Use of single-enzyme PCR-restriction digestion barcode targeting the internal transcribed spacers [ITs rDNA] to identify dermatophyte species

Dermatophytes are the most common causative agents of superficial mycoses. Species identification of these fungi is important from therapeutic and epidemiological point of wive. Traditional approaches for identification of dermatophytes at the species level, relying on macroscopic and microscopic features of the colonies, usually are time-consuming and unreliable in many circumstances. Recently a broad varieties of rapid and accurate DNA-based techniques were successfuly utilized for species delineation of dermatophytes. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of rDNA from various reference strains of dermatophyte species were amplified using the universal fungal primers ITS1 and ITS4.The PCR products were digested by a single restriction enzyme, MvaI. The enzyme was evaluated in both in silico and practical PCR-RFLP assay to find the exact differentiating restriction profiles for each species. To validate the standardized PCR-RFLP system, all tested strains were subjected to sequencing and sequence analysis. The obtained RFLP patterns were specific for many species including T. interdigitale, T. rubrum, T. violaceum, M. persicolor, M. audouinii, M. nanum [A. obtusum] and E. floccosum but were similar for some closely related species such as M. canis / M. ferrugineum. Sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 fragment from all type strains affirmed the RFLP findings. It was practically revealed that the ITS-PCR followed by MvaI-RFLP is a useful and reliable schema for identification and differentiation of several pathogenic species and can be used for rapid screening of even closely related species of dermatophytes in clinical and epidemiological settings

[Fauna of zoontic parasites of stray dogs in Yasouj suburbs in 2008]

Dogs are among the closest animals to human residents and can by useful for human. A few of zoontic diseases are prevalent in Iran. Dogs are the reservoirs of many of these zoonosis and a major role in transmission of infection. The aim of this study was to determine the zoonotic parasitic fauna of stray dogs in Yasuj. In this descriptive study which was conducted at Yasuj suburbs in 2008, 25 dogs' corpses were necropsied and their tissues were studied for parasitic infections. Collected parasites were placed in special containers and stained for genus and species diagnosis based on their morphological features. The collected data were analyzed with the SPSS software, using descriptive analysis. Of the 25 studied corpses, 23 dogs were infected with at least one parasite. Helminthic infections of dogs were consisted of: Taenia hydatigena, Mesocestoides sp., Echinococcus granulosus, Dipylidium caninum, Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus and Spirocerca lupi. Four of six detected helminthes in in dogs in this study are zoonotic parasites which are important in human diseases. Among them larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus which causes hydatid cyst disease in human is very important. Control programs should be implemented in this region to prevent these zoonotic diseases