ABSTRACT
Background: It is important to find reliable and accessible methods for the diagnosis and identification of fungal species causing hospital acquired infections. Our main objective was using a rapid and accessible molecular method for the monitoring of Aspergillus infections and identification of causing agents in the level of species. Material and Methods: The study subjects were primarily clinical specimens collected from suspected HAI patients with clinical symptoms after hospitalization. Also some environmental specimens were collected from air and instruments of health care facilities for the investigation of Aspergillus sources in a university hospital of UMSU, Urmia. All specimens were transported to Medical Mycology Center for the detection and identification of Aspergillus species using morphological methods. Also molecular method, PCR-RFLP using single restriction enzyme as a rapid and available method was performed to investigate environmental sources of Aspergillus infections. Results: Total of 110 clinical fungal isolates included Candida and Aspergillus species and some other opportunistic fungi. Among the clinical Aspergillus findings, Aspergillus flavus (47%), Aspergillus fumigatus (29.4%) and Aspergillus niger (23.6%) were the most frequent species respectively and also Aspergillus niger (43.7%), Aspergillus flavus (41.8%), Aspergillus fumigatus (14.7%) were isolated as the most frequent species from environmental sources. Conclusion: Because of accessibility, speed and high sensitivity of diagnosis, the PCR-RFLP was very useful for the identification of medically important Aspergillus species and epidemiological approaches
Subject(s)
Aspergillus flavus , Aspergillus fumigatus , Aspergillus niger , Aspergillus/epidemiology , Aspergillus/growth & development , Epidemiological Monitoring , Molecular Diagnostic TechniquesABSTRACT
Chloroform, ethanolic, methanolic, ethyl acetate and aqueous root extracts of Anogeissus leiocarpus and Terminalia avicennioides were investigated in vitro for antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium species, Microsporum audouinii and Trichophyton rubrum using radial growth technique. The plant extracts inhibited the growth of all the test organisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts ranged between 0.03µg/ml and 0.07µg/ml while the minimum fungicidal concentration ranged between 0.04µg/ml and 0.08µg/ml. Anogeissus leiocarpus appears to be more effective as an antifungal agent than Terminalia avicennioides. Ethanolic extracts of the two plant roots were more effective than the methanolic, chloroform, or aqueous extracts against all the test fungi
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents , Aspergillus , Plant Extracts , TerminaliaABSTRACT
Otomycosis is fre q u e n t ly encountered in tropical and subtropical zones. In Ivory Coast diagnosis of this disease is often based solely on the clinical symptoms. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence; predisposing factors; and etiologic agents associated with otomycosis at the Treichville University Hospital Center in Abidjan; Ivory Coast. M y c o l ogical examinations we re perfo rmed on specimens obtained from 115 patients presenting with external otitis at the d'Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Department. Fungi-positive cultures were obtained in 49 patients for an overall otomycosis prevalence of 42.6 (95Confidence Interval (CI); 34.4-52.2). Univa ri ate analysis showed that the predisposing fa c t o rs for otomycosis we re frequent swimming in natural or artificial pools (Relative Risk (RR) 3.7; CI 1.7-8.1); daily ear cleaning (RR 3.5; CI 1.8-6.8) and excessive use of eardrops containing antibiotics and corticoids (RR = 9.3; IC95= 4.3-20.1). The most common etiologic agents were Aspergillus fl avus (20.4); Candida albicans (16.3); Candida parapsilosis (14.3); and A s p e rgillus niger (12.2). A combination of two agents was found in five cases. These data show that otomycosis is endemic in Ivo ry Coast. Manage m e n t of otomycosis must include mycological examination for diagnosis as well as changing behavior patterns leading to infection