Fungus and Protozoa organizer

Fungi

  • Aspergillus

    • Disease: Skin and respiratory infections

    • Mode of Transmission: Spores and contact

    • Special Notes: Opportunistic pathogen

  • Blastomyces

    • Disease: Respiratory issues

    • Mode of Transmission: Inhalation of spores

    • Special Notes: Opportunistic pathogen

  • Candida albicans

    • Disease: Yeast infections, thrush, skin infections

    • Mode of Transmission: Opportunistic; part of normal microbiota

    • Special Notes: Dimorphic; yeast form in the body, hyphal form at room temperature

  • Histoplasma capsulatum

    • Disease: Pneumonia

    • Mode of Transmission: Inhalation of spores from bat and bird droppings

    • Special Notes: Found in Ohio and Mississippi valley regions in moist soil

  • Pneumocystis jirovecii

    • Disease: PCP pneumonia or pneumocystis pneumonia

    • Mode of Transmission: Opportunistic infection

    • Special Notes: Difficult to treat; common in AIDS patients

  • Trichophyton

    • Disease: Athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm (Tineas)

    • Mode of Transmission: Direct contact

Protozoa

  • Acanthamoeba

    • Disease: Keratitis and meningitis

    • Mode of Transmission: Found in lake, river, and pond water; enters through the nose

    • Special Notes: Can reach the brain

  • Babesia

    • Disease: Asymptomatic to fatigue, malaise, fever, chills (malaria-like)

    • Mode of Transmission: Vector-borne by tick (reservoir in wild and domestic animals)

    • Special Notes: Diagnosed by blood smear (intracellular)

  • Balantidium coli

    • Disease: Diarrhea

    • Mode of Transmission: Contaminated water (swine/pig feces)

    • Special Notes: Opportunistic; mainly a concern in immunocompromised individuals

  • Cryptosporidium

    • Disease: Gastrointestinal issues, diarrhea

    • Mode of Transmission: Fecal-oral route via contaminated water (vehicle)

    • Special Notes: Diagnosed by stool samples microscopically

  • Entamoeba histolytica

    • Disease: Bloody diarrhea, amebic dysentery

    • Mode of Transmission: Contaminated water (fecal-oral route)

  • Giardia lambia

    • Disease: Diarrhea

    • Mode of Transmission: Contaminated water (fecal-oral route)

    • Special Notes: Exhibits antigenic variation

  • Leishmania

    • Disease: Cutaneous and visceral infections

    • Mode of Transmission: Vector-borne by sand fly

    • Special Notes: Not commonly seen in the US

  • Plasmodium

    • Disease: Malaria

    • Mode of Transmission: Mosquitos

    • Special Notes: Diagnosed by blood smear (intracellular)

  • Toxoplasma gondii

    • Disease: Toxoplasmosis

    • Mode of Transmission: Cat feces

    • Special Notes: Pregnant women need to take special care as it can cause miscarriage

  • Trichomonas vaginalis

    • Disease: Trichomoniasis

    • Mode of Transmission: Vaginal infections (STD, direct contact)

    • Special Notes: Can be part of normal microbiota

  • Trypanosoma brucei

    • Disease: African sleeping sickness (undulating fever, inability to sleep)

    • Mode of Transmission: Vectors (tsetse fly)

    • Special Notes: Diagnosed by blood smear (extracellular); exhibits antigenic variation

  • Trypanosoma cruzi

    • Disease: Chagas disease (asymptomatic to diarrhea, enlarged spleen, fever, headache)

    • Mode of Transmission: Vector is the “kissing bug”

    • Special Notes: Diagnosed by blood smear (extracellular); exhibits antigenic variation