Contaminación fúngica de frutos secos de vid y detección de ocratoxina en jugo de uva enDuhok, Iraq

Introduction: Dried vine fruits (raisins) and their juice are widely consumed by human as a diet. Raisins have been shown highly contaminated with ochratoxin A (OTA) and OTA-producing fungi. Ochratoxin A is a potent nephrotoxic and carcinogen to human and animals. Materials and Methods: Dried vine fruit samples was obtained from local shops for fruit juice and soft drinks in Duhok province. Two different media, Dichloran R ose Ben gal Chloromphenicol Agar (DRBC) and Dichloran 18 % Glycerol Agar (DG-18) was used for the counting and isolation of fungi from dried vine fruits. Grape juice were prepared from dried vine fruit after blending with water in a commercial blender. Natural contamination with ochratoxin A was detected by LC-MS/MS technique. Results and Discussion: All samples confirmed to be contaminated with fungi with various degrees. A total of 19 filamentous genera of fungi as well to Yeasts and non sporulation mycelium was detected. Predominant genera detected on both media were Aspergillus and Penicillium. Detected value of ochratoxn A in juices obtained from dried vine fruits was between 0.37 ng/ml to 1.85 ng/ml. Samples contaminated with ochratoxin A were associated withAspergillus carbonarius, A. niger aggregate, A. sclerotium, A. ochraceus, and Penicillum verrucosum. Conclusion: Dried vines fruit were highly contaminated with a broad spectrum of filamentous fungi. Black aspergilli were the most detected species from samples naturally contaminated with ochratoxin

Actividad antifúngica de algunos extractos de plantas medicinales contra algunos aislados de hongos.

Introduction: Fungi live everywhere in the environment, most of them are not dangerous, but some types of fungi can be harmful to humanhealth. The medicinal plants contain many antimicrobial components that make them recently used as powerful drugs. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the antifungal potential and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of three plant extract: Aloe vera gel, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) against three fungal species: Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans and Fusarium oxysporum. Materials and Methods: The plant materials were extracted using solvents DMSO and ethanol and then were tested against the selected fungal isolates using well diffusion method. Results and Discussion: Antifungal activity of Aloe vera against Aspergillus niger showed MIC value of 25% whereas for Candida albicans and Fusarium oxysporum the MIC obtained was 100%. Both cinnamon and turmeric showed maximum potency against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans and Fusarium oxysporum at highest MIC value of 100 %. The degree of inhibition increased correspondingly with increasing concentrations of the plant extracts. Conclusions: the tested plant extracts have an antifungal activity and could be used as alternative drugs

Identification of fungi from Otomycosis patients in Duhok city and their in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing

The aim of this study was to determine the most common causative agents of otomycosis in Duhok city, Iraq; and subsequently study their sensitivity to the most commonly prescribed Drugs. From August 2021 till October 2021, a total of 90 patients (46 females and 44 males) who attended the outpatient clinic of ear, nose and throat (ENT) department at Azadi teaching hospital; were clinically examined for mycotic otitis. Ear debris was collected by sterile swabs and transferred to the laboratory for direct microscopic and macroscopic examination by culturing on sabouraud dextrose agar, potato dextrose agar and CHROM Agar Candida. Antifungal drugs were dissolved with (dimethyl sulfoxide) DMSO and used for evaluation of antifungal sensitivity by agar well diffusion method against commonly used antifungal drugs namely; Fluconazole, Itraconazole, Terbinafine, Nystatin, Amphotericin B, and Clotrimazole. In this study positive fungal infections were found in 88 (97.8%) of the collected samples, and it was more common among patients that aged 40 to 49 years. Mycological examination revealed the isolation of 24 genera and species with one variety. The most common fungal isolates were Candida (88.9%), followed by Aspergillus (28.8%) and non-identified yeast (25%), Penicillium (8.9%). Among the identified species, Candida krusei (44.4%) and Candida albicans (16.7%) followed by Aspergillus niger (15.6%) were the predominant species isolates