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fungal infection chapter 16
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Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogen that can cause Cryptococcal meningitis. Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungus that can be found in soil contaminated with bird feces. It can also be found in fruits, milk, plants and in human feces (Davis, 2011). This type of fungus produces airborne spores into the environment. These spores can then be inhaled by humans. This is the only means by which an individual can become infected with cryptococcosis. Cryptococcosis is not a contagious disease. Therefore, it cannot be transmitted from one person to another. Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic pathogen. Once an individual inhales these spores, they can become infected and develop what is known as Cryptococcal meningitis. However, not everyone develops cryptococcal meningitis. For the most part, when healthy individuals inhale these spores they usually don’t get infected with cryptococcosis. On the other hand, individuals with an immunodeficiency due to an illness like HIV or AIDS, are highly susceptible to cryptococcosis. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, cryptococcosis is one of the common causes of deaths for people who are infected with HIV or AIDS. This infection is very prominent especially in poor countries where treatment and prevention of cryptococcosis is unattainable. One example, is in sub-Saharan Africa, where one third to over one half of the people infected with HIV/AIDS die due to Cryptoccoccal meningitis (CDC, 2012).
What are the symptoms of Cryptococcal meningitis? The symptoms of Cryptococcal meningitis depends on the individual. Some people will inhale these spores and develop a lung infection without symptoms. However, some individuals will get a lung infection and will experience res...
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...hen there is a delay in detecting cryptococcosis in patients with an immunodeficiency this puts the patients at risk of becoming infected with Cryptococcal meningitis. Therefore, in my opinion the LFA is an excellent method for preventing and detecting Cryptococcal meningitis. Since it is an easy test to perform and can detect the CrAg fast enough to treat patients who are infected. This is especially beneficial for patients with an immunodeficiency due to HIV/AIDS because the infection can be detected early enough and can save the patient’s life. Hopefully, this test will be able to reduce the amount of people who die due to Cryptococcal meningitis. It is very important that these laboratory tests are done effectively and efficiently to avoid any errors in misdiagnosing since Cyrptococcal meningitis can be fatal to anyone who becomes infected with cryptococcosis.
Symptoms: • Pain in the abdomen • Burning in chest • Chest cold • Chronic cough with blood or phlegm • Pulmonary hypertension • Pneumonia Cystic Fibrosis primarily impacts the respiratory and digestive system. In any case, it might bring about different complications in the reproductive and musculoskeletal system. For example, infertility in men and women and low bone density. Patients with cystic fibrosis frequently have lung diseases caused by germs that don't react to antibiotics.
This final microbe is far less dangerous and easier to comprehend than the formerly mentioned ones. Histoplasma Capsulatum, often called histoplasmosis, is caused by a fungus called Histoplasma (1). This fungus thrives within earthy environments with lots of soil filled with bird and bat droppings (1). It is found mainly in the United States, specifically within the central and eastern states, such as around the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys (1). The fungus can also be found within central and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and small parts of Europe (1). While most people do not get sick, those who do become infected when breathing in the microscopic fungal spores in the air (1). Symptoms
Neisseria gonorrhoeae known as the pathogen that causes Gonorrhea, which is a sexually transmitted disease that is only seen in humans. It is only seen in humans since Neisseria gonorrhoeae cannot thrive in the environment we live in. In addition, all genders, age, and ethnicity are vulnerable to getting infected by that bacterium (Lemire, Yen). Gonorrhea, the disease caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, mostly grows in an environment that is moist and...
This condition can spread from one person to another (contagious). Toxin-producing E. coli can also spread from animals to humans. Most cases of E. coli infection come from cattle.
Most people who are exposed to the fungus experience symptoms, but do not get sick. The signs—fever, cough, and exhaustion—are difficult to distinguish from the flu, and can last for weeks to months. In people with weakened immune systems, the infection can cause more severe conditions such as meningitis or death. There is no vaccine for valley fever, and many in the general public (including the medical community) know very little about the illness. This lack of knowledge has allowed many milder cases to go undiagnosed, leading to underreporting.
