Question

Hepatic candidiasis, chronic granulomatous disease, amebic abscess, echinococcal cyst, pneumocystis carinii (what type of infection are each one of them? How do they get into human body? How do they get into liver?)

Answer 1

Hepatic candidiasis-

Focal hepatic candidiasis is a distinct clinical variant of candidiasis in immunocompromised hosts. Although affected patients may exhibit previous evidence of extra-hepatic candidal infection, manifestations of disease at the time hepatic involvement is documented are localized to the liver.

Candida infection can spread from your bloodstream to other parts of your body (such as your eyes, kidney, liver, and brain). If this happens, it is called Invasive Candidemia.

A little yeast in your body is good for you. Too much can cause infections and other health problems. If you take antibiotics too often or use oral birth control, your body might start to grow too much yeast. This often leads to gas, bloating, mouth sores, bad breath, a coating on your tongue, or itchy rashes.

-Chronic granulomatous (gran-u-LOM-uh-tus) disease (CGD) is an inherited disorder that occurs when a type of white blood cell (phagocyte) that usually helps your body fight infections doesn't work properly. As a result, the phagocytes can't protect your body from bacterial and fungal infections.

Chronic granulomatous disease is a genetic disease. In CGD, mutations in any one of five different genes can cause a defect in an enzyme called phagocyte NADPH oxidase. Certain white blood cells use this enzyme to produce hydrogen peroxide, which these cells need in order to kill certain bacteria and fungi.

People with chronic granulomatous disease experience serious bacterial or fungal infection every few years. An infection in the lungs, including pneumonia, is common. People with CGD may develop a serious type of fungal pneumonia after being exposed to dead leaves, mulch or hay.

-Amebic liver abscess is caused by Entamoeba histolytica. This parasite causes amebiasis, an intestinal infection that is also called amebicdysentery. After an infection has occurred, the parasite may be carried by the bloodstream from the intestines to the liver.

Amebic liver abscesses are caused by Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite that is acquired via ingestion of food or water contaminated by human feces. 1 Most infections with E. histolytica are asymptomatic. Among symptomatic infections, amebic dysentery is the most common presentation.

A liver abscess can develop from several different sources, including a blood infection, an abdominal infection, or an abdominal injury which has been become infected. The most common infecting bacteria include E coli, enterococcus, staphylococcus, and streptococcus.

Tinidazole may be administered once daily and appears to be at least as effective as metronidazole, with a clinical cure rate of more than 90%. Metronidazole, 750 mg 3 times a day orally for 10 days, was reported to be curative in 90% of patients with amebic liver abscess.

-Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is the larval cystic stage (called echinococcal cysts) of a small taeniid-type tapeworm (Echinococcus granulosus) that may cause illness in intermediate hosts, generally herbivorous animals and people who are infected accidentally.

The two most important forms in humans are cystic echinococcosis (hydatidosis) and alveolar echinococcosis. Humans are infected through ingestion of parasite eggs in contaminated food, water or soil, or after direct contact with animal hosts.

CE is found in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America. Highest prevalence is found in populations that raise sheep.

-Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is a serious infection caused by the fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii. Most people who get PCP have a medical condition that weakens their immune system, like HIV/AIDS, or take medicines (such as corticosteroids) that lower the body's ability to fight germs and sickness.

Pneumocystis carinii is a cause of diffuse pneumonia in immunocompromised hosts. Even in fatal cases, the organism and the disease remain localized to the lung. The pneumonia rarely, if ever, occurs in healthy individuals.

The fungus that causes it can spread from person to person through the air. People can spread the disease even when they're healthy and have no symptoms.

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a fungal infection in one or both lungs. It is common in people who have a weak immune system, such as people who have AIDS. The disease is less common in the U.S. than it used to be. When it happens, you need medical care right away.

Most pneumonia occurs when a breakdown in your body's natural defenses allows germs to invade and multiply within your lungs. To destroy the attacking organisms, white blood cells rapidly accumulate. Along with bacteria and fungi, they fill the air sacs within your lungs (alveoli). Breathing may be labored.