Study and identification of various species of candida in candidiasis vaginitis in women admitted to mobini hospital in Sabzevar, Iran [2007]

Background and Purpose: Vulvovaginal candidiasis is one of the most common infections in women and is caused by various types of candidiasis with different patterns of resistance against drugs. The present study was conducted to determine the various species of candidiasis in women admitted to Mobini Hospital in Sabzevar, Iran in order to make preventive recommendations for medical doctors

Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional descriptive analytical research was conducted on 231 women admitted to Mobini Hospital in Sabzevar, Iran, complaining of vaginal secretions. After getting the ethics committee permissions and obtaining the informed consent of the participants, at the same time as measuring vaginal pH, two swaps were used for collecting samples of secretions from lateral and posterior fornix. They were examined for yeasts and were then cultured in saburu dextrose. Grown yeasts were detected based on their macroscopic and microscopic features, tubulation in blood serum and biochemical characteristics using Yeast Plus System. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS 11 using chi-square and bi-dimensional tables

Results: Positives results in direct examination results were 7.35%, and in culture the positive results were 26.8%. In detecting processes, candida albicans yeast [38.7%], Candida kefyr [17.7%], Saccharomyces cerevisiae [14,5%]; candia tropicalis [9.6%], Candida glabrata [8%], candida cruse [3.2%] were isolated with other non-pathogenic yeasts including Candