Microbiology Fungi & Protozoan Respiratory Diseases

Respiratory diseases (5)

- coccidioidomycosis

- histoplasmosis

- pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)

- blastomycosis

- aspergillosis

Coccidioidomycosis, aka..

Valley fever

Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) fungi cause

coccidiodes immitis

Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) effect in tissues

forms a thick walled-off body filled with spores (spherule)

Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) transmission

inhalation of spores; commonly in SW USA soil

Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) complications

spread to meninges or bones

Is Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) treatable

Yes via antifungal drugs

Histoplasmosis fungi cause

histoplasma capsulatum

Histoplasmosis transmission (2)

- Inhalation of spores from bird/bat feces

- in central/eastern USA soil

Histoplasmosis spread (2)

- mature into actively growing yeast-like form

- survives & multiplies in macrophages

Histoplasmosis complications

- pneumonia

- spleen, liver, lymph node infection

Is Histoplasmosis treatable

Yes via antifungal drugs

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) fungal cause

pneumocystis jirovecii (carinii)

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) symptoms (2)

- few/no symptoms in healthy ppl

- problematic for people with aids

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) complications

spreads to other organs

Is

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) treatable

yes via antifungal agents (high fatality rate if not)

Blastomycosis fungal cause

blastomyces dermatitidis

Blastomycosis transmission (2)

- entry through a wound

- breathing spores into lungs

Blastomycosis abilities (2)

- spores mature to yeast cells (enter circulation via macrophages)

- system blastomycosis leads to extensive tissue damage

Aspergillosis fungal cause

aspergillus fumigatus

Aspergillosis transmission (3)

- in soil

- decaying vegetation

- inhalation (infects lungs)

Aspergillosis abilities (2)

- can become a invasive lung infection (asphyxiation)

- problematic for people with AIDS or impaired immune system

Diseases that can be found in soil (4)

- Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever)

- Histoplasmosis

- Blastomycosis

- Aspergillosis