Isolamento de Cryptococcus neoformans de excrementos de andorinhas (Hirundo rustica) do Irã

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast that can cause cryptococcosis, a life-threatening infection that mainly occurs in immunocompromised patients. The major environmental sources of C. neoformans have been shown to be soil contaminated with avian droppings. In the present study, we evaluated the isolation of C. neoformans from swallow (Hirundo rustica) excreta in two northern cities of Iran. Ninety-seven swallow droppings were evaluated and 498 yeast-like colonies were isolated and identified as Rhodotorula spp. (62.8%), Candida spp. (28.5%)and C. neoformans (8.7%). Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from 5/97 (5.2%) of collected samples. Min-Max colony forming units (CFU) per one gram for the positive samples were 3-10 C. neoformans colonies. The total mean CFU per one gram for the positive samples was 4.8. The results of this study demonstrate that excreta of swallow may harbor different species of potentially pathogenic yeasts, mainly C. neoformans, and may be capable of disseminating these fungi in the environment.Cryptococcus neoformans é levedura encapsulada que pode causar criptococose, infecção potencialmente mortal que ocorre principalmente em pacientes imunocomprometidos. As principais fontes ambientais de C. neoformans são o solo contaminado com fezes de aves. No presente estudo, avaliamos o isolamento de C. neoformans de excreta de andorinhas (Hirundo rustica) em duas cidades do norte do Irã. Noventa e sete amostras de fezes de andorinhas foram avaliadas e 498 colonias semelhantes à levedura foram isoladas e identificadas como Rhodotorula spp. (62,8%), Candida spp. (28,5%), C. neoformans (8,7%). Cryptococcus neoformans foi isolado a partir de 5/97 (5,2%) das amostras coletadas. Unidades Min-Max formadoras de colonias (CFU) por 1 grama das amostras positivas foram 3-10 coloniasde C. neoformans. A média total de CFU por 1 grama das amostras positivas foi de 4,8. Os resultados deste estudo demonstram que excrementos de andorinhas podem abrigar diferentes espécies de leveduras potencialmente patógenas, principalmente C. neoformans, e podem ser capazes de disseminar estes fungos no meio ambiente

Genetic and morphological diversity of the genus penicillium from mazandaran and tehran provinces, Iran

Background: The genus Penicillium contains a large number of ubiquitous environmental taxa, of which some species are clinically important. Identification of Penicillium down to the species level is currently based on polyphasic criteria, including phenotypic features and genetic markers. Biodiversity of the genus Penicillium from Mazandaran and Tehran provinces has not been described. Objectives: The current paper focused on the environmental biodiversity of Penicillium isolates within some areas of Mazandaran and Tehran provinces, based on morphological traits and the molecular data from partial sequence of the β-tubulin (BT2) gene. Materials and Methods: A total of 400 strains were isolated from the environment and investigated using morphological tests and sequencing of BT2, in order to characterize the spectrum of the Penicillium species. Results: Sequence analysis of BT2 and morphological criteria of 20 strains representative of 10 species showed that Penicillium chrysogenum was the most prevalent species (n = 6), followed by P. polonicum (n = 3), P. glabrum (n = 2), P. palitans (n = 2), P. melanoconidium (n = 2), and other species, including P. expansum, P. canescense, P. griseofulvum, P. italicum, and P. raistrickii with one case each. Conclusions: It was shown that partial β-tubulin sequence, as a reliable genetic target, supported specific morphological criteria for identification of the Penicillium species. Like other assessments throughout the world, P. chrysogenum remains the most frequent environmental Penicillium species in Mazandaran and Tehran Provinces. © 2016 Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

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

Distribution of Malassezia species in patients with pityriasis versicolor in Northern Iran

Purpose : Malassezia yeasts are globally distributed agents of pityriasis versicolor and are implicated in the pathogenesis of seborrhoeic and atopic dermatitis. The aim of this study is to identify the Malassezia species obtained from pityriasis versicolor patients, using morphological, biochemical, physiological as well as Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods. Materials and Methods: The identification of Malassezia species is performed according to microscopic features and physiological characteristics, including catalase reaction and Tween assimilation tests. The DNA is extracted from cultured Malassezia using the glass bead, phenol-chloroform method. The internal transcribed spacer 1(ITS1) region is amplified and there is restricted digestion of the PCR products with two enzymes Cfo I and Bst F5I. Results : The most commonly isolated species is M. globosa (47.6%). RFLP analysis of the PCR products of the ITS1 region is in complete agreement with those from the DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region and the biochemical tests. Conclusion : Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that PCR-RFLP is a relatively simple and quick method, completely comparable to the routine methods used for Malassezia identification

Antifungal activity of ZnO nanoparticles and nystatin and downregulation of SAP1-3 genes expression in fluconazole-resistant candida albicans isolates from vulvovaginal candidiasis

