فهرست مطالب matehkolaei

Dermatophytes are a group of fungi that attack keratinous tissues of the skin, hair, and nail in humans and animals, and cause infections called dermatophytosis (tinea). Since identification of pathogenic fungi at the species level is essential for the detection of the source, control and prevention, and identifying epidemiology of infection, it is necessary to use specific and sensitive diagnostic methods to identify the causes of dermatophytosis. The clinical samples (skin, nail, and hair) of patients with dermatophytosis in Mashhad City, Iran, were cultured in Mycosyl Agar culture media, and the DNA of obtained dermatophyte colonies were extracted by specific kit. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene was amplified and sequenced by ITS1, ITS4 primers. Finally, the sequencing results were analyzed using SeqMan software, and were compared with the data of the global genebank. In this study, 80 dermatophyte isolates were sequenced, which included 9 dermatophyte species as 23 (28.8%) Trichophyton (T.) interdigital, 18 (22.5%) T. tunsorans, 10 (12.5%) Epidermophyton fluccosum, 10 (12.5%) of T. mentagrophytes, 8 (10%) Microsporum canis, 4 (5%) T. rubrum, 4 (5%) T. benhamiae, 2 (2.5%) Nannizzia (N.) fulvum, 1 (1.2%) N. persicolor. According to report the rare species of dermatophytes in this study, the use of molecular methods such as sequencing of the ITS gene can determine the diversity of dermatophytes in a region more precisely than morphological methods.

Candida vaginitis or vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is the most common mucosal infection of the female genital tract caused by different species of Candida. Despite several antifungal therapies and personal hygiene practices, VVC has remained an important public health problem affecting millions of women worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of VVC and the frequency of causative agents in women of different age groups referring to the midwifery clinics in Ahvaz, Iran, from January 2017 to March 2018. Samples were obtained from 493 women aged 15 - 64 years with signs and symptoms of VVC using endocervical swabs. All collected samples were cultured on CHROMagar Candida plates and incubated at 35°C for 24 - 72 h. Various Candida sp. were initially identified using morphologic characteristics and physiologic features, and finally confirmed with PCR-RFLP. Totally 196 (39.76%) cases were diagnosed as VVC, of which nine (4.6%) were as recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. More than half of the cases were in the age group of 21 - 30 years. Candida albicans was the most commonly identified species (71.1%), followed by C. glabrata (20.4%) and other non-C. albicans species (8.6%). Infection in pregnant women decreased in the third trimester compared to the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a relatively common gynecologic problem in Ahvaz. Although the frequency of non-C. albicans species in VVC has increased, C. albicans is still the predominant species.

Candida infections are one of the most important nosocomial infections that have increased by 3.5 to 14 folds over the past decades. Although the sources of infection are human normal flora, hospital environments have an undeniable role. The increased use of antifungals, prolonged prophylaxis, and some organism-associated genetic factors have led to antifungal resistance. The aim of the present prospective study was to identify Candida species from clinical specimens, normal flora, and hospital environments. Furthermore, the susceptibility profile of strains to several antifungals was also evaluated. Two hundred and twenty-one samples (clinical specimens, hospital environments, and personal normal flora) were collected. Samples were inoculated on CHROMagar Candida, incubated at 35°C, and were identified using classical and molecular techniques. Consequently, all recovered isolates were tested against six antifungal drugs, using the microdilution method. Ninety-two Candida strains, belonging to 10 different yeast species, were detected with the most common isolate, Candida albicans (46.74%). Candida albicans made up the majority of species that were obtained from oral samples and non-albicans species with uncommon frequency were obtained from hospital environment samples. Miconazole was a unique antifungal, towards which all strains were sensitive. However, most of the isolates were also sensitive to fluconazole. Although resistance to amphotericin B, terbinafine, fluconazole, caspofungin, and itraconazole was found among C. albicans and non-albicans species, however, miconazole is the most effective antifungals against all strains.

Neutropenia, as a predisposing factor for invasive candidiasis, is defined as a reduction in neutrophil count to less than 1500/mm3. It is a common condition in patients with hematological malignancy and cytostatic chemotherapy. Extensive chemotherapy and prophylaxis with antifungals have increased the resistance of Candida isolates to antifungal drugs. Although, Candida albicans is the most common causative agent among neutropenic patients, there is an increasing rate of non-albicans species. Extracellular enzymes activity pattern and antifungal agent sensitivity profiles are two important factors for spreading resistant strains..
The aim of the present study was to identify the Candida strains isolated from hospitalized neutropenic patients. The patterns of antifungal susceptibility of the causative agents to antifungals and the extracellular enzymes activity of the isolates were also evaluated..
Patients and In the present study, 243 urine and 243 oral swab samples were collected from neutropenic patients and inoculated on CHROMagar Candida. In addition, 100 blood samples were also inoculated in biphasic Brain Heart Infusion medium. Several yeast isolates were isolated from samples and identified by classical and molecular techniques. The profiles of extracellular enzymes and the susceptibility of recovered agents to amphotericin B, fluconazole and caspofungin were also evaluated..
A total of 110 yeast strains isolated from urine and oral cavities were identified as C. albicans (51.8%), C. krusei (25.5%), C. glabrata (6.4%) and other yeasts (16.3%). No yeast species was isolated from blood samples. Our result showed that in 90% of the isolates, the range of secretion of extracellular enzymes was medium (2) and high (3), however only a few isolates were negative for this characteristic. All isolates were sensitive to caspofungin and fluconazole, whereas 54.7% of isolates were resistant to amphotericin B..
We found a marked increase in the incidence of non-albicans species (48.2%) among neutropenic patients. Only a few strains failed to produce extracellular enzymes. Finally, in addition to fluconazole, caspofungin can be considered as the first line treatment against Candida species among neutropenic patients..

