Geographic Fungi Flashcards
Where do you find histoplasmosis?
mississippi/ohio river valleys. Also central and south america
What exposure would increase your risk for histo?
- bird/bat droppings (spelunkiing)
2. chicken coops
What is the pathogenesis of histoplasmosis?
Intracellular growth, granulomas from
How does histo usually present?
Often asymptomatic
- Flu-like symptoms
- Chronic: wil have cavitations and nodules. Fever, cough, and weight loss
How do you dx histo?
culture from sputum
–mycelia
–fruiting bodies
Will see budding yeasts INSIDE macrophages
Urine antigen = active dz
Serology not helpful
How do you treat histo?
Usually nothing
In severe cases, Ampho B
If AIDS, suppress chronic infection with itraconazole
Where do you find blastomycosis?
In moist soils in mississippi/ohio river valleys
What does blastomycosis look like?
Thick broad-based buds. Extracellular yeast, unlike histo
What are the clinical findings of blasto?
pulmonary infection
Known to INVADE BONE
How do you diagnose blastomycosis?
Stain the pus for yeast.
Culture will show “lollypop” hyphae
Serology again is unhelpful
How do you treat blasto?
ampho B for serious/progressive disease
Itraconazole for moderate disease
Where do you find coccidioidomycosis?
SW US and especially San joaquin valley, CA
-Central/south america too
What does coccidioides look like?
Spherules and endospores. No true yeast forms!
How does coccidioides present?
Valley fever: fever, cough, fatigue,
arthralgias
-erythema nodosum and eosinophilia
How do you diagnose valley fever?
serology
culture with white fluffy mycelia. Hazardous to grow, so stick with serology. Contrast to blasto and histo, which serologies were useless for