Purpose: Antifungal resistance and virulence properties of Candida albicans (C. albicans) are growing health problems worldwide. The present study aims to investigate the effect of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and Nystatin on SAP1-3 genes expression in C. albicans isolates of females with Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC) isolated from Sayad Shirazi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Northeastern Iran during 2017�2018. Patients and Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, vaginal samples were collected from 280 VVC women. 196 (70) of C. albicans isolates were identified by phenotypic and ITS genotypic methods. Susceptibility to Fluconazole C. albicans isolates was determined by the disk diffusion method. Detection of ERG11 gene was done by RT-PCR technique. Results: It was revealed that PCR amplified the ERG11 gene in all of the Fluconazole-resistant isolates. Real-time PCR was used to survey the effects of 3±1.7µg/mL concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles and Nystatin on expression of SAP1-3 genes before and after treatment. 186 (95) susceptible C. albicans and 10 (5) Fluconazole-resistant C. albicans isolates from VVC were exposed to sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (Sub-MIC) of ZnO-np (range=0.02�12 μg/ mL). Sub-MIC concentration was used for each strain, which reduced the expression of SAP1-3 genes to 1.8 MIC in the vaginal swabs. The observed reduction in gene expression was significant for both ZnO nanoparticles and Nystatin (P=0.01 and P=0.07, respectively). Conclusion: ZnO as antifungal agent can well reduce the growth and gene expression of SAP1-3 in the pathogenesis of VVC. © 2020 Hosseini et al

Cryptococcus neoformans isolation from swallow (Hirundo rustica) excreta in Iran

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast that can cause cryptococcosis, a life-threatening infection that mainly occurs in immunocompromised patients. The major environmental sources of C. neoformans have been shown to be soil contaminated with avian droppings. In the present study, we evaluated the isolation of C. neoformans from swallow (Hirundo rustica) excreta in two northern cities of Iran. Ninety-seven swallow droppings were evaluated and 498 yeast-like colonies were isolated and identified as Rhodotorula spp. (62.8%), Candida spp. (28.5%)and C. neoformans (8.7%). Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from 5/97 (5.2%) of collected samples. Min-Max colony forming units (CFU) per one gram for the positive samples were 3-10 C. neoformans colonies. The total mean CFU per one gram for the positive samples was 4.8. The results of this study demonstrate that excreta of swallow may harbor different species of potentially pathogenic yeasts, mainly C. neoformans, and may be capable of disseminating these fungi in the environment

Identification of Candida species using PCR-RFLP in cancer patients in Iran

Opportunistic infections caused by Non- Candida albicans have been increasing. Traditional methods that are used to identify clinical isolates of Candida species are time-consuming and not appropriate for rapid, accurate and reliable identification. Purpose: To identify Candida spp isolated from cancer patients using PCR-restriction enzyme. Materials and methods: Using universal primers, ITS1 and ITS4, in this study, we could amplify ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA regions at both 80 clinical isolates and 3 standard strains. The PCR products were digested with two restriction enzymes MspI and BlnI separately. Result: We successfully identified all isolated species using two restriction enzymes (MspI, BlnI). Candida albicans was the most common species (77.5%), followed by C. glabrata (15%), C. tropicalis (5%), C. krusei (2.5%). Although the primers and enzyme had the ability to identify C. parapsilosis, C. guilliermondii, C. dubliniensis, present isolates did not include these among identified ones. Conclusion: RFLP-PCR using ITSI and ITS4 primers and restriction enzyme is a rapid, easy, reliable and also applicable method in clinical laboratory for identification of medically important Candida spp

Cryptococcosis: Emergence of cryptococcus gattii in animals and zoonotic potential

Cryptococcosis is one of the most serious fungal diseases of animals worldwide, affecting a wide variety of mammals (including humans) and, occasionally, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The disease is caused by pathogenic members of the encapsulated, melanin-forming, basidiomycetous yeast genus Cryptococcus, namely, Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes. These two species have different ecological niches across climate zones: C. neoformans has been isolated primarily from soil and avian excrement, whereas C. gattii is mainly associated with decaying wood and other plant materials, particularly in and around various species of trees. Cryptococcosis, which appears to be acquired by the inhalation of yeasts from environmental niches and penetration into the sinonasal cavity (animals) or pulmonary alveoli (humans) of the host, followed by hematogenous dissemination (humans) or penetration of the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bones (many animals), often manifests as skin and soft tissue infections, rhinosinusitis, pneumonia, and meningoencephalitis. Animals and people may become infected via the same environmental source; however, no convincingmammal-to-mammal transmission has been documented to date. This chapter highlights the diseases and complications that Cryptococcus species may cause in invertebrates, cold- and warm-blooded animals, marine mammals, and nonhuman primates. The potential role of animal hosts as sentinels of human cryptococcosis is discussed. © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018