Systemic Mycoses Part II

MOHAMED ANSAR CK
MSc MLT Microbiology
• HISTOPLASMOSIS
• BLASTOMYCOSIS
• COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS
• PARACOCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS
COCCIDIOIDOMYCO
SIS
• Coccidioidomycosis is also called desert rheumatism or Valley fever or
California fever.
• It is a systemic fungal disease caused by a dimorphic soil dwelling
fungus-Coccidioides which has two species, C.immitis and C.posadasii.

• Im + mitis = not + mild

Epidemiology
• It is endemic in certain parts of Arizona, California, Nevada, New
Mexico, Texas, Utah and northern Mexico.
Pathogenesis
• Coccidioides is transmitted by inhalation of arthroconidia.
• In lungs, they enlarge, become rounded, and develop internal
septations to form large sac like structures of size up to 200 µm called
spherules, that encompass numerous endospores.
• Spherules may rupture and release packets of endospores that can
disseminate and develop into new spherules.
• If returned to artificial media or the soil, spherules revert back to the
mycelial stage.
Clinical Manifestations
• Most patients are asymptomatic (60%).
• In remainders, pulmonary coccidioidomycosis is the most common
form; presents as pneumonia, cavities, pleural effusion or nodule
formation.
• Skin lesions such as rashes or erythema nodosum and arthritis with
joint pain may appear secondary to pulmonary infection particularly
in women.
• Disseminated form: Males and persons with low CMI (HIV infected
patients with CD4+ T cell count less than 250/µI) are at higher risk.
• Common sites for dissemination include skin, bone, joints, soft
tissues, and meninges.
Laboratory Diagnosis

Histopathological staining:
• H and E stain, PAS or GMS
• Staining of sputum or tissue biopsy specimens demonstrates
spherules which are large sac like structures (20--80 µm size), have
thick, double refractile wall, and are filled with endospores.
• Spherules do not take grams stain visible under calcofluor , KOH, PAP .
Culture
• Culture on SDA produces mycelial growth, described as fragmented
hyphae consisting of barrel-shaped arthrospores with alternate cells
distorted (empty cells)
• Coccidioides differs from other dimorphic fungi as it grows as mold at
both 25°Cand 37°C in usual culture media .
• It forms spherules at 37°C in certain special culture media only.
• Cultures are highly infectious: may lead to accidental inhalation of
spores in laboratories, require biosafety level-3 precautions.
Serology:
• Antibodies are detected by immunodiffusion test and CFT.

Skin test:
• It is done by using fungal extracts (coccidioidin or spherulin); it
produces at least a 5 mm induration within 48 hours after injection
(delayed hypersensitivity reaction) indicates past infection.
Exo Antigen Test :
• It is done by using specific heat stable (HS) and heat labile (HL/F)
antigens.

• Molecular methods

• Animal pathogenicity
Treatment
• Triazoles such as Itraconazole are the drug of choice to treat most
cases of coccidioidomycosis.
PARACOCCIDIOIDOMYCO
SIS
• Paracoccidioidomycosis is also known as South American blastomycosis
and Lutz-Splendore-de Almeida disease.
• It is a systemic disease caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides
brasiliensis.
Epidemiology
• Paracoccidioidomycosis is endemic in Brazil and other South American
countries.
Pathogenesis
• Transmission is by inhalation of spores, which then transform into the
yeast phase in lungs.
Clinical Manifestations
• It occurs as two major forms.
1. Acute form (or juvenile type)
2. Chronic form (or adult form)
Acute form (or juvenile type)
• It affects young adults under 30 years age.
• It is a less common variety, but more severe form, manifests as
disseminated infection involving multiple viscera.
Chronic form (or adult form)
• It accounts for 90% of cases and predominantly affects older men.
• It results from reactivation of quiescent lung lesions.
• It is less severe form, manifested as progressive pulmonary disease
affecting lower lobes, with fibrosis.
• Skin, oral mucosal lesions and cervical lymphadenopathy are the
other features.
Laboratory Diagnosis
Histopathological staining
• Staining of pus, tissue biopsies or sputum reveals round thick-walled
yeasts, with multiple narrow-necked buds attached circumferencially
giving rise to Mickei - mouse or pilot wheel appearance or mariners
wheel appearance .
Culture:
• Culture on SDA yields mycelial form at 25°C which converts in to yeast
phase at 37°C when grown in BHI agar supplemented with blood and
glutamine.
Serology:
• Antibodies are detected by immunodiffusion, and most recently by
ELISA, using gp43 antigen of P. brasiliensis.

Skin test:
• It demonstrates delayed type hypersensitivity response against
paracoccidioidin antigen.

Molecular tests and Animal pathogenicity .

Treatment
• Itraconazole is the treatment of choice for paracoccidioidomycosis,
except for the seriously ill patients where amphotericin B is
recommended.
Questions
• Which type of fungus is responsible for causing
coccidioidomycosis?

A) Candida
B) Aspergillus
C) Trichophyton
D) Coccidioides

Ans : D
• Which type of environment is most conducive for the growth of
Coccidiomycosis?

a) Wet and humid

b) Dry and arid
c) Cold and mountainous
d) Warm and tropical

Ans : a
• What is the primary mode of transmission of Coccidiomycosis?

a) Direct contact
b) Indirect contact
c) Airborne
d) Waterborne

Ans : c
• Which group of individuals are most at risk for contracting
Coccidiomycosis?

a) Outdoor workers
b) Elderly individuals
c) Immune-compromised individuals
d) Children under the age of 5

Ans : C
• Which symptoms are commonly associated with Coccidiomycosis?

a) Headache and fever

b) Cough and chest pain
c) Skin rashes and itching
d) All of the above

Ans : d
• What is the primary treatment for Coccidiomycosis?

a) Antibiotics
b) Antivirals
c) Antifungals
d) Immunomodulators

Ans : C
• Which type of fungus is C. immitis

a) Yeast
b) Mold
c) Yeast like
d) Dimorphic

Ans :d
• Appearance of C. immitis in soil

a) Mold
b) Spherule
c) Yeast
d) Mycelium

Ans : a
• Characteristic tissue form of C. immitis

a) Yeast
b) Mold
c) Spherule
d) Mycelium

Ans : c
• Appearance of C. immitis in culture at 25°C

a) Yeast
b) Mold
c) Yeast like
d) Spherule

Ans : b
• In culture at 37°C C. immitis occurs as a

a) Spherule
b) Yeast
c) Mold
d) Mycelium

Ans : a
• In which form C. immitis grows in the soil of endemic areas?

a) Yeast like
b) Spherule
c) Mycelia
d) Yeast

Ans : C
• Infective stage of C. immitis

a) Arthroconidia
b) Endospores
c) Spherule
d) Macroconidia

Ans : a
• Parasitic stage of C. immitis

a) Macroconidia
b) Spherule
c) Microconidia
d) Endospores

Ans : b
• Coccidiodomycosis also called

a) Rose gardeners disease

b) Cladosporiosis
c) Chromomycosis
d) Valley fever

Ans :d
• what is paracoccidioidomycosis?

a)A fungal infection

b)A viral infection
c)A bacterial infection
d)A protozoan infection

Ans: a
• People traveling to which part of the world are MOST likely to get
paracoccidioidomycosis?

a)South America
b)Antarctica
c)Africa
d)SE Asia

Ans :a
• Paracoccidiomycosis also known as

a) North American blastomycosis

b) California fever
c) South American blastomycosis
d) Valley fever

Ans: c
• Paracoccidiomycosis caused by

a) C. immitis
b) B. dermatitidis
c) C. posadasii
d) P. brasiliensis

Ans : d
• Appearance of paracoccidioides in soil

a) yeast
b) yeast like
c) mold
d) spherule

Ans: c
• Appearance of paracoccidioides in tissue

a) yeast
b) yeast like
c) mold
d) spherule

Ans: a
• P. brasiliensis causes natural infection only in

a) Bats
b) Armadillos
c) Saguis
d) Dogs

Ans: b
• Which fungus shows pilot wheel appearance on methenamine
silver staining?

a) Paracoccidioides
b) Coccidiodes
c) Blastomyces
d) Histoplasma

Ans: a
Thank you