MicroBio- Fungi

Microbiology peer
teaching- Fungi

Group A

Blastomyces dermatitidis

-Cutaneous->Systemic

-Causes blastomycosis

-Also called Gilchrist disease,
Chicago disease, and North
American Blastomycosis

-Symptoms: pulmonary problems.
Cough, chest pain, and fever.

-Found in soil in southern canada,
midwest, southeast, and
appalachia. Also along drainage of
major rivers

-Endemic to U.S.

- Life cycle: dormant during
warm/dry seasons and grows
during cold/wet seasons

-Effects humans, dogs, casts, and
horses

-Acquired via inhaling dust

-Prevented by not inhaling dust

Multiple Choice

What type of fungi is Blastomyces dermatitidis?

• opportunistic

• subcutaneous

• dermatophyte

• Cutaneous/Systemic

Pneumocystis jiroveci

-Opportunistic (AIDS)

-Causes Pneumocystis jiroveci
pneumonia (PCP)

-Symptoms were rare before AIDS
epidemic

-Symptoms: inflammatory response
in lungs, cough, fever, shallow
respiration and cyanosis. Are not
specific

-Spread via droplets between
humans

-Diagnosed via symptoms and
looking at lungs

-Treatment is sulfamethozazole and
trimethoprim over 21 days

Multiple Choice

What does Pneumocystic jiroveci cause?

• AIDS

• PCP

• Walking Pneumonia

• mucormycosis

Malassezia furfur

-Superficial

-Causes tinea versicolor

-Very common (carried by nearly
everyone)

-May also cause folliculitis, psoriasis,
and seborrheic dermatitis

-Symptoms: mild, chronic scaling of
glands on skin

-More pronounced on younger
people out in the sun

-Treatment: zinc pyrithione shampoo

Microsporum canis

-Zoonosis dermatophyte

Superficial

-Ringworm of scalp (Tinea capitis),
ringworm of skin

-Targets hair, skin, and scalp NOT
NAILS

-Transmitted: animal->human,
soil->human, human->human

-Produce thick-walled,rough
macroconidia

-Direct microscopic examination and
culturing needed

-Naturally found on animal skin

Multiple Choice

Which is not how Microsporum canis spread?

• animal->human

• Human->human

• soil->human

• Droplets->Human

Absidia californica

-Genus also called Lichtheimia

-Secondary opportunistic, cutaneous

-Causes mucormycosis/zygomycosis

-Multiple types of mucormycosis
such as rhinocerebral
mucormycosis, pulmonary
mucormycosis, Cutaneous
mucormycosis, gastrointestinal
mucormycosis, and Disseminated
mucormycosis

-Symptoms: fever, swelling, lesions,
congestion, and necrosis of skin

-Found in soil, dust, and decaying
matter. Widespread in homes

-Spread via air contamination or from
an open wound

-Avoid decaying matter when you have an open wound

-

Multiple Choice

What is not a symptom of Absidia?

• Fever

• Cough

• Bone decay

• Skin necrosis

Works Cited

Symptoms of Mucormycosis. 2019, www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/mucormycosis/symptoms.html.

Talaro, Kathleen P., and Barry Chess. Foundations in Microbiology. 11th ed., Mcgraw-Hill Education,

2018.

“Where Mucormycosis Comes from | Mucormycosis | CDC.” Www.cdc.gov, 1 Feb. 2021,

www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/mucormycosis/causes.html.