Pseudallescheria and Scedosporium: Emerging Oopportunists

International audienc

Communication of the ECMM-ISHAM Working Group on Pseudallescheria/Scedosporium Infections. Update on Scedosporium/Pseudallescheria Infections

Date du colloque&nbsp;: 04/2008</p

Fusarium:Molecular Diversity and Intrinsic Drug Resistance

Contains fulltext : 172596.PDF (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Environmental isolation of black yeast-like fungi involved in human infection

The present study focuses on potential agents of chromoblastomycosis and other endemic diseases in the state of Paraná, Southern Brazil. Using a highly selective protocol for chaetothyrialean black yeasts and relatives, environmental samples from the living area of symptomatic patients were analysed. Additional strains were isolated from creosote-treated wood and hydrocarbon-polluted environments, as such polluted sites have been supposed to enhance black yeast prevalence. Isolates showed morphologies compatible with the traditional etiological agents of chromoblastomycosis, e.g. Fonsecaea pedrosoi and Phialophora verrucosa, and of agents of subcutaneous or systemic infections like Cladophialophora bantiana and Exophiala jeanselmei. Some agents of mild disease were indeed encountered. However, molecular analysis proved that most environmental strains differed from known etiologic agents of pronounced disease syndromes: they belonged to the same order, but mostly were undescribed species. Agents of chromoblastomycosis and systemic disease thus far are prevalent on the human host. The hydrocarbon-polluted environments yielded yet another spectrum of chaetothyrialean fungi. These observations are of great relevance because they allow us to distinguish between categories of opportunists, indicating possible differences in pathogenicity and virulence

Three new species of the genus Ochroconis

Ochroconis bacilliformis, O. phaeophora and O. robusta, three novel species of the melanized genus Ochroconis (Sympoventuriaceae, Venturiales), are described, illustrated and distinguished phenotypically and molecularly from previously described species in the genus Ochroconis. Their potential significance for infection of cold-blooded vertebrates is discussed

Chaos Synchronization and Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking in Symmetrically Delay Coupled Semiconductor Lasers

PACS: 05.45.Xt, 42.55.Px, 42.65.SfWe present experimental and numerical investigations of the dynamics of two device-identical, optically coupled semiconductor lasers exhibiting a delay in the coupling. Our results give evidence for subnanosecond coupling-induced synchronized chaotic dynamics in conjunction with a spontaneous symmetry-breaking: we find a well-defined time lag between the dynamics of the two lasers, and an asymmetric physical role of the subsystems. We demonstrate that the leading laser synchronizes its lagging counterpart, whereas the synchronized lagging laser drives the coupling-induced instabilities.Peer reviewe