Diseases Of The Respiratory System |
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Fungal Diseases are easily inhaled; they may germinate in the lower respiratory tract.
The incidence of fungal diseases has been increasing in recent years.
The mycoses below can be treated with amphotericin B.
Histoplasma capsulatum causes a subclinical infection that only occasionally progresses to a severe, generalized disease.
The disease is acquired by inhalation of airborne conidia.
Isolation of the fungus or identification of the fungus in tissue samples is necessary for diagnosis.
Histoplasma capsulatum
Histoplasmosis Distribution
Inhalation of the airborne arthrospores of Coccidioides immitis can result in coccidioidomycosis.
Most cases are subclinical but predisposing factors such as fatigue and poor nutrition can contribute to a progressive disease (about 1% of the cases) that resembles tuberculosis.
Symptoms include chest pain, fever, coughing, and weight loss.
Life Cycle of Coccidioides immitis
U.S. Endemic Area for Coccidioidomycosis
Caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis.
The infection begins in the lungs and spreads to cause extensive abscesses.
Occurs most often in immunosuppressed hosts.
Common causes:
Caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci (carinii).
Pneumocystis jiroveci is an opportunistic pathogen that invades immunosuppressed or cancer patients.
The life cycle of organism is not well known.
Drug of choice: Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
Untreated causes are usually fatal.
Life Cycle of Pneumocystis jiroveci
Pneumocystis jiroveci
Cyst stage in alveolus of a monkey lung
