Susceptibility and virulent attributes of Candida from Hong Kong and Finland

Session OC3-2: Abstract no. 0127Objectives: Candida is a commensal fungus that resides in at least 50% of human oral cavities. Oral and systemic infection caused by Candida has dramatically increased in the last decade due to growing number of compromised populations. In the present study, we evaluated the antifungal susceptibility profiles and virulent attributes of Candida oral and blood stream isolates derived from Hong Kong and Finland, information which are vital for devising empirical clinical strategies. Methods: Susceptibility testing of Candida isolates was performed against a wide range of antifungals including fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, ketoconazole, 5-fluorocytosine, amphotericin-B and caspofungin according to the CLSI M-44A disc diffusion assay and CLSI M-27A broth microdilution assay. Secreted aspartyl proteinases (SAPs) levels of Candida isolates were determined by bovine serum albumin assay and haemolytic activity was evaluated using Sabouraud dextrose agar supplemented with 3% glucose and fresh sheep blood. Results: All blood stream isolates derived from Hong Kong were susceptible to all the antifungals tested whilst some isolates from Finland were resistant to azoles and caspofungin. C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis showed higher haemolytic activity whereas C. parapsilosis and C. guilliermondii were non-haemolytic in general. Proteinase activity of the Finland C. albicans isolates was significantly higher than the Hong Kong isolates. Conclusion: Our data provide a glimpse of the possible evolutionary changes in pathogenic potential of Candida that may be occurring in different regions of the world. Therefore, continuous surveillance and availability of local data should be taken into consideration when treating Candida infections (RGC-Grant HKU-7624/06M).The 24th IADR-SEA Division Annual Scientific Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan, 19-21 September 2010

Migratory vertebrates shift migration timing and distributions in a warming Arctic

Climate warming in the Arctic has led to warmer and earlier springs, and as a result, many food resources for migratory animals become available earlier in the season, as well as become distributed further northwards. To optimally profit from these resources, migratory animals are expected to arrive earlier in the Arctic, as well as shift their own spatial distributions northwards. Here, we review literature to assess whether Arctic migratory birds and mammals already show shifts in migration timing or distribution in response to the warming climate. Distribution shifts were most prominent in marine mammals, as expected from observed northward shifts of their resources. At least for many bird species, the ability to shift distributions is likely constrained by available habitat further north. Shifts in timing have been shown in many species of terrestrial birds and ungulates, as well as for polar bears. Within species, we found strong variation in shifts in timing and distributions between populations. Ou r review thus shows that many migratory animals display shifts in migration timing and spatial distribution in reaction to a warming Arctic. Importantly, we identify large knowledge gaps especially concerning distribution shifts and timing of autumn migration, especially for marine mammals. Our understanding of how migratory animals respond to climate change appears to be mostly limited by the lack of long-term monitoring studies