
Common in Califormia and the Southeastern United States
Inhaled as a single spore (arthroconidium) that normally resides in dust, so instances of enhanced dust in the air leads to an increase in infections (earthquakes, etc.)
Dimorphic fungi, however unlike the other systemic fungi, it resides as a spherules of endospores in the lungs, that eventually rupture and spread throughout the body. The spherules are larger than RBCs (recall that histo was smaller and blasto are about the same as RBCs)
Clinical: subclinical in most people, but can present as a self-limited acute pneumonia with fever, sweats, and arthralgias that can last for weeks. On radiographic imaging, may show nothing or may show cavities/nodules. Will also present with erythema nodosum, moreso than histo
Be aware that erythema nodosum is a sign of a robust immune response, so we only really see it in healthy people
Systemic infections are seen in the immunocompromised. Skin and lungs are common sites of infection, as well as dissemination to the bone. Also, can spread to the meninges and cause meningitis
Diagnosis: Hard to diagnose clinically, so usually use KOH stain or culture. Can also send off for serology (similar to other fungi)
Treatment: Local lung infection is treated with conazoles. Systemic infection is treated with amphotericin B
Coronavirus (SARS)
Positive sense ssRNA virus, encapsulated (helical shaped, unique to coronavirus). Replicates in cytoplasm (like all +ssRNA)
Can cause common cold, but also cause of SARS, and Middle East Respitaroy Syndrome
Causes: acute bronchitis, and can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome
Diagnosis: PCR to SARS or antibodies to SARS.
Treatment: variable, but nothing completely works
Coxsackievirus
Positive sense ssRNA virus, nonenveloped picornavirus that’s part of the family of enteroviruses. Acid labile, grows at 37C.
CoxsackieA is associated with hand, foot, and mouth disease, causing red vesicular rash (similar to Syphilis and Rickettsia). Causes aseptic meningitis. Occurs most commonly in the summer
CoxsackieB can cause dilated cardiomyopathy and cause Devils grip, otherwise known as Bornholm’s disease or pleurodynia, which is characterized by sharp pain in the chest and is unilateral, making it difficult to breath
Treatment is just supportive
Cryptococcus neoformans
Opportunistic fungi that are heavily encapsulated that is made up of repeating polysaccharide capsular antigens (important because it’s one of the main virulence factors for avoiding phagocytes, and is used in the diagnostic test). Also is urease positive
Normally found in the soil, and spread to people via pidgeon droppings. After inhalation, will settle in the lungs as primary focus and then disseminate from there
Since it is an opportunistic infection, it more common affects immunocompromised patients
Pulmonary Symptoms ==> Pneumonia
Can cause cough, dyspnea, and other serios lung infections, but can often remain asymptomatic
Meningitis
Is the most common cause of fungal meningitis as it can spread to the CSF, can lead to permanent neurodeficits and can be lethal.
Fever
Will also present with fever
Diagnostic tests: bronchopulmonary washings of the lung. Tissue samples are then stained with mucicarmine (red) or methanamine silver stains
Diagnosis: Do an LP and stain the CSF with India Ink, which still stain the background dark while leaving the organism transparent. This will show yeast with wide capsular halos.
Better test is latex agglutination test, detects repeating polysaccharide capsular antigen and causes aggluntination
Brain lesions appear on imaging to be “soap bubble” lesions in grey matter
Treatment (for meningitis): Amphotericin B and Flucytosine followed by maintenance therapy using fluconazole
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Herpes family virus, DNA virus, replicates in host cell nuclei. Like all Herpes viruses, they possess the ability to remain latent. For CMV, it remains latent in mononuclear leukocytes cells (lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages). Reactivation occurs by immunosuppression
Transmitted in many different ways (TORCH infection), as well as blood, semen, etc.
Congenital CMV is the most common fetal viral infection, causing blueberry muffin rash (byproduct of thrombocytopenia causing a petichial rash), hepatosplenomegaly, and sensorineural deafness. Can also cause ventriculomegaly, periventricular calcifications, leading to seizures and mental retardation. However, 80-90% of newborns with CMV are asymptomatic. Is the most common congenital viral cause of mental retardation, and top cause of sensorineural hearing loss.
If the mother is CMV positive, can lead to hydrops fetalis. This is associated with the second trimester of pregnancy and causes heart failure with fluid accumulation in multiple compartments, causing spontaneous abortion.
Also seen in transplant patients due to their immunosuppresion (CMV pneumonia), as well as AIDS patients (especially with CD4 below 50). In AIDS patients, their most common presentation is with CMV retinitis, may also present with linear ulcerations in the esophagus (Herpes esophagitis causes multiple shallow ulcerations). CMV colitis also potential threat, would see ulcerated walls of the colon
CMV infected cells will show Owl’s eye inclusion bodies.
For normal people, infection by CMV causes infectious mononucleosis. Would differentiate between CMV and EBV with a monospot test, if negative it’s CMV mononucleosis
Treatment: Ganciclovir primarily, however you’d treat with foscarnet when the virus acquires resistance against ganciclovir via mutations in the UL97 gene
Dermatophytes
Fungi responsible for tinea disease, each type of tinea named for the area it affects. Tinea also commonly referred to as ring worm.
