Master List of All Fungal & Protozoal Diseases

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Ringworm (Tinea Infections)

• fungal skin disease

• cause: Tinea species (ex. Tinea corporis = ringworm of the body)

  • T. pedis may lead to a secondary bacterial infection

• transmission: direct contact (person/animal to person); indirect (fomite)

• treatment: antifungal drugs

Candida albicans

• fungal skin disease

• cause: C. albicans

  • part of normal flora in mouth, GI, and vagina

  • virulence: opportunistic

• transmission: direct or indirect contact in hospitals (nosocomial)

• symptoms: oral thrush, cutaneous and vulvovaginal candidiasis

Candida auris

• fungal skin disease

• cause: C. auris

  • virulence: opportunistic, antifungal drug resistance

  • unique: requires special laboratory methods to identify

• transmission: direct or indirect contact in hospitals (nosocomial)

  • will enter the BS and spread throughout the body

Cryptococcosis

• nervous fungal disease

• cause: Cryptococcus neoformans (C. gatti, C, grubii)

  • encapsulated, opportunistic

• transmission: airborne spores; contaminated soil from bird poop

• symptoms: pulmonary infection (alveoli); cryptococcal meningitis (after travel through BS to CNS)

African Trypanosomiasis

• nervous protozoal disease

• cause: Trypanosoma genus

  • virulence: antigenic variation of surface glycoproteins

• transmission: infected tsetse fly bite

• symptoms: from blood and lymph → all other organs

  • untreated → deteroriation of CNS → coma and death

• treatment: NONE (too difficult due to antigenic variation)

Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar)

• cardiovascular/lymphatic protozoal disease

• cause: Leishmania donovani

  • taken by macrophage → multiplies and circulates → systemic infection

  • virulence: opportunistic

• transmission: sandfly bite

• symptoms: fever, anemia, swelling due to enlargement of spleen and liver

  • other Leishmania species can cause cutaneous leishmaniasis

Malaria

• cardiovascular/lymphatic protozoal disease

• cause: Plasmodium protozoans

  • different stages:

    • sporozoite: carried by mosquito

    • merozoite: transforms in liver; ruptures RBCs

    • trophozoite: multiplies after RBC invasion → more merozoites

• transmission: infected Anopheles mosquito bite

• symptoms: fevers and chills because of infected RBC ruptures

Plasmodium species

• cardiovascular/lymphatic protozoal disease

• cause: primarily P. falciparum

  • human parasite

  • virulence: obstructs blood vessels; antigenic variation; cholorquine resistance

• treatment: Mosquirix; chemoprophylaxis; artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs)

Chagas disease (American Trypanosomiasis)

• cardiovascular/lymphatic protozoal disease

• cause: T. cruzi

  • found in Latin America (few in southern USA)

  • virulence: transplacental (chronic); multiples in host

• transmission: reduviid (kissing) bug; contaminated feces

• symptoms: fever, swollen glands, swelling at bite site; damaged nerves (chronic)

• treatment: NONE (difficult)

Toxoplasmosis

• cardiovascular/lymphatic protozoal disease

• cause: Toxoplasma gondii

  • virulence: dormancy; transplacental; opportunistic

• transmission: ingestion of oocysts from cat feces; tissue cysts of undercooked meat

• symptoms: may appear asymptomatic; mild lymphadenopathy; acute infection (tachyzoites)

  • miscarriage or congenital disease

  • re-activation may lead to Toxoplasmic Encephalitis

Coccidioidomycosis

• respiratory fungal disease

• cause: Coccidioides immitis, C. posadasii

  • found in arid regions of southwestern USA

  • virulence: opportunistic; forms a thick-walled spherule filled with spores

• transmission: inhalation of soil spores

• symptoms: mild flu-like symptoms; may be asymptomatic

Histoplasmosis

• respiratory fungal disease

• cause: Histoplasma capsulatum

  • found in central and eastern US soil

  • virulence: replicate within macrophages, opportunistic

• transmission: inhalation of soil spores

• symptoms: mild and localized within lungs

  • immunocompromised → suffer severe disease

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)

• respiratory fungal disease

• cause: Pneumocystis jirovecii

  • virulence: opportunistic; antifungal drug resistance

• symptoms: inflammation of lungs (alveoli)

• treatment: specific antimicrobial drugs

Blastomycosis

• respiratory fungal disease

• cause: Blastomyces dermatitidis

  • thrives in moist soil rich in organic material

  • spores will mature into yeast cells

• transmission: breathing spores into lungs; direct inoculation into wound (rare)

• symptoms: pneumonia; extensive tissue damage (systemic)

Aspergillosis

• respiratory fungal disease

• cause: Aspergillus fumigatus

  • found in compost piles and decaying vegetation

  • virulence: opportunistic

• transmission: inhalation

• symptoms: triggers allergic reaction; infects lungs (invasive; immunocompromised)

Pulmonary cryptococcosis

• respiratory fungal disease

• cause: C. neoformans, C. gatti

  • found in environment (soil, brird droppings, tree debris)

  • virulence: opportunistic

• transmission: inhalation of microscopic fungal spores

• symptoms: pneumonia; may be asymptomatic

  • untreated = bloodstream → meningitis

Giardiasis

• digestive protozoal disease

• cause: Giardia duodenalis

  • virulence: adherence to bowel walls (trophozoite); chlorination resistance

• transmission: ingestion of cysts from contaminated water, food, or hands

• symptoms: severe diarrhea (foul and greasy) → interrupts normal absorption

• treatment/prevention: boiling, filtration, and good hygiene

Cryptosporidosis

• digestive protozoal disease

  • leading cause of recreational waterborne disease outbreaks

• cause: Cryptosporidium hominis, C. parvum

  • virulence: opportunistic; chlorination resistance

• transmission: ingestion of oocysts that mature into sporozoites

• symptoms: mild, self-limited profuse diarrhea

Amebiasis (Amoebic Dysentry)

• digestive protozoal disease

• cause: Entamoeba histolytica

  • virulence: mature into trophozoites to invade intestinal mucosa; chlorination resistance

• transmission: ingestion of cysts from contaminated food or water

• symptoms: dysentery and abdominal pain; peritonitis (severe)

Cyclosporiasis

• digestive protozoal disease

• cause: Cyclospora cayetanensis

  • found in tropical or subtropical regions

  • virulence: highly resistant to chlorination

• transmission: ingestion of oocytes from imported fresh produce (cilantro, basil, raspberries, and leafy greens)

• symptoms: watery diarrhea

Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

• reproductive fungal disease

• cause; C. albicans

  • virulence: opportunistic

• transmission: overgrowth of C. albicans in vagina and vulva

• symptoms: disrupts vaginal microbiota or immunity (such as uncontrolled diabetes, altered vaginal pH, hormone changes, and prolonged antibiotic therapy)

Trichomoniasis

• reproductive protozoal disease

• cause: Trichomonas vaginalis

• transmission: sexually

• symptoms: infects urogenital tract of both males and females

  • males: asymptomatic

  • female: irritation and profuse frothy, greenish-yellow, foul odor discharge

• unique: other species of Trichomonas are normal commensals