Fungi, Helminths, Protozoa Diseases

Tinea Versicolor

-Caused by fungi Malassezia spp.

-Painless, discolored areas on the skin

-Prevelant mostly in warm, moist climates.

-Superficial Mycoses

Ringworm (tinea)

-Fungal infection caused by Trichophyton spp.

-Cutaneous Mycoses

-Named after location on body

Sporothrix infection

-Caused by fungi Sporothrix schenkii

-Subcutaneous Mycoses

-Transmitted from soil through abrasion

-Small painless bump that can develop into an ulcer

-Collection: tissue biopsy

Cryptococcosis

-Fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans.

-Cause pneumonia and can progress to meningitis

-Found in soil inhabited by pigeons and chicken droppings

-Collection : sputum or blood

Histoplasmosis

-caused by Histoplasma capsulatum

-Systemic Mycoses

-In infectious soil inhabited by bats and birds

-asymptomatic or pulmonary disease

-Collection : sputum

Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever)

-caused by Coccidioides immitis

-Systemic Mycoses

-Pulmonary symptoms

-Collection : sputum

Aspergillus spp.

mold; affects respiratory tract and opportunistic mycoses

Pneumocystis jirovecii

pneumonia in immunocompromised people

Candida spp.

-part of normal flora of skin, oral cavity, GI tract, and vaginal tract

-Can cause thrush, yeast infection, etc

Vulvovaginal candidiasis

A yeast infection of the vagina and tissues at the opening of the vagina (vulva).

Candida albicans

yeast infection; immunocompromised at higher risk

Candida auris

-Emerging global health threat

-Resistant to all three major classes of antifungals

-Can persist on surfaces and spread between patients

Pinworms

• Caused by Enterobius vermicularis

• Nematode

• Transmitted via soil

• Itchy butt

• Scotch tape test to find ova

Whipworm

• Caused by Trichuris trichirua

• Nematode

• Transmitted via contaminated water

• GI upset

• Collect stool sample to look for ova

Hookworm

• Caused by Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus

• Nematode

• Transmitted via soil and enter through skin

• GI upset, skin irritation, diarrhea, iron deficiency

• Collect stool to look for ova

Hookworm transmission order

1. Found in soil, enter through skin

2. Travel through blood to lungs

3. Penetrate alveoli

4. Host coughs and parasite move to throat and gets ingested

5. Latch to intestinal lining in small intestine and suck blood

6. Offspring exit host via feces

Ascariasis

• Caused by Ascaris lumbricoides

• Nematode

• Transmitted via ingestion of ova from soil, gets bigger in digestive tract

• GI upset, can invade other organs

• Collect stool and look for ova

Trichinosis

• Caused by Trichinella spiralis

• Nematode

• Transmitted via ingestion of pork or other meat contaminated by cysts

• Nausea, vomiting diarrhea, fever, sweating, muscle pain

• No cure once larvae are encysted

• Shows high eosinophils

Schistosomiasis

• Caused by Schistosoma sp.

• Trematode

• Penetrate the skin in freshwater (not in USA)

• Itchiness, fever chills, diarrhea, cough

• Collect stool to look for ova

Tapeworm

• Caused by Tinea spp.

• Cestode

• Transmitted in uncooked meat (different species depending on meat)

• GI upset

• Collect stool to look for ova

Dermacentor

• Tick

• Causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever

• Arachnid

Ixodes

• Tick

• Cause Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis

• Arachnid

Ornithodorus

• Tick

• Cause relapsing fever

• Arachnid

Pediculus

• Human louse/sucking lice

• Cause relapsing fever and epidemic typhus

• Insect

Xenopsylla

• Rat flea

• Cause plague

• Insect

Chrysops

• Deer fly

• Cause Tularemia

• Insect

Aedes

• Mosquito

• Cause Dengue, Zika, heartworm

• Insect

Anopheles

• Mosquito

• Cause Malaria

• Insect

Culex

• Mosquito

• Cause Arboviral encephalitis

• Insect

Glossina

• Tsetse fly

• Cause African trypanosomiasis (African sleeping disease)

• Insect

Triatoma

• Kissing bug

• Cause Chagas disease

• Insect

Giardiasis

• Caused by Giardia lamblia

• Flagellate

• Transmitted via contaminated fresh water

• Diarrhea

• Collect stool sample and look for trophozoites

Trichomoniasis

• Caused by Trichomonas vaginalis

• Flagellate

• Transmitted via sexual contact

• Male : painful urination, urethral/testicular pain

• Female : vaginal itching/burning, strawberry cervix, odor, green/frothy discharge

• Collect urine for male, swab for female

African Sleeping Sickness

• Caused by Trypanosoma brucei

• Hemoflagellate

• Transmitted via Tsetse fly

• Fever, daytime sleepiness, listless gaze, shuffling gait

• Collect blood sample

Chagas Disease

• Caused by Trypanosoma cruzi

• Hemoflagellate

• Transmitted via Reduviid bug/ kissing bug

• Fever, enlarged spleen, liver, myocarditis (death from heart failure)

• Collect blood sample

Leishmaniasis

• Caused by Leishmania spp.

• Hemoflagellate

• Transmitted via sandflies

• Boils, hemorrhage, severe anemia, bacterial pneumonia

• Collect blood sample

Amebic Dysentry

• Caused by Entamoeba histolytica

• Transmitted via contaminated food and water

• Diarrhea

• Trophozoite remain in intestine, can spread

• Collect stool sample

Acanthameoba Ecnephalitis

• Caused by Acanthamoeba spp.

• Ameoba

• Transmitted via soil and water

• Keratisis of eye due to improper contact lens hygiene

• Collect biopsy or eye exam

Naegleria meningoencephalitis

• Caused by Naegleria fowleri

• Ameoba

• Transmitted via freshwater lakes

• Infection cause acute and lethal CNS infection

• Collection : none, found via autopsy

Toxoplasmosis

• Caused by Toxoplasma gondii

• Apicomplexa

• Transmitted via cat feces

• Confusion, fever, headache, retinal inflammation, seizures

• Pregnant women at high risk

• Collect blood sample

Malaria

• Caused by Plasmodium falciparum

• Apicomplexa

• Transmitted via mosquitos

• Fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle/joint pain

• Collect blood sample