List four types of mycoses, give 2 example of each, briefly describe their characteristics, symptoms and

treatment.

Type 1: Superficial fungal infections

Example 1: Athlete’s foot

Symptoms & Characteristics: Athlete’s foot is an infection caused by a type of fungus

known as a dermatophyte. Athlete’s foot, also called tinea pedis, fungal infection of the

feet, a form of ringworm. The skin areas most commonly affected are the plantar surface

(sole) of the foot and the web spaces between the toes. Athletes may be at a slightly

greater risk than other populations. Symptoms Athlete’s foot can be categorized into four

main types: interdigital (toe webs) may be dry or macerated (soft from being wet).

Moccasin the area involved is limited to the soles and lateral portions of the feet. The

leading edge of infection is a well-defined line of erythema (redness).

Vesicular (blisters) the raised, erythematous leading edge of the rash contains vesicles

(small fluid-filled blisters) or bullae (large fluid-filled blisters), which are a sign of acute

inflammation

Ulcerativth the interdigital infection spreads to the dorsum (top) or plantar surface of the

foot.

Treatment: Athlete’s foot can usually be treated with topical antifungal medications, such as terbinafine

(Lamisil) or miconazole (Micatin), which can be purchased over the counter. Prescription-strength

topicals, such as clotrimazole, may also be used.

Example 2: White piedra

Symptoms & Characteristics:

White piedra is a superficial cosmetic fungal infection of the hair shaft caused by Trichosporon. Infected

hairs develop soft greyish-white nodules along the shaft. The primary symptoms of white piedra are

white-to-tan gelatinous, pearly nodules surrounding the hair shaft. These nodules are typically found in

facial hair and body hair (for example, in mustaches and beards, on eyelashes and eyebrows, and in

armpit and pubic hair. Other symptoms of white piedra include: Brittle, broken hair,Hair that feels gritty,

Pain or itching

Treatment: The first line of treatment is to completely shave off all infected hair. Doing so may be

sufficient to rid yourself of the fungus. Other treatment options include antifungal creams, shampoos,

and oral antifungal medications.

Type 2: Cutaneous mycoses

Example

Symptoms & Characteristics:

Superficial and cutaneous mycoses are both caused by fungi that affect the superficial layers of skin,

hair, and nails. The main difference between them is that superficial mycoses cause little or no

inflammation, whereas cutaneous mycoses generally trigger an inflammatory response that causes skin

redness and itching. Cutaneous mycoses are caused by dermatophytes, a group of filamentous fungi that

colonize and infect keratinized tissues, including the outermost layer of skin (i.e., stratum corneum),

hair, and nails. Signs and symptoms of cutaneous mycoses vary depending on the infectious agent,

location of the infection, and severity of the infection. Tinea infections often present with an itchy rash

that has a central clearing surrounded by an inflamed, scaly border (also known as ring worm)

Cutaneous candidiasis often presents as red skin patches with small satellite lesions that usually affect
skinfold areas (e.g., armpits, groin, under the breasts). Finally, cutaneous aspergillosis can present with

distinctive skin wounds, known as eschars, in the affected area

Treatment: Treatment of cutaneous mycoses varies depending on the underlying cause of infection. In

general, most cutaneous mycoses require treatment with antifungal medications (e.g., azole antifungals,

amphotericin, terbinafine). Antifungal medications may be topical or oral, and the type recommended

generally depends on the severity of the infection

Type 3: subcutaneous mycoses

Example 1:

Symptoms & Characteristics: These are chronic, localized infections of the skin and subcutaneous

tissue following the traumatic implantation of the aetiologic agent. Signs and symptoms vary depending

on the infectious agent, location of the infection, and severity of the infection. Tinea infections often

present with an itchy rash that has a central clearing surrounded by an inflamed, scaly border.

Treatment: Treatment usually involves use of antifungal agents and/or surgical excision.

Example 2: __________________________________

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Type 4: systemic (deep) infections mycose

Example 1: __________________________________

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Example 2: __________________________________

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2. What is one major difference between systemic mycoses and opportunistic mycoses?]
systemic mycoses are fungal infections caused due to primary and opportunistic fungal pathogens in other

words they are caused by primary pathogenic and opportunistic fungal pathogens. The primary pathogenic fungi

are able to establish infection in a normal host; while opportunistic mycoses are caused due to opportunistic

fungal pathogens meaning opportunistic pathogens require a compromised host in order to establish infection

(e.g., cancer, organ transplantation, surgery, and AIDS).

3. What are dimorphic fungi? Give an example.

Dimorphic fungi are fungi that can switch between a yeast (or yeast-like) phase and a mold (filamentous) phase
depending upon the environmental conditions. One of the characteristics common to most dimorphic fungi is
the ability to convert the mold forms to the yeast forms by incubating subcultures in enriched media at 35°-
37°C. An example of a dimorphic fungi;- a fungus is in the yeast form, but the temperature cools, thus creating
an environment that is conducive to mold. One type of dimorphic fungi called Histoplasma capsulatum changes
into a mold as the temperature decreases.