First report of tinea corporis caused by Trichophyton quinckeanum in Iran and its antifungal susceptibility profile

Background and Purpose: Trichophyton quinckeanum, a known zoophilicdermatophyte responsible for favus form in rodents and camels, is occasionally reported to cause human infections.Case Report: This study aimed to report a case of tinea corporis caused by T. quinckeanum that experienced annular erythematous pruritic plaque with abundantpurulent secretions. In June 2021, a 15-year-old girl with an erythematous cup shape lesion on the right wrist bigger than 3 cm in diameter was examined for tinea corporis. Since March, 2016 her family has kept several camels at home. Direct examination of skin scraping and purulent exudates revealed branching septal hyaline hyphae and arthrospore. Morphological evaluation of the recovered isolate from the culture and sequencing of ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2 region resulted in the identification of T. quinckeanum. Antifungal susceptibility testing showed that this isolate had low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for luliconazole,terbinafine, and tolnaftate, but high MICs to itraconazole, fluconazole, posaconazole, miconazole, isavuconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole, andgriseofulvin. However, the patient was successfully treated with oral terbinafine andtopical ketoconazole.Conclusion: It can be said that T. quinckeanum is often missed or misidentified due to its morphological similarity to T. mentagrophytes/T. interdigitale or other similar species. This dermatophyte species is first reported as the cause of tinea corporis in Iran. As expected, a few months after our study, T. quinckeanum was detected in other areas of Iran, in a few case

Protective and modulatory effects of royal jelly used against the induced changes in silver nanoparticles on the hippocampus of male rats

Objective (s): Silver nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their important properties, including antimicrobial and anti-oxidative stress effects. However, high concentrations of silver NPs have been reported to have toxic effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the modulatory and protective effects of royal jelly (RJ) against the harmful effects of silver NPs on hippocampal functions, such as learning and memory. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 40 male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups of 10, including the control group (no silver NPs and RJ), RJ group, silver NPs plus RJ, and silver NPs. Some functions of the hippocampus (e.g., learning and memory) were evaluated using Morris memory function tests for four consecutive days. In addition, the relative expression of TRPV1 was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). At the final stage, hippocampal tissues were collected for histological studies.Results: Levels of learning and memory, relative gene expression ratio of TRPV1, and the histological changes in the hippocampus were significantly different in the groups receiving silver NPs compared to the groups administered with RJ. Conclusion: According to the results, RJ may be the effective in the protection against the adverse effects of silver NPs and improve the function of the hippocampus

Predominance of Trichophyton tonsurans causing tinea capitis: A 12-year retrospective study in the north of Iran

Background and purpose: Among different clinical entities of dermatophytosis, tinea capitis (TC) is considered a major public health challenge in the world, especially in regions with poor health and low income. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a retrospective analysis of the patients suspected of TC who were referred to the medical mycology laboratory of Mazandaran, a northern province of Iran.Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the patients suspected of TC who were referred to the medical mycology laboratory from July 2009 to April 2022. Hair roots and skin scrapings were collected from the participants. The laboratory diagnosis was confirmed by direct microscopic examination and culture. Finally, 921 out of 11095 (8.3%) patients were suspected of TC.Results: Based on the findings, TC was confirmed in 209 out of 921 patients (22.7%). In terms of gender, 209 TC patients (75.1%) were male. Moreover, the male to female ratio of TC patients was 1:3.0. Trichophyton tonsurans (146/174, 83.91%) was the most etiological agent,followed by T. mentagrophytes (13/174, 7.47%), T. violaceum (9/174, 5.17%), Microsporum canis (3/174, 1.71%), T. verrucosum (2/174, 1.15%) and T. rubrum (1/174, 0.57%). Besides, endothrix (77.0%) was the most prevalent type of hair invasion.Conclusion: The results revealed the predominance of T. tonsurans, as a causative agent of TC. Despite the prevalence of TC, the absence of appropriate consideration highlights that it is a neglected complication among children

Indoor environment assessment of special wards of educational hospitals for the detection of fungal contamination sources: A multi-center study (2019-2021)

Background and Purpose: The hospital environment was reported as a real habitat for different microorganisms, especially mold fungi. On the other hand, these opportunistic fungi were considered hospital-acquired mold infections in patients with weak immune status. Therefore, this multi-center study aimed to evaluate 23 hospitals in 18 provinces of Iran for fungal contamination sources.Materials and Methods: In total, 43 opened Petri plates and 213 surface samples were collected throughout different wards of 23 hospitals. All collected samples were inoculated into Sabouraud Dextrose Agar containing Chloramphenicol (SC), and the plates were then incubated at 27-30ºC for 7-14 days.Results: A total of 210 fungal colonies from equipment (162, 77.1%) and air (48,22.9%) were identified. The most predominant isolated genus was Aspergillus (47.5%),followed by Rhizopus (14.2%), Mucor (11.7%), and Cladosporium (9.2%). Aspergillus(39.5%), Cladosporium (16.6%), as well as Penicillium and Sterile hyphae (10.4% each), were the most isolates from the air samples. Moreover, intensive care units (38.5%) and operating rooms (21.9%) had the highest number of isolated fungal colonies. Out of 256 collected samples from equipment and air, 163 (63.7%) were positive for fungal growth.The rate of fungal contamination in instrument and air samples was 128/213 (60.1%) and 35/43 (81.2%), respectively. Among the isolated species of Aspergillus, A. flavus complex (38/96, 39.6%), A. niger complex (31/96, 32.3%), and A. fumigatus complex (15/96, 15.6%) were the commonest species.Conclusion: According to our findings, in addition to air, equipment and instrument should be considered among the significant sources of fungal contamination in the indoor environment of hospitals. Airborne fungi, Hospital, Indoor air, Equipment, Sources of fungal contamination in the indoor environment of hospitals