Three main dematophytes: Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, and Microsporum. All reside on the skin (name in Greek means “skin plants”). Rarely invade
Types of Tinea
Tinea capitis: Ringworm of the scalp
Tinea corporis: Ringworm on the body (corpris means body in latin)
Tinea cruris: Ringworm on the groin, also referred to as Jock Itch
Tinea pedis: Ringworm of the foot, also referred to as Athlete’s Foot
Lesions are pruritic (itchy)
Commonly passed between athletes (swimmers, wrestlers). Animals can also be a source, especially in kids.
Diagnosis: Typically can be done via clinical presentation and history. Confirm with KOH prep of skin scrapings to reveal hyphae. Can also use Wood’s Lamps to diagnose Microsporum
Treatment: Topical -azoles
Onychomycosis
Dermatophytes can also cause infections underneath the nails (listed above)
Treatment: Oral Terbinafine
For persistent tinea and onychomycosis:
Treatment: Griseofulvin, likes to deposit in keratinocytes, where these things like to hang out. However, has many GI side effects
Entamoeba histolytica
Parasite that causes amoebiasis (bloody diarrhea)
Two main life cycle stages: cysts (infectious form), common in men who have sex with men and found to be related to fecal oral transmission. Second part stage they become trophozoites, where they spread through the GI to portal circulation and infect the liver (right lobe most common site of amoebic liver abscess)
Lesions tend to be solitary, but can have multiple abscesses. Leads to RUQ pain and hepatomegaly. Abscesses are described as having anchovy paste consistency
Alternatively, can cause intestina amebiasis, which causes ulceracions in the colon (flasked shaped). Leading to bloody diarrhea. Stool culture will so trophozoites that have endocytosed RBCs and can be seen in their cytoplasm
Treatment: metronidazole. Can also treat with paramycin to target the cysts while in the intestines, or iodoquinol. Keep in mind, you don’t need to surgically treat these abscesses as opposed to other instances (such as echinococcus)
Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)
Member of the Herpes virus family. dsDNA virus, enveloped
Causes infectious mononucleosis, transmitted via saliva. Presents with fever, tender LAD on posterior cervical lymph nodes. Hallmark of this disease is reactive CD8 T cells that look typical (Downey Cells) on peripheral blood smear, larger than normal with indented nuclei and large cytoplasm. Presents with splenomegally due to T cell proliferation, may also show hepatomegally though less commonly.
Upon infection, they infect B cells and remain latent there. EBV has envelop glycoprotein that binds CD21, a complement receptor) to infect B cells
Symptoms: pharyngitis, tonsillar exudates (white chunks on back of the throat), fever, posterior cervical LAD, splenomegally. Can be asymptomatic in children, more likely to be symptomatic with age. Needs to be differentiated from strep pharyngitis, which is more likely to infect younger patients. Treatment with amoxicillin or ampicillin (IV counterpart) in patients that have EBV will develop a maculopappilar rash
EBV is also a risk factor for cancers, especially in immunecompromised patients: B cell lymphomas, specifically Hodkin’s Lymphoma Mixed Cellularity subtype and non-Hodkin’s Lymphoma Burkitt’s subtype (either endemic or African, African present with large jaw lesion by parotid gland and swelling, sporadic will develop in ileocecal or inguinal areas), and finally nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Oral-hairy leukoplakia is also seen in HIV patients with the virus, but is a non-cancerous lesion. Lesions will present on the lateral portions of the tongue.
Diagnosed: if infection is active, the antibodies that the infected B cells secrete will cause agglutination of sheep or horse RBCs, which is used for the diagnosis of mono (Monospot test).
Treatment: Mainly supportive therapy, but must avoid contact sports because of splenic rupture as a byproduct of splenomegaly.
Filovirus (Ebola)
ssRNA negative sense virus with helical capsid, replicates in cytoplasm, enveloped.
Marburg and Ebola are two viruses that cause similar symptoms
Symptoms begin with flu like symptoms (fever, fatigue, myalgia, GI symptoms) that then progresses to hemorrhagic fever and end-organ failure. Will also show hemorrhagic (hypovolemic) shock
Resevoir is the fruit bat. Contact between humans is via body secretions (feces, blood, semen is particularly dangerous as viral RNA can hang out there for an extended time, infect other people)
Treatment (According to Hatch lecture) are variable in efficacy, ZMapp (monoclonal antibodies against it) and Favipiravir (RNAP inhibitor) have shown some efficacy
Flavivirus
Positive sense RNA, enveloped, nonsegmented viruses which includes HepatitisC, Dengue Fever
Flavi refers to the color yellow, indicating these viruses cause jaundice
Dengue: carried via mosquitos (Aedes Egyptei) and infects the bone marrow (break-bone fever) seen in TypeII. With infected bone marrow, patients develop thrombocytopenia, which increases risk of bleeding leading to Hemorrhagic fever, renal failure. Treatment for Dengue fever is only supportive, with hydration therapy
Yellow Fever: Transmitted via mosquitos (Aedes Egyptei). Causes jaundice (hence yellow), bach ache, bloody stool/diarrhea, bloody vomiting. Vaccine does exist for Dengue, which is a live attenuated version
West Nile Virus: Resevoir for virus is birds but will be transmitted via mosquitos as well (Coolecks mosquitos). Major complication with West Nile Virus is Encephalitis, as well as meningitis, and flaccid paralysis. Later complications include seizures and coma. Confirm diagnosis with PCR of CSF. Treatment is simply supportive