Pathogenesis > Infectious Disease > Fungus > Deep Fungus

Deep Fungus

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Systemic Mycoses (Dimorphic Fungi):

•Histoplasmosis
•Blastomycosis
•Coccidioidomycosis
•Paracoccidioidomycosis
•Penicilliosis
•immunocompetent; respiratory; 99% subclinical; develop strong specific immunity after infection; tissue dimorphs; limited geographic distribution
•all cause primary pulmonary infection
•can produce cutaneous manifestations with or without systemic involvement
•generally, mold spores are inhaled and convert in lungs to yeast phase
•otherwise, some can inoculate skin via trauma and produce verrucous “deep fungal” lesions;  (more “ulcerative” when on mucous membranes)

 

 

Opportunistic Fungi:

•host immunocompromised by therapy or disease
•no particular endemic area; most of these organisms seem to be ubiquitous in nature, with world-wide distribution (especially in soil and decaying material = saprophytes)
•organisms are of minimal virulence; disease is not contagious
•no immunity follows infection; not dimorphic

 

hmtoggle_plus1top 4 most common mycoses in compromised host:
1.candidiasis
2.aspergillus
3.cryptococcus neoformans
4.zygomycosis (mucormycosis)

 

 

patterns of immune dysfunction:

1.decreased cell-mediated immunity
•disseminated crypto
•oral/esophageal candidiasis
•endemic mycoses – histoplasmosis, coccidioides, penicillium marneffei (take good work/travel history)

 

2.neutrophil defects
•candidiasis
•aspergillosis
•zygomycosis:
•pheaohyphomycosis (e.g. alterneria spp.)
•hyalohyphomycosis (e.g. fusarium spp.)

 

#1 opportunistic fungus for burns = fusarium (mnemonic: with a short "fuse" you get burned)

 

 

OTHER

•chromoblastomycosis

 

dermatiaceous – fungi which produce intrinsic melanin-like pigmentation (primarily chromoblastomycosis and pheaohyphomycosis)