Background & Superficial mycotic infections have been only poorly described in koalas and there are no reliable mycologically confirmed data regarding clinical isolation of dermatophytes in this animal.
We report of an 11-year-old female koala, kept in a zoo in Tokyo, Japan, and presenting with hyperkeratotic lesions and scaly plaques on forepaw claws and pads reminiscent of fungal infection. Direct microscopy of the scrapings was indicative of a dermatophyte infection. By culture and subsequent repeated subculturing of clinical specimens on Sabouraud dextrose agar, Mycobiotic agar, and Potato dextrose agar, two distinct strains with different colony morphotypes (designed as types I and II) were identified. Macro- and microscopic characteristics of the strains were suggestive of three different species, i.e. Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, and M. fulvum. However, partial sequencing of ITS-rRNA, translation elongation factor 1-α (Tef-1α), and beta tubulin (BT2) genes confirmed the identity of both isolates as M. gypseum. The animal was treated using a continuous terbinafine regimen, 250 mg/kg once daily for 12 weeks.
Disscusion: As far as we know this is the first proven case of dermatophytosis in a koala. The genetics underlying the variety of phenotypic traits in most classical dermatophyte species are unknown and more studies are needed to understand this phenomenon.

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.. 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.. 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.. 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.. 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..

Several studies have shown that there are an increasing in invasive candidiasis during 2-3 last decades. Although, Candida albicans is considered as the most common candidiasis agents, other non-albicans such as C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis were raised as infectious agents. Resistance to fluconazole among non-albicans species is an important problem for clinicians during therapy and prophylaxis. The aim of current study was to detect the Candida species from hospitalized neonatal and children in intensive care units (ICUs) and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). In addition, the susceptibility of isolated agents were also evaluated against three antifungals. In the present study 298 samples including 98 blood samples, 100 urines and 100 swabs from oral cavity were inoculated on CHROMagar Candida. Initial detection was done according to the coloration colonies on CHROMagar Candida. Morphology on cornmeal agar, germ tube formation and growth at 45°C were confirmed isolates. Amphotericin B, fluconazole and terbinafine (Lamisil) were used for the susceptibility tests using microdilution method. In the present study 21% and 34% of urines and swabs from oral cavity were positive for Candida species, respectively. The most common species was C. albicans (62.5%) followed by C. tropicalis (15.6%), C. glabrata (6.3%) and Candida species (15.6%). Our study indicated that the most tested species of Candida, 70.3% were sensitive to fluconazole at the concentration of ≤8 μg/mL. Whereas 9 (14.1%) of isolates were resistant to amphotericine B at ≥8 μg/mL. This study demonstrates the importance of species identification and antifungals susceptibility testing for hospitalized patients in ICUs and NICUs wards.

Candiduria is a rising condition among hospitalized patients and Candida albicans is the most common recovered agent. However, non-albicans Candida species (NACs) such as C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis are also important. Although most Candida species especially C. albicans are sensitive to routinely used antifungals, an increasing trend in resistance has been observed among NACs. The aim of the present study was to detect the susceptibility of Candida strains recovered from candiduria in hospitalized patients against posaconazole and caspofungin. A total of 120 urine samples were taken from patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) (65) and urology (55) wards. All recovered yeasts were differentiated by using CHROMagar Candida medium and routine tests for identification of Candida species. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of all isolates towards posaconazole and caspofungin were determined using the microdilution method with serial dilutions from 8 to 0.0625 µg/mL (posaconazole) and 4 to 0.03125 µg/ mL (caspofungin). In total, 41.7% of urine samples were positive for Candida isolation, including C. albicans (46%), C. glabrata (24%), C. tropicalis (16%) and C. krusei (14%). The MIC of caspofungin for 90% of the tested isolates was lower than 2 µg/mL. Furthermore, 94% of the tested isolates were inhibited by posaconazole at lower than 2 µg/mL after 24 hours, whereas 6% of isolates had MICs of more than 4 µg/mL. This study demonstrates the importance of Candida species in urine samples from hospitalized patients in ICUs and urology wards. It showed that both tested antifungals had excellent effects on different species of Candida, however the strains from ICUs were found to be more sensitive to caspofungin than posaconazole.