Fungal infections of the Respiratory Tract-Section 1

Fungal Infections of Respiratory Tract-Final Section

Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides immitis, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and Penicillium marneffei are endemic dimorphic fungi that may infect the respiratory tract. Sporothrix schenkeii, which manifests the typical thermal dimorphism of the endemic dimorphic organisms, does not seem to follow a geographically defined endemic pattern of distribution...

Fungal infections of the CNS - Section 1

While fungal infections of the CNS are relatively rare, they have become more common with the increasing number of individuals who are immunocompromised due to HIV/AIDS, immunosuppressive therapies, invasive diagnosis and treatment methods, and organ transplants. CNS fungal infections present many diagnostic and therapeutic challenges and are associated with a high mortality rate. Cryptococcal ...

Fungal Diseases of the Respiratory Tracts-Section 4

Fusarium spp., have been recognized during the past decade to cause disseminated infection, particularly in granulocytopenic patients undergoing intensive antileukemic chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation. The lung, sinuses, and skin are the primary portals of entry. The periungual regions of the toes notably may be a particularly important site of initial invasion. Invasive Fusarium inf...

Fungal Diseases of the Respiratory Tracts-Section 3

The respiratory tract is the primary mode of entry for the Zygomycetes. Pulmonary infections usually occur in the immunocompromised patient and resemble those caused by the aspergillus spp. Risk factors include hematologic problems, ketoacidosis, long- term immunosuppressive therapy, and underlying lung disease. Needle aspirates or biopsy specimens provide the best yield for diagnosis. Tissue s...

The diagnosis of fungal infections of the respiratory tract.

Mixed bacterial-fungal infections in the CF respiratory tract.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common genetic disease whose major clinical manifestations include repeated episodes of airway infection and inflammation that ultimately result in premature death from respiratory failure. The consequences of infection by individual bacteria have been well studied and the evidence is building that fungal pathogens may be playing an important role in lung disease progr...