Clinical Laboratory Microbiology: Mycology and Infectious Diseases

Vocabulary flashcards covering principles of infectious diseases, microbial relationships, and clinical mycology based on HAD 425 lecture notes.

Mutualism

A symbiotic association in which both partners benefit, such as bacteria synthesizing vitamins K and B in the human host.

Commensalism

A symbiotic association in which one partner benefits while the other partner is unharmed.

Parasitism

A symbiotic association in which the microbe benefits at the expense of the host.

Resident Flora

Populations of microorganisms that routinely inhabit body sites of a healthy individual for extended periods.

Transient Flora

Microorganisms that form temporary body associations for a short time and are eventually replaced.

Symptoms

Subjective effects of disease experienced directly by the patient, such as pain and nausea.

Signs

Objective effects of disease that can be observed through examination, such as rash, pus formation, and swelling.

Primary Infection

The initial infectious disease that may leave an individual predisposed to developing a secondary disease.

Secondary Infection

An additional infection resulting from a primary infection, such as secondary bacterial pneumonia following influenza.

Opportunistic Pathogen

A microbe that causes disease primarily when the host body's defenses are down.

Virulence

A quantitative term referring to a pathogen's disease-causing ability.

Infectious Dose

The number of organisms required to establish an infection.

Incubation Period

The time between the introduction of an organism to a host and the onset of symptoms.

Convalescence

The stage of an infectious disease characterized by recuperation and recovery.

Acute Infection

An infection characterized by symptoms that have a rapid onset and last for only a short time.

Chronic Infection

An infection characterized by symptoms that develop slowly and persist.

Latent Infection

An infection that is never completely eliminated from the host and can become reactive.

Mycology

The scientific study of fungi, including mushrooms, moulds, and yeasts.

Yeast

Unicellular fungal organisms (3 to 15 µm) that reproduce primarily through budding and produce pasty, bacteria-like colonies.

Mould

Multicellular fungi composed of branching filaments called hyphae (2 to 10 µm) that produce spores and form fuzzy colonies.

Hypha

A long, branching filamentous cell that forms the basic structural unit of a mould.

Mycelium

A collective structure composed of many hyphae, classified as vegetative (non-reproductive) or aerial (spore-producing).

Dimorphic Fungi

Fungi capable of growing as either yeast or mould forms depending on environmental conditions such as temperature, CO2, and nutrients.

Sporangiospores

Endogenous asexual fungal spores formed and contained within a sporangium as a result of protoplasm cleavage.

Conidia

Exogenous asexual fungal spores formed at the tip or side of supporting hyphae called conidiophores.

Superficial Mycosis

Fungal infection affecting only the outermost layers of the epidermis, such as the stratum corneum.

Cutaneous Mycoses

Fungal infections that penetrate through the skin as deep as the dermis.

Subcutaneous Mycosis

Fungal infections that invade deeper layers of connective tissue beneath the skin (hypodermis).

Systemic Mycosis

Disseminated fungal infection that spreads from the primary respiratory system site to multiple organ systems.

Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) Prep

A specimen preparation technique that dissolves keratin in skin, nails, and hair to detect fungal elements.

India Ink Preparation

A direct microscopic stain applied to cerebrospinal fluid to identify Cryptococcus neoformans by showing a halo around its large capsule.

Gomori Methenamine Silver (GMS) Stain

A tissue stain used for Pneumocystis jiroveci, outlining the organism in black with deep rose to black internal parts.