Question

1. Please choose the correct statement describing the treatment of opportunistic fungal infections.

• Common antibiotics in the penicillin class are used to treat fungal infections.

• Many of the antifungal drugs are highly toxic.

• Surgery is the common procedure to remove infected tissue of patients having fungal infections.

• The opportunistic fungi are much more resistant to antifungal drugs than the true fungal pathogens.

• Opportunistic fungal infections are usually easy to eliminate.

2. Persons suffering from AIDS are particularly susceptible to fungal infection because the most important defenses against infection are all dependent on the action of white blood cells.

True

False

3. Direct examination of patient samples is a common part of diagnosing a fungal infection because

• it is important to see if the fungal infection is accompanied by a bacterial or viral infection so direct examination is necessary.

• fungi display thermal dimorphism and may change from yeasts to molds when cultured on artificial media.

• fungi are obligate parasites and must be grown on a living host.

• fungi are slow to grow on most laboratory media.

4. Please choose the accurate description of an opportunistic pathogen.

• usually of little importance in medicine, causing few infections and deaths

• associated with certain ethnic groups

• impairment of host defenses allows the infection

• usually displays thermal dimorphism

• very high pathogenicity and death rate

5. Candidiasis may be successfully treated with antimycotic drugs. What should also be done to ensure the fungal infection does not return?

• The underlying disease that predisposed the patient to Candida infection must be treated.

• The patient should be placed on long-term antibiotic therapy.

• Radiation therapy should be used to kill any remaining fungal cells at the end of treatment.

• Candida lesions should be surgically removed.

Answer 1

1. Many of the antifungal drugs are highly toxic.

2. True.

3. Fungi display thermal dimorphism and may change yeast to molds when cultured on artificial media.

4. Impairment of host defenses allows the infection.

Explanation