Fungal Infections in Humans Course

Fungal Infections in Humans Course is organized by MediaLab, Inc.

Course Description:  
Upon completion of the course, the reader will have accomplished several skills: recognize the geographic distribution and anatomical predilection of the primary fungi causing human disease, recognize the clinical manifestation of disease, and identify pathogenic fungi through their unique distinguishing features such as culture growth characteristics and morphology.

Objectives:
• Understand safety considerations, taxonomy, and importance (clinical manifestations) of medically important fungi.
• Describe, recognize, and identify yeast associated with infections in humans.
• Describe, recognize, and identify molds associated with infections in humans.
• Describe, recognize, and identify dimorphic fungi associated with infections in humans.
• Understand the current and emerging techniques for the diagnosis of mycotic infection.

Course Outline:
• Introduction to Medically Important Fungi
    • Introduction to Yeast, Molds, Thermally Dimorphic Fungi, and Safety Considerations
    • Taxonomy
    • Clinical Manifestations
    • The taxonomy of fungi is constantly evolving. One such reason for this is:
• Yeast: Describe, Recognize, and Identify
    • Yeast
    • Cryptococcus - Introduction
    • Cryptococcus Epidemiology
    • Cryptococcal Infections
    • Cryptococcus - Identification
    • All of the following special microbiology/histology stains are useful for the identification of Cryptococcus, except:
    • Cryptococcus is commonly found in soil contaminated by bird droppings and decaying wood and in tree hollows.
    • Candida species
    • Candida glabrata
    • Which feature distinguishes Candida glabrata from other infectious Candida species?
    • Rhodotorula
    • Rhodotorula species are yeasts that produce a pyocyanin pigment ranging from yellowish to red that can be visualized with individual colonies.
    • Malassezia
    • Which supplement is necessary to add to culture media to ensure proper growth of Malassezia species?
    • Saccharomyces cerevisiae
    • Trichosporon
    • Trichosporon, continued
    • Trichosporon yeasts form arthroconidia and hyphal elements that are larger than those of Candida species.
    • Blastoschizomyces
    • Pneumocystis - The "Yeast-like" Fungus
• Molds: Describe, Recognize, and Identify...
    • Molds
  • Aspergillus
    • Aspergillus
    • Aspergillus, continued
    • Aspergillus niger
    • What is a distinguishing feature of Aspergillus species as seen in stains of tissues?
  • Fusarium
    • Fusarium
    • What shape is commonly associated with the description of the macroconidia of Fusarium species?
  • Dermatophytes
    • Dermatophytes (Epidermophyton, Trichophyton, Microsporum) - Introduction
    • Which enzymes do dermatophytes employ to digest hair, nails, and the stratum corneum of skin?
    • Dermatophytes (Epidermophyton)
    • Epidermophyton floccosum always produces microconidia.
    • Which antibiotic is used in growth media to help isolate dermatophytes?
    • Dermatophytes (Trichophyton)
    • Dermatophytes (Trichophyton continued)
    • Dermatophytes (Microsporum)
    • Dermatophytes (Microsporum, continued)
    • The dermatophytes consist of all of the following, except:
  • Dematiaceous Molds
    • Dematiaceous molds - Introduction
    • Typically, dematiaceous molds are darkly pigmented on both the surface and reverse side of the culture plate.
    • Dematiaceous Molds, continued
    • Which is a feature that can differentiate rapidly growing dematiaceous molds?
    • Dematiaceous molds - Alternaria
    • Dematiaceous molds - Scedosporium
    • Upon culture, Lomentospora prolificans mold has a gray or black surface and reverse; the annellides have swollen bases and thin necks.
  • Mucormycetes
    • Mucormycetes - Introduction
    • If Mucormycosis (previously called zygomycosis) is clinically suspected, then how should a tissue specimen be prepared prior to culture?
    • Mucormycetes, continued
    • The Mucor species do not produce rhizoids.
• Dimorphic Fungi: Describe, Recognize, and Identify
    • Dimorphic Fungi
    • Dimorphic Fungi - Introduction
    • The thermally dimorphic fungi grow as yeast when incubated at 25° C but grow as molds when incubated at 30° or 37° C.
    • Dimorphic fungi-Coccidioides
    • Arthroconidia of Coccidioides spp. are oval-shaped and alternate with empty cells.
    • Dimorphic fungi-Coccidioides, continued
    • In addition to culture, diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis can be accomplished by which of the following?
    • Dimorphic fungi - Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
    • Paracoccidioides brasiliensis gives the appearance of a mariner's wheel in tissue sections or primary wet preparations.
    • Dimorphic fungi-Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, continued
    • Dimorphic fungi-Blastomyces
    • Dimorphic fungi-Blastomyces, continued
    • What characteristic budding morphology can help identify Blastomyces species?
    • Diagnosis of blastomycosis can be made with an antigen test performed on urine or serum.
    • Dimorphic fungi- Histoplasma
    • Which cells are H. capsulatum yeast cells often found within?
    • Dimorphic fungi - Histoplasmosis
    • Dimorphic fungi - Sporothrix schenckii
    • Microscopically, S. schenckii mold produces very delicate hyaline septate hyphae producing conidiophores topped by clusters of macroconidia ("rosettes...
    • Dimorphic fungi - Talaromyces marneffei
    • How do T. marneffei yeast-forms replicate?
• Current and Emerging Techniques for the Diagnosis of Mycotic Infection
    • Molecular and MALDI Identification Techniques
    • One important limitation to the identification of medically important fungi using the MALDI method is:
• References
    • References