There are not many ways for a person to contract valley fever. One way to contract valley fever is inhaling the fungus that causes it or Coccidioides immitis. It can also be contracted through cuts on the body. Valley fever can not be contracted from other people. The infection is not contagious. There are some factors that can cause certain people to have a greater risk of getting the infection though. For example certain races, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems and older aged people have a greater risk.
been previously touched by an infected person, will transmit the disease to the healthy person who
Candida albicans is a harmless commensal yeast which becomes pathogenic when environmental changes trigger the virulence factors of the organism. Hence Candida species are opportunistic pathogens in susceptible individuals. Oral infection caused by C. albicans known as oral candidiasis or candidosis. However, C. albicans exist in the mouths of 80% of healthy individuals. Any alteration in the environment of oral cavity can change the presence of candida from commensal to pathogenic. This translation in the status of candida is due to many predisposing factors. In the past, oral candidiasis was thought to affect mainly elderly and very young population. Recently, the incidence of oral candidiasis increased greatly with the intensification of HIV infection and immunosuppressive chemotherapy (1, 2). Oral candidiasis colonize 5% to 7% of newborn less than one month old. The infection also estimated to affect 9% to 31% of AIDS patients and nearly 20% of cancer patients (3). This review discuss the possible causes, the types of oral candidiasis, treatment and management strategies.
Pathogens are a type of microorganism that spreads viral and bacterial diseases. These diseases when present in human blood and body fluids are known as blood borne pathogens, and can spread from one person to another. (Worcester polytechnic institute) The most serious types of blood borne diseases are the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which can cause liver damage; and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), which is responsible for causing AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). The blood borne pathogens can be spread when the blood or body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, and amniotic fluid) of an infected individual comes into contact with mucous membranes or an open sore or cut on the skin of another person. Mucus membranes are located in the eyes, nose, mouth, and other areas as well. ("Bloodborne pathogens: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia") Two of the most common ways that pathogens are transmitted is through the exchange of fluids during sexual intercourse or by sharing infected IV needles. (Worcester polytechnic institute)
Due to its tendency to be both a viral and bacterial disease, meningitis can prove difficult to treat. Its dual tendencies also mean that various methods are used to attack the disease. In order to treat meningitis, different aspects of the disease must be discovered first. The type of organism causing the infection, the age of the patient, and the extent of the infection must all be taken into account (WebMD, sec. 8). Any time meningitis is found, immediate treatment with antibiotics is required, and continuation of antibiotic treatment depends on whether a bacteria or a virus is causing th...
Recent research shows that, there are three major means by which infections can be transmitted and they include direct transmission, indirect transmission and airborne transmission (Hinman,Wasserheit and Kamb,1995). Direct transmission occurs when the physical contact between an infected person and s susceptible person takes place (division of public health, 2011). An example is a health care worker who attends to an Ebola patient, without gloves, gown and mask plus forget to wash his or her hand with soap and hot water and or a person having flu without the use of mask or washes his hand after sneezing easily passes the infection to the other through hand shake or surface touch, living the bacteria there for another vulnerable person to also touch if the surface is not disinfected with bleach. Studies makes it clear that, the spreads takes effect when disease-causing microorganisms pass from the infected person to the healthy person through direct physical contact such as touching of blood, body fluids, contact with oral secretion, bites kissing, contact with body lesions and even sexual contact. However, measles and chicken pox are said to be conditions spread by direct
Real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the Coccidioides internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and Antigen 2/proline rich antigen gene (Ag2/PRA) have been developed. When applied to respiratory tract and cerebrospinal fluid samples, they offer a sensitivity of up to 100% and a specificity of up to 98% and a short time to diagnosis. (30) Current PCR assays are predominantly in house or reference laboratory tests and not commercialised.
There are 5 main pathways of environmental transmission of pathogens. Those are air-borne, food-borne, water-borne, vector-borne and blood-borne. Air-borne transmission refers to any disease that is caused by a pathogen and transmitted through the air. These pathogens can be spread by coughing, sneezing, stirring dust, liquid spraying, or generally any activity that generate aerosol particles or droplets. These pathogens can include viruses, bacteria, or fungi. Some common examples of pathogens that are spread via air-borne transmission are rhinovirus, hantavirus, adenovirus, and influenza, among many others (cdc.gov).
Its history is long and successful. Additionally, its sensitivity and simplicity, spatial and temporal resolution have all played a part in its importance that has led to its persistence as the gold standard in disease detection (Kiernan, 1999; Boekelheide, K. & Schuppe-Koistinen, I. 2012)