Question

Which organism is responsible for the condition illustrated in the image?

1
Candida albicans
2
Epstein-Barr virus
3
Toxoplasma gondii
Correct 4
Human herpes virus-8
The image illustrates lesions in Kaposi sarcoma, a condition caused by Human herpes virus-8. Kaposi sarcoma develops as small, purplish-brown, raised lesions that are usually not painful or itchy. The skin and mucous membrane lesions can occur anywhere on the body. Candida albicans causes oral thrush that affects the hard and soft palates. Epstein-Barr virus causes oral hairy leukoplakia, which is a painless, white, raised lesion on the lips and tongue. Toxoplasma gondii causes toxoplasmosis encephalitis, which results in changes in mental status.

Answer 1

The condition shown in the image is Kaposi sarcoma, which is caused by Human herpes virus-8. Other pathogens such as Candida albicans cause oral thrush and skin candidiasis, and dermatophytes cause common skin mycoses like ringworm.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pathogen responsible for the lesions illustrated in the image, which are characteristic of Kaposi sarcoma, is the Human herpes virus-8. Kaposi sarcoma is an opportunistic cancer that can occur in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with AIDS, and presents as red, raised, scab-like skin lesions.

It is worth noting that other organisms are responsible for different conditions: Candida albicans causes oral thrush and candidiasis of the skin, herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) causes oral herpes, and other viral agents such as human papillomavirus cause papillomas.

Some common skin mycoses are caused by dermatophytes, leading to conditions such as ringworm, while systemic infections can be caused by organisms like Toxoplasma gondii resulting in toxoplasmosis. It is essential to correctly identify the causative pathogen to pursue the appropriate treatment and management strategies for these infections.