Environmental isolation, biochemical identification, and antifungal drug susceptibility of Cryptococcus species

Introduction The incidence of opportunistic fungal infections has increased in recent years and is considered an important public health problem. Among systemic and opportunistic mycoses, cryptococcosis is distinguished by its clinical importance due to the increased risk of infection in individuals infected by human immunodeficiency virus. Methods To determine the occurrence of pathogenic Cryptococcus in pigeon excrement in the City of Araraquara, samples were collected from nine environments, including state and municipal schools, abandoned buildings, parks, and a hospital. The isolates were identified using classical tests, and susceptibility testing for the antifungal drugs (fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, and amphotericin B) independently was also performed. After collection, the excrement samples were plated on Niger agar and incubated at room temperature. Results A total of 87 bird dropping samples were collected, and 66.6% were positive for the genus Cryptococcus. The following species were identified: Cryptococcus neoformans (17.2%), Cryptococcus gattii (5.2%), Cryptococcus ater (3.5%), Cryptococcus laurentti (1.7%), and Cryptococcus luteolus (1.7%). A total of 70.7% of the isolates were not identified to the species level and are referred to as Cryptococcus spp. throughout the manuscript. Conclusions Although none of the isolates demonstrated resistance to antifungal drugs, the identification of infested areas, the proper control of birds, and the disinfection of these environments are essential for the epidemiological control of cryptococcosis.Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas Laboratorio de Micologia ClinicaPrefeitura Municipal de Araraquara Departamento do Meio AmbienteUniversidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas Laboratorio de Micologia Clinic

Post‐Mortem Mycological Investigation of 100 Cancerous Patients

A fungal analysis has been performed on cadavers of 100 patients dead of neoplasic diseases taken at random from May 1967 to January 1969. Every patient had received antibiotics, corticosteroids, antimitotics and/or some radiations. On every cadaver, 19 sterile specimens were taken. Their culture produced 16 different species of fungi: nine species were Cándida. Ten patients gave a completely negative result as far as fungi were concerned. Cándida albicans was present in 78.9% of all cultures. A quantitative as well as qualitative study of the results allow the following conclusions: 1o with one exception, C. albicans was present in the digestive tract if it was isolated from any other organ; 2o as far as C. albicans is concerned the digestive tract can be divided in three areas: a superior one with the mouth, oesophagus and stomach, a middle one with the small intestine and the caecum, and an inferior one with the sigmoid. The middle area contains a quantity of C. albicans slightly superior and the sigmoid a quantity slightly inferior to the half of the content of the superior area. In the superior area it is the stomach which produces the highest number of positive results and is the main reservoir for C. albicans. It is rather obvious that any drug given to reduce C. albicans must be active in the stomach and be resistant to the gastric juice. Von Mai 1967 bis Januar 1969 wurden die Leichen von 100 an neoplastischen Erkrankungen verstorbenen, nicht ausgesuchten Patienten auf Pilze untersucht. Alle Patienten hatten Antibiotika, Kortikosteroide, Antimitotika und/oder Bestrahlungen erhalten. Von jeder Leiche wurden 19 Proben steril entnommen. Die Kultur ergab 16 verschiedene Pilzarten: 9 davon gehorten zur Gattung Cándida. Bei 10 Patienten war das Ergebnis mykologisch vollständig negativ. Cándida albicans wurde in 78,9 % aller Kulturen gefunden. Sowohl quantitative als audi qualitative Unter‐sudiungen der Ergebnisse erlauben folgende Sdilußfolgerungen: 1. Von einer einzigen Ausnahme abgesehen, fand sidi C albicans audi im Digestions‐trakt, wenn die Isolierung aus irgendeinem anderen Organ gelang; 2. soweit es C. albicans betrifft, kann der Digestionstrakt in drei Bereidie eingeteilt werden: einen oberen mit Mund, Ösophagus und Magen, einen mittleren mit dem Dünn‐darm und dem Caecum, sowie einen unteren mit dem Sigmoid. Der mittlere Bereidi enthält etwas mehr C. albicans und das Sigmoid etwas weniger als die Hälfte der Menge, die im oberen Bereidi gefunden vurde. Im oberen Bereidi ergibt der Magen die höchsten Befallszahlen; er ist das Hauptreservoir für C. albicans. Es ist wohl einleuditend, daß eine Arznei, die zur Reduzierung von C. albicans gegeben wird, im Magen aktiv und magensaftresistent sein muß. Desde Mayo de 1967 hasta Enero de 1969 se investigaron hongos en 100 cadáveres no seleccionados de enfermos fallecidos por neoplasias. Todos estos enfermos habían recibido antibióticos, corticoesteroides, antimitóticos y/o radioterapia. De cada cadáver se extra‐jeron 19 pruebas en condiciones estériles. El cultivo mostró 16 distintas especies de hongos: 9 de ellas pertenecian al género Cándida. En 10 enfermos los resultados micoló‐gicos fueron negativos. Se halló Cándida albicans en el 78,9 % de todos los cultivos. El estudio cuantitativo y cualitativo de los resultados permite llegar a las siguientes concluciones: 1) Salvo una única excepción se halló Cándida albicans también en el tubo digestivo cuando ella pudo ser aislada de otros órganos; 2) En cuanto a Cándida albicans se refiere el aparato digestivo puede ser dividido en tres sectores: uno superior con boca, esófago y estomago, otro medio comprendiendo intestino delgado y ciego y otro inferior con el sigmoide. El sector medio contiene algo mas y el sigmoide algo menos de la mitad de la cantidad de Cándida albicans hallada en el sector superior. En el sector superior se halla Cándida albicans con mayor frecuencia en el estómago, él es el reservorio principal para Cándida albicans. Resulta evidente que un medicamento dado para reducir Cándida albicans debe ser activo en el estómago y resistente al jugo gástrico. © 1970 Blackwell PublishingSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Isolation and characterization of Arabidopsis halleri and Thlaspi caerulescens phytochelatin synthases

The synthesis of phytochelatins (PC) represents a major metal and metalloid detoxification mechanism in various species. PC most likely play a role in the distribution and accumulation of Cd and possibly other metals. However, to date, no studies have investigated the phytochelatin synthase (PCS) genes and their expression in the Cd-hyperaccumulating species. We used functional screens in two yeast species to identify genes expressed by two Cd hyperaccumulators (Arabidopsis halleri and Thlaspi caerulescens) and involved in cellular Cd tolerance. As a result of these screens, PCS genes were identified for both species. PCS1 was in each case the dominating cDNA isolated. The deduced sequences of AhPCS1 and TcPCS1 are very similar to AtPCS1 and their identity is particularly high in the proposed catalytic N-terminal domain. We also identified in A. halleri and T. caerulescens orthologues of AtPCS2 that encode functional PCS. As compared to A. halleri and A. thaliana, T. caerulescens showed the lowest PCS expression. Furthermore, concentrations of PC in Cd-treated roots were the highest in A. thaliana, intermediate in A. halleri and the lowest in T. caerulescens. This mirrors the known capacity of these species to translocate Cd to the shoot, with T. caerulescens being the best translocator. Very low or undetectable concentrations of PC were measured in A. halleri and T. caerulescens shoots, contrary to A. thaliana. These results suggest that extremely efficient alternative Cd sequestration pathways in leaves of Cd hyperaccumulators prevent activation of PC synthase by Cd2+ ions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe