Micro: Fungal and Protozoan Diseases

Tricophyton

• Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis)

• Hyphae burrow and release enzymes

• Feed on the keratin in dead skin, nails, hair

Histoplasma

• Spores inhaled from bird and rat droppings

• Dimorphic: Y-M switch in lungs

• Causes flu-like disease

Aspergillus

• Spores are everywhere

• Filamentous; can form balls in lungs

Candida

• Part of microbiome; may overgrow in dysbiosis

• Yeast

• Can cause lesions

Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis, Microsporidia

• Cause different types of pneumonia

Plasmodium

• Transmitted by Anopheles mosquitos

• Causes malaria and severe anemia

Trichomonas

• Sexually transmitted

• Men usually asymptomatic; notorious symptoms in women

Entamoeba Giardia

• Cyst ingestion from fecal traces in food, water, hands, fomites

• Causes intestinal disease

Naegleria Acanthamoeba

• Direct contact water

• “Brain-eating amoeba”

Toxoplasma

• Cyst ingestion from cat/litter manipulation

• Generally asymptomatic but can cause brain disease in fetus that acquires it vertically