Candida speciesDownloads

A 28-year-old homeless male with a past medical history significant for asthma comes to your clinic complaining of a chronic rash on his scalp and feet. He describes the rash as “dry and flaky,” and reports it has been present for at least a year. He was using a new dandruff shampoo he got over the counter, with little improvement. The patient reports it is extremely itchy at night, to the point that he can't sleep. On exam, you note a scaly patch of alopecia, enlarged lymph glands along the posterior aspect of his neck, and fine scaling in between his toes and on the heel and sides of his foot. His temperature is 99°F (37°C), blood pressure is 118/78 mmHg, and pulse is 81/min. Which of the following is the most accurate test for the suspected diagnosis?

An investigator is studying growth patterns of various fungal pathogens. Incubation of an isolated fungus at 25°C shows branching hyphae with rosettes of conidia under light microscopy. After incubation at 37°C, microscopic examination of the same organism instead shows smooth, white colonies with rounded, elongated cells. Infection with the investigated pathogen is most likely to cause which of the following conditions?