Question

Kimberly has recently suffered from a severe sinus infection for which she took a fourteen-day course of the broad spectrum antibiotic Augmentin (a semi-synthetic antimicrobial). Shortly thereafter, she began experiencing an itching of the vulva and perineum and an irritation surrounding the vaginal opening. She noticed a thick, yellow, cheesy vaginal discharge with a yeast odor.

Laboratory Diagnosis

            Commonly, this vaginitis is treated on the basis of presenting symptoms. However, the causative agent of this and related infections can be confirmed in the laboratory. In this case, a vaginal discharge specimen was plated on blood agar and also incubated in serum. Microscopic examination of the moist white colonies isolated from the blood agar plates revealed large round to oval cells, 4-6 microns in size. Within 2-3 hours, cells incubated in serum demonstrated typical germ tube development, an important diagnostic feature.

1. True or False: Failure to treat all candidiasis infections can be fatal within 5-7 days. (1 point) (I think true)
2. True or False: Blood infection from candidiasis result in more fatalities than any other pathogenic fungal infection. (1 point) (I also think it is true)

3. Fungi are such good pathogens because of which of the following characteristics. Choose all that apply. (5 points)

• Ability to live in moist environments
• Ability to live in high salt concentrations
• Ability to live in acidic environments
• Ability to live in basic/ alkaline environments
• Ability to live at high temperatures
• Ability to live at low temperatures

4. Name another infection caused by this same microbial agent invading finger and toe nails of individuals whose hands or feet are continuously immersed in water. Type answer as the 1 word, official name for this infection, using lowercase letters. (1 point)

Answer 1

1. False. Candidiasis is nor a life threatening disease. It can be treated for long like 2-3 weeks or continuous dosage of different drugs. Candidiasis can be treatable and it takes long for the fungi to enter the bloodstream. Infact Candida albicans takes almost 3 days to grow. Fungus does not grow in a 24hr incubation period. Hence it is not likely that it will spread within 5 to 7 days easily and survive there.

2. False. Candidiasis ranks 4th in the life threatening fungal disease category.

3. Fungi are good pathogens because:

• Ability to live in moist environments
• Ability to live in acidic environment
• Ability to live in basic/alkaline environments
• Ability to live at high temperature
• Ability to live in cold temperatures

Fungus(especially pathogenic ones) have the ability to switch their survival modes during change in the environmental conditions.

4. Athlete's foot is another disease that is caused by this microorganism