LEC Candida

In which population might we observe a higher incidence of thrush?

the elderly As we age, our immune system usually becomes less effective and leaves us prone to opportunistic infections such as candidiasis.

What percent of people harbor Candida naturally in their body without showing any signs or symptoms?

40-80% More than half of the population has Candida living within their body cavities asymptomatically.

How do blastoconidia and chlamydoconidia produced by yeast differ from bacterial endospores?

Blastoconidia and chlamydoconidia are spore structures produced by budding in yeasts, whereas bacterial endospores are produced by bacteria under extreme conditions. Blastoconidia and chlamydoconidia are asexual spores used for reproduction. Blastoconidia and chlamydoconidia produce cells that are identical to the parent cells, whereas sexual spores produce offspring that have characteristics of both parents. Endospores are produced by bacteria during harsh conditions.

Based on the lab results, which organism is most likely causing Tori's new symptoms?

Candida albicans

Which of the following habits might best prevent infection with Candida?

Change wet diapers often. Wet clothing next to the body for prolonged periods will aid in the growth of Candida.

Which of the following medications is typically used for superficial candidiasis in AIDS patients?

fluconazole

Which of the following statements best describes why the treatment for Tori's fungal infection may result in side effects to her own cells?

Fungal cells and human cells have a nucleus, multiple organelles, and 80S ribosomes for protein synthesis. One of the key similarities between a fungus and its human host is that both are eukaryotic. This makes it difficult to develop antifungal drugs, because therapeutic agents that target certain properties of the fungus (e.g., ergosterol in the membrane, DNA replication, protein synthesis) also have the potential to target the host cells. One of the keys to antimicrobial therapy is selective toxicity, which means that the agent will hinder/kill the pathogen without doing much damage to the host. The more similar the agent is to its host, the harder it is to achieve selective toxicity.

How do pseudohyphae in yeasts differ from vegetative hyphae in filamentous fungi?

Yeasts use pseudohyphae to invade host tissue, whereas filamentous fungi use their vegetative hyphae for obtaining nutrients. Yeasts use the pseudohyphae as a virulence factor to better penetrate the host's tissues and also to evade phagocytosis. Filamentous fungi use their vegetative hyphae as a means to absorb nutrients from their environment. In optimal conditions, the vegetative hyphae will grow into a substrate to obtain food and will then support the growth of aerial hyphae, which project above the surface of the medium. These aerial hyphae are responsible for producing the reproductive spores of the fungus.

Why does taking antibacterial medications put women at risk for candidiasis?

Antibacterials deplete the normal bacterial microbiota, resulting in a change of pH.

Which of the following best explains why Tori developed a new series of symptoms?

The antibiotics that treated Tori's primary respiratory infection also removed some of her normal bacterial flora, resulting in an overgrowth of other organisms. Tori had undergone treatment with a broad-spectrum antibiotic for her respiratory infection. Antibiotic treatment most likely affected the normal flora in the vagina, resulting in a preferential decrease in bacterial numbers. Yeasts are normal flora in the vagina, but with fewer bacteria present to antagonize their growth, the yeast cells were allowed to flourish beyond their normal levels. The increased numbers of yeast cells led to Tori's new symptoms. She had developed a yeast infection as a secondary infection to her primary respiratory infection. A secondary infection is defined as an infection caused by an opportunistic microbe after a primary infection has weakened the host's defenses. Yeast infections are common secondary infections after antibiotic treatment for a primary bacterial infection.

In which part of the body would candidiasis present as curd-like?

The vagina will present with a curd-like discharge.

Which of the following infections are also caused by C. albicans?

fulminating disease oral thrush Candida albicans is also the causative agent of oral thrush and fulminating disease. Infants are prone to thrush because they come in contact with the yeast as part of mom's normal flora when nursing. Fulminating disease, which most often afflicts immunosuppressed individuals, results when the yeast enters the bloodstream and travels throughout the entire body, resulting in a systemic infection. Individuals suffering from AIDS are susceptible to this type of infection.

Which structure is characteristic of Candida?

pseudohyphae The formation of pseudohyphae from clusters of budding yeasts is indicative of Candida.