Comparison of antifungal activities of zinc, copper, cerium oxide, silver, gold, and selenium nanoparticles against clinical isolates of Aspergillus

Objective(s): Aspergillus species are found as opportunistic agents to cause a wide variety of clinical manifestations. Regarding the drug resistance emergence against Aspergillus species, new aspects of using nanoparticles (NPs) as antifungal agents are considerable. This study takes a new approach to biosynthesized NPs of zinc oxide, copper oxide, cerium oxide, silver, gold, and selenium influence on the clinical isolates of Aspergillus species.Materials and Methods: The antifungal activities of six NPs were examined against a total of 12 clinical isolates of Aspergillus species, including A. flavus (n=4), A. welwitschiae (n= 4), and A. fumigatus (n=4) based on the M38-A2 guideline.Results: According to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values, NPs of ZnO, Ag, Au, and Se showed a significant antifungal effect. CuO-NPs and CeO2-NPs didn’t show an inhibitory effect against Aspergillus isolates. The MIC ranges of ZnO-NPs, Ag-NPs, Au-NPs, and Se-NPs were 128-512, 26-53, 21-85, and 6-26 µg⁄mL for A. fumigatus; and 512->512, 26-53, 85, and 1-13 µg⁄mL for A. welwitschiae, respectively. In addition, the MIC ranges of Ag-NPs and Se-NPs were 26-53 and 106-425 µg⁄mL for A. flavus, respectively. However, A. flavus were not inhibited by NPs of ZnO and Au.Conclusion: Among the examined NPs, ZnO, Ag, Au, and Se showed a significant effect against Aspergillus isolates except for CuO and CeO2. However, Ag-NPs seemed to be the most effective nanoparticle against the Aspergillus species. Compared to other Aspergillus species, A. flavus was not inhibited by NPs of ZnO and Au

The effect of involved Aspergillus species on galactomannan in bronchoalveolar lavage of patients with invasive aspergillosis

PURPOSE: The detection of galactomannan (GM) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid is an important surrogate marker for the early diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of invasive aspergillosis (IA), regardless of the involved species of Aspergillus. Here, we utilized the Platelia Aspergillus GM enzyme immunoassay (Bio-Rad) to evaluate the GM index in BAL fluid samples from patients with proven, probable or putative IA due to Aspergillusflavus versus Aspergillusfumigatus. METHODOLOGY: In a prospective study between 2009 and 2015, 116 BAL samples were collected from suspected IA patients referred to two university hospitals in Tehran, Iran. KEY FINDINGS: According to European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Mycoses Study Group and Blot criteria, 35 patients were classified as IA patients, of which 33 cases tested positive for GM above 0.5 and, among these patients, 22 had a GM index >/=1. Twenty-eight were culture positive for A. flavus and seven for A. fumigatus. The GM index for A. flavus cases was between 0.5-6.5 and those of A. fumigatus ranged from 1 to 6.5. The sensitivity and specificity of a GM index >/=0.5 in cases with A. flavus were 86 and 88 % and for A. fumigatus patients were 100 and 73 %, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, the mean GM index in patients with A. fumigatus (3.1) was significantly higher than those of A. flavus (1.6; P-value=0.031) and the sensitivity of GM lower for A. flavus when compared to A. fumigatus. This finding has implications for diagnosis in hospitals and countries with a high proportion of A. flavus infections

The Association Between Helicobacter pylori Infection With Different Types of Colon Cancer and Children’s Diseases: An Overview of Meta-analyses

Objectives: Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative curved bacillus that assumes a significant role in colon cancer and children´s diseases. This study aimed to examine the association between H. pylori infection with colon cancer and children´s diseases in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of these associations and for future works. Methods: Three main databases (i.e., Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL], Scopus, and MEDLINE) were systematically searched by two reviewers from their inception date to 2022 in order to determine the association between the H. pylori infection with the colon cancer and children’s diseases. Results: The findings of two meta-analyses were similar regarding the positive association between the risks of colorectal neoplasm (pooled OR=0.18; 95% CI of 0.99–1.40; P>0.05) and colon neoplasia (pooled OR=0.41; 95% confidence interval 1.24–1.60; P=0.000). H. pylori was associated with an increased risk of colorectal adenoma, adenocarcinoma, and advanced adenoma. Also H. pylori infection was correlated with a high risk of iron deficiency anemia (IDA), otitis media with effusion (OME), Henoch-Schonlein purpura, and growth disorders in children. Conclusions: In sum, the H. pylori infection may have been associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer and children’s diseases

Corrigendum: Comparison of 21-Plex PCR and API 20C AUX, MALDI-TOF MS, and rDNA Sequencing for a Wide Range of Clinically Isolated Yeast Species: Improved Identification by Combining 21-Plex PCR and API 20C AUX as an Alternative Strategy for Developing Countries

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00021.]

MixInYeast: A Multicenter Study on Mixed Yeast Infections

Invasive candidiasis remains one of the most prevalent systemic mycoses, and several studies have documented the presence of mixed yeast (MY) infections. Here, we describe the epidemiology, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of MY infections causing invasive candidiasis in a multicenter prospective study. Thirty-four centers from 14 countries participated. Samples were collected in each center between April to September 2018, and they were sent to a reference center to confirm identification by sequencing methods and to perform antifungal susceptibility testing, according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). A total of 6895 yeast cultures were identified and MY occurred in 150 cases (2.2%). Europe accounted for the highest number of centers, with an overall MY rate of 4.2% (118 out of 2840 yeast cultures). Of 122 MY cases, the most frequent combinations were Candida albicans/C. glabrata (42, 34.4%), C. albicans/C. parapsilosis (17, 14%), and C. glabrata/C. tropicalis (8, 6.5%). All Candida isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B, 6.4% were fluconazole-resistant, and two isolates (1.6%) were echinocandin-resistant. Accurate identification of the species involved in MY infections is essential to guide treatment decisions

Unusual vaginal bleeding due to a leech bite in a girl from a tropical area: A case report

Abstract This study describes the isolation of a leech following the presentation of unusual vaginal bleeding. Vaginal bleeding in children due to a leech bite is very rare. This is the first report of severe bleeding in a virgin 14-year-old girl from Mashhad, Iran due to the presence of a leech in the vagina

Rapid detection of Candida species in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with pulmonary symptoms

AbstractCandida species, especially C. albicans, are commensals on human mucosal surfaces, but are increasingly becoming one of the important invasive pathogens as seen by a rise in its prevalence in immunocompromised patients and in antibiotic consumption. Thus, an accurate identification of Candida species in patients with pulmonary symptoms can provide important information for effective treatment. A total of 75 clinical isolates of Candida species were obtained from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients with pulmonary symptoms. Candida cultures were identified based on nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS1-ITS2 rDNA) sequence analysis by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP). Molecular identification indicated that the isolates belonged predominantly to C. albicans (52%), followed by C. tropicalis (24%), C. glabrata (14.7%), C. krusei (5.3%), C. parapsilosis (1.3%), C. kefyr (1.3%) and C. guilliermondii (1.3%). Given the increasing complexity of disease profiles and their management regimens in diverse patients, rapid and accurate identification of Candida species can lead to timely and appropriate antifungal therapy

Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: The causative agents, clinical signs and susceptibility to fluconazole in gonabad city, northeast iran

Abstract: Background: Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) is the second most common cause of genital tract infection in females. Excessive use of fluconazole and other azoles is likely to cause the emergence of the resistant species of Candida. Objective: The purpose of this research was to identify Candida isolates from RVVC and the antifungal effect of fluconazole against them. Methods: In this study, 152 patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis were evaluated for the RVVC form. The Candida isolates were purified using CHROMagar Candida and identified based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-ITS2 rDNA) sequence analysis by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The antifungal susceptibility of C. albicans isolates against fluconazole was determined according to document M27-A3. Results: Out of 152 patients, 20 cases (13.2%) were identified as recurrent form. The frequencies of the Candida species among the patients with RVVC were C. albicans (n = 16, 80%), C. parapsilosis (n = 3, 15%) and C. tropicalis (n = 1, 5%). The most common clinical sign was vaginal discharge (60%). The mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of fluconazole against Candida isolates were 32 µg/mL and 64 µg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: C. albicans was the dominant cause of RVVC. The Candida isolates showed relatively high resistance to fluconazole in vitro. Vaginal discharge was the most common clinical sign among patients with RVVC. Keywords: Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, gonabad, predisposing factors, fluconazole, PCR-RFLP

Assessment of indoor and outdoor airborne fungi in an Educational, Research and Treatment Center

Hospital environments contain different types of microorganisms. Airborne fungi are one of these microbes and the major source of hospital indoor contamination that will be able to cause airborne fungal diseases. In the current study, the total count and diversity of the airborne filamentous and yeasts fungi were investigated in indoor and outdoor air of selective wards of Emam Reza Educational, Research and Treatment Center. This cross-sectional study was performed during the fall season. One hundred and ninety-two environmental samples of indoor and outdoor air from hematology, infectious diseases, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) wards were collected by open plate technique (on Sabouraud dextrose agar media) once a week. The cultures were then examined and evaluated according to macroscopic and microscopic examination criteria. In this study, 67 (62.03%) of indoor samples and 81 (96.42%) of outdoor samples were positive for fungi. The most isolated fungi were yeast species (17.12%), Penicillium spp. (16.34%), Alternaria spp. (14.39%), Aspergillus niger (11.28%), A. flavus (8.95%), respectively. Almost all of the wards showed high rates of contamination by various fungi. However, the analysis of the data showed that indoor air of hematology ward had the highest fungal pollution. In contrast, the outdoor air of ENT had the highest fungal pollution. Thus, these results demonstrated that the cleansing and disinfection procedures in the hospital wards should be improved yet

Kinetics of antifungal activity of home-generated ozonated water on Candida albicans

Background and Purpose: Candida-associated denture stomatitis is one of the most common forms of oral candidiasis among denture wearers. Regarding this, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the antifungal effects of home-generated ozonated water on the adhesion of the C. albicans attached to the surface of the denture base acrylic resins. Materials and Methods: For the purpose of the study, different concentrations of C. albicans were added to the tubes containing acrylic resin blocks, and then incubated for 2 h at 35°C. The samples were assigned into three groups, each of which contained 42 samples, including normal saline (NS) solution as the negative control, nystatin (N) solution as the positive control, and ozonated water as the test group. The samples were washed and placed in an ultrasonic bath. Subsequently, the saline solution was cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar. The concentrations of Candida were evaluated during the contact times. Results: The test group (i.e., ozonated water) with 114 colony-forming units (CFU) showed a significant reduction of Candida colonies, compared to the NS group with 2,172 CFU. The 120- and 1-minute incubation with ozonated water showed the highest and lowest effects on the viability of Candida adhered to the acrylic resin, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the findings, home-generated ozonated water can be applied to remove the Candida attached to the surface of the denture plates