High Prevalence of Candida Yeast in Milk Samples from Cows Suffering from Mastitis in Poland

Mastitis is an economically important disease in which fungi belonging to the genus Candida may participate as etiological agents. This study focused on determining the frequency of fungal isolation and differentiation of fungal species isolated from milk of mastitic cows. Sixty-six milk samples from mastitic cows were studied, and 55 strains of fungi were isolated. Seven different species classified as Candida were identified basing on phenotypic properties, and the dominating species was C. parapsilosis. Genomic DNA was isolated and amplified in PCR with ITS1 and NL2 primers. Amplification products were digested with restriction enzymes HpaII and EcoRI. Amplification of DNA with ITS1 and NL2 primers resulted in products of different sizes. Comparison of product sizes in restriction fragment PCR REA confirmed differences among species. Strains grouped together on the basis of phenotype characteristics differed in restriction fragment profiles. None of the investigated species showed similar genetic profiles

Canine leishmaniosis – an emerging disease

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is an invasive disease of dogs, caused by Leishmania spp. parasites transmitted by the bite of an infected phlebotomine sand fly. CanL is declared an important disease by World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Due to its zoonotic potential is of a great importance the prevention of this disease in non endemic areas. Canine leishmaniosis is endemic disease in more than 70 countries and is a common disease in Mediterranean region. Recently, many cases have been reported in non endemic areas, like United Kingdom, Germany and Poland as well, where this disease is considered exotic. The aim of this article is to summarize shortly canine leishmaniosis, it’s transmission, clinical manifestations, diagnostics procedure, treatment, prognosis and prevention. Increasing knowledge about this disease can be of a great use for veterinary surgeons from countries where CanL is an emerging disease. Multiple clinical presentations of CanL should aware clinicians to include leishmaniosis in the differential diagnosis of most clinical cases. Unfortunately, even if dogs recover clinically after treatment, complete elimination of Leishmania spp. is rarely achieved, and they remain infected and may relapse

Cordyceps fungi as natural killers, new hopes for medicine and biological control factors

The Cordyceps genus includes many species of fungi, most of which are endoparasitoids on arthropods. The distribution of these fungi is cosmopolitan, but many occur in regions such as Asia with a hot, humid climate. These pathogens of insect pests are promising candidates for use as biological control factors. Entomopathogenic fungi including the famous Cordyceps sinensis produce bioactive compounds. Lately Cordyceps sinensis was renamed Ophiocordyceps sinensis. This fungus has a long history as a medicinal fungus. It germinates in a living host, kills and mummifies the larva, and then grows from the body of the host. Is known in Tibet as the “winter worm, summer grass”, or “Caterpillar fungus” (Yartsa gunbu). Collecting Ophiocordyceps has become an important source of money for local households in Nepal. Ophiocordyceps sinensis is cultivated as an anamorph for its medicinal and pharmaceutical properties in an artificial medium on an industrial scale. Ophiocordyceps compounds have immunostimulating properties and antitumor activity

Animals as a potential source of human fungal infections

Changing environment is a reason, that many saprotrophic fungi became opportunists and in the end also maybe a pathogenic. Host specific adaptation is not so strong among fungi, so there are many common fungal pathogens for people and for animals. Animals suffering from dermatomycosis are well recognize as source of human superficial mycoses. Breeding of different exotic animals such as parrots, various Reptiles and Amphibians, miniature Rodents and keeping them as a pets in the peoples houses, have become more and more popular in the recent years. This article is shortly presenting which animals maybe a potential source of fungal infections for humans. Looking for the other mycoses as systemic mycoses, especially candidiasis or aspergilosis there are no data, which allow excluding sick animals as a source of infection for human, even if those deep mycoses have endogenic reactivation mechanism. Immunocompromised people are in high−risk group when they take care of animals. Another important source of potentially pathogenic, mostly air−born fungi may be animal use in experimental laboratory work. During the experiments is possible that laboratory workers maybe hurt and these animals and their environment, food and house boxes could be the possible source of microorganisms, pathogenic for humans or other animals. Unusual way to inoculate these potentially pathogens into the skin of laboratory personnel may cause granulomatous, local lesions on their hands

Pine processionary caterpillar, Thaumetopoea pityocampa Denis and Schiffermuller, 1775 contact as a health risk for dogs

Pine processionary, Thaumetopoea pityocampa Denis and Schiffermüller, 1775 is a moth that belongs to the order of insects Lepidoptera, and family Notodontidae. The larvae of pine processionary moth are the main pest of pines all over the world, but mainly in Mediterranean region. The contact with pine processionary caterpillar (lepidopterism) can produce a strong inflammatory reaction on skin and mucous membranes. Other findings include hyperthermia, tachypnoea, respiratory distress, cyanosis and tongue oedema, labial angioedema, ptyalism, bilateral submandibular lymphadenomegaly, conjunctivitis and severe tongue necrosis. Tough, few veterinary cases have been published. Also in Poland pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pinivora) is present, especially near the Baltic coast and can be a possible health risk for both humans and animals (especially dogs). The aim of this article is to increase knowledge about the clinical manifestations of pine processionary caterpillar contact, which may be useful for diagnosis of this dangerous disease

Yeast-like fungi — occurrence in animals

The yeast-like fungi are typical opportunistic microorganisms which may be a part of normal commensally ontocenosis. Many species of Candida genus may be also a cause of candidosis in human and animals. Clinical symptoms occurred customly in patient with cellular immunity deficiencies. Horizontal (person-to-person) form of transmission is also possible, including family infection or group infection in animals, mostly in birds. According to actual data, zoonotic status of candidosis is still not fully documented. In animals, candidosis more often occurs as endogenic infection. The separate problem is infection of animals with significance suppressed immune system, e.g. with tumor diseases. In necroscopy investigation very often in these animals disseminated candidosis has been observed. On different way the infections of Candida spp. are manifested in birds, when Candida albicans occurs as marginal population of normal intestinal ontocenosis. During stress the intestinal fungal population is growing up for critical value and typical crop candidosis is developing. In our routine diagnostic work we have isolated Candida strains from nutritional tract in laboratory mice. This yeast were isolated also from the bottom of the boxes and from mice faeces

The mycobiome – a friendly cross-talk between fungal colonizers and their host

The organisms colonizing a living host create together with their host a holobiome. The holobioms are networks of mutualistic interactions between host`s cells and microorganisms communities. The fungi are among these microorganisms and have been also well known to infect human and animals. These organisms are associated with a wide range of diseases as superficial or systemic mycoses. Fungi as colonizers can also modify host physiology and metabolism, energy acquisition, vitamin-cofactor availability, development and function of immune system, and even host behavior. The objective of this review is to familiarize with recent data concerning the role of fungi creating mammalian mycobiome in the maintenance of the host health status

MIXED DERMATOPHYTE INFECTION IN A CAT

Skin mycoses in animals are mostly caused by Microsporum canis, Microsporum persicolor, Microsporum gypseum and in rare cases by Trichophyton mentagrophyres. As a rule only one dermatophyte species is isolated from skin lesions, but at times mixed infection with bacteria occur. In the described case in a cat with typical dermatomycosis, Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes were isolated simultaneously. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of mixed dermatophyte infection to be descibed in the cat. This paralell infection may suggests, that primary infection of one dermatophyte does not prevent the animal from a secondary infection