Fungal Infections of Nervous System (MBBS Year 2)

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What is the association of Cryptococcus gattii with regards to environment?

Dry desert environments
Moist soil
Freshwater sources
Decaying wood and eucalyptus trees (correct)

What is a common characteristic of Cryptococcal meningitis?

Rapid onset of symptoms
High mortality rate
Recurrent episodes
Indolent infection (slow onset of symptoms) (correct)

What is a possible complication of Cryptococcal meningitis?

Cranial nerve palsies and focal brain stem dysfunction (correct)
Seizures
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Pneumonia

What is a common manifestation of Cryptococcosis?

Nodular skin lesions (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical CSF analysis in Cryptococcal meningitis?

Color of CSF, White cell counts and cell differentiation (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary method of diagnosing Cryptococcosis?

CSF analysis (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main cause of fungal meningitis?

Cryptococcus neoformans (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of Cryptococcus neoformans?

A type of yeast surrounded by a thick coating of capsular polysaccharides (D) Signup and view all the answers

Who can be affected by Cryptococcal meningitis?

Patients with depressed cell-mediated immunity, immunocompetent, or with diabetes mellitus (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the association of Cryptococcus neoformans with the environment?

Largely associated with pigeon droppings (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of C.neoformans var.Grubii and C.neoformans var.neoformans?

C.neoformans var.Grubii is serotype A and C.neoformans var.neoformans is serotype D (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the prevalence of Cryptococcus neoformans in the environment?

It is ubiquitous worldwide (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended treatment for cryptococcal meningitis by the World Health Organization?

1 mg/kg/day amphotericin B and 100 mg/kg/day flucytosine for one week, followed by fluconazole (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic feature of Zygomycetes?

Formation of wide, aseptate hyphae (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the most common causative organism of rhinocerebral zygomycosis?

Rhizopus oryzae/arrhizus (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the habitat of Zygomycetes?

Soil, manure and decaying organic matter (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to refer to the disease sometimes, due to the characteristic feature of the causative organism?

Bread mold (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the alternative treatment for the initial two weeks of cryptococcal meningitis?

1200 mg/day fluconazole and 100 mg/kg/day flucytosine (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the usual outcome of purely mucocutaneous zygomycosis?

It is usually not fatal (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Calcofluor white stain under fluorescent microscope?

To observe the apple-green or bluish fluorescence of fungal elements (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical outcome of CNS histoplasmosis in immunosuppressed individuals?

Life-threatening injuries with severe clinical manifestations (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic morphology of Histoplasma macroconidia?

Globose with tuberculate or finger-like cell wall ornamentation (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic feature of the hyphae observed in direct microscopy with KOH wet mount?

Right-angle branching with a ribbon-like appearance (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary method of diagnosing CNS histoplasmosis?

Microscopy and staining of CSF samples (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Lactophenol cotton-blue (LCB/LPCB) mount?

To observe the morphology of fungal elements (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of the growth of zygomycosis in culture?

Rapid growth at 25-37C (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical route of dissemination of Histoplasma to the CNS?

Via the haematogenous route (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the limitation of culturing zygomycosis?

There is a low culture positivity rate (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic feature of Histoplasma yeasts?

Small, uniform, narrow-based budding (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of LCB stain in laboratory diagnosis of Histoplasmosis?

To identify the morphology of Histoplasma macroconidia (D) Signup and view all the answers

Cryptococcus gattii environment association

Decaying wood and eucalyptus trees are associated with Cryptococcus gattii.

Cryptococcal meningitis characteristic

Cryptococcal meningitis is characterized by a slow onset of symptoms.

Cryptococcal meningitis complication

Cranial nerve palsies and focal brain stem dysfunction can be complications of cryptococcal meningitis.