Effect of Group Play Therapy based on Choice Theory on Anxiety, Depression, and Pain Symptoms in Children and Adolescents with Cancer

Background and purpose: Some problems that people face in childhood and adolescence remain throughout their lives. One of these problems is cancer. This study examined the effectiveness of group play therapy based on choice theory on anxiety, depression, and pain symptoms in children and adolescents with cancer. Materials and methods: An experimental study with intervention and control group and pre and post-tests was performed in 30 patients with cancer in Mashhad Dr.Sheikh Hospital, 2019. Demographic form, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire (CPGQ) were completed before and after the intervention. Participants were randomly assigned into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group, received eight hours of group play therapy based on choice theory in eight sessions. Data analysis was done in SPSS V24 applying Mixed model ANOVA. Results: The intervention was found to have a significant effect on anxiety level and pain intensity (P <0.05). Conclusion: According to this study, group play therapy based on choice theory could be of great help in reducing anxiety and pain intensity in children and adolescents with cancer

High antimicrobial, cytotoxicity, and catalytic activities of biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles using Crocus caspius extract

The green method for synthesizing various nanoparticles is defined as one of the environmentally friendly, promising, and safer technologies. In our study, the selenium nanoparticles (C@SeNPs) were synthesized by Crocus caspius aqueous extract. The existence of functional groups involved in the synthesis of SeNPs that were connected with bioactive compounds was confirmed by the FT-IR spectrum. The TGA curve confirmed about 60 % weight loss between 260 and 500 °C, implying biomolecules surround the metallic core. XRD analysis displayed the trigonal nature of SeNPs. The SEM and TEM images of C@SeNPs demonstrated semi-spherical in shape. EDX analysis identified the intense bond of selenium. Biosynthesized C@SeNPs were discovered to have considerable antioxidant and antibacterial activities on several strains of bacteria. An IC50 value of 67.63 ± 2.5 μg/ml was obtained for their iron-chelating activity. In addition, the fabricated SeNPs have a strong growth inhibitory effect on MCF-7 and AGS cancer cells. C@SeNPs exhibited effective antifungal activity against tested fungi strains and antileishmanial activity against promastigotes. Besides, our NPs were able efficiently to degrade methylene blue (MB) dye in the presence of NaBH4. Thus, the current findings suggest the benefits of using green technology to synthesize SeNPs with potential activity

Isolation of keratinophilic fungi from the soil of islands of Greater Tunb, Abu-Musa and Sirri, Persian Gulf, Iran

Background and Purpose: Keratinophilic fungi are among the important groups of fungi living in the soil. This study aimed to isolate and identify keratinophilic fungi from the soil of three Iranian islands, namely Greater Tunb, Abu Musa, and Sirri, located in the Persian Gulf using morphological and molecular (polymerase chain reaction) methods. Materials and Methods: In this study, a total of 60 soil samples were collected from the three islands of Greater Tunb, Abu Musa, and Sirri. The samples were analyzed for the presence of the keratinophilic fungi using a hair baiting technique. Furthermore, the identification of keratinophilic fungi was accomplished through the employment of molecular and sequencing techniques. Results: A total of 130 fungal isolates, including 11 genera with 24 species, were collected. Accordingly, Chrysosporium tropicum (24;18.5%), C. keratinophilum (17; 13.1%),&nbsp; Chrysosporium&nbsp; species (15; 11.5%), Aspergillus&nbsp; species ( 8;6.1%), Aspergillus flavus (8; 6.1%), Penicillium&nbsp; species (8;6.1%), Alternaria spp ( 6; 4.6%), Phoma&nbsp; species (5;&nbsp; 3.8%), Aphanoascus verrucosus (4;3.1%), Fusarium chlamydosporum (4; 3.1%), Aspergillus trreus (4;3.1%), Acremonium&nbsp; species (4; 3.1%), and other fungi( 23; 17.8 %) isolates were identified . All isolates of keratinophilic fungi were isolated from the soils with the pH range of 7-9. Conclusion: The results of this study contributed towards a better conceptualization of the incidence pattern of keratinophilic fungi in the regions of Iran. Given that no study has investigated this issue, the findings of the present study can be beneficial for the management of public health surveillance, physicians, and epidemiologists.&nbsp;&nbsp

In Vitro Antifungal Susceptibility Profile of Miltefosine against a Collection of Azole and Echinocandins Resistant Fusarium Strains

Fusarium species are filamentous fungi that cause a variety of infections in humans. Because they are commonly resistant to many antifungal drugs currently available in clinical settings, research into alternative targets in fungal cells and therapeutic approaches is required. The antifungal activity of miltefosine and four comparators, amphotericin B, voriconazole, itraconazole, and caspofungin, were tested in vitro against a collection of susceptible and resistant clinical (n = 68) and environmental (n = 42) Fusarium isolates. Amphotericin B (0.8 &mu;g/mL) had the lowest geometric mean (GM) MICs/MECs values followed by miltefosine (1.44 &mu;g/mL), voriconazole (2.15 &mu;g/mL), caspofungin (7.23 &mu;g/mL), and itraconazole (14.19 &mu;g/mL). Miltefosine was the most effective agent against Fusarium isolates after amphotericin B indicating that miltefosine has the potential to be studied as a novel treatment for Fusarium infections

Levels of Mental Health Continuum and Personality Traits

Mental health continuum, Subjective well-being, Big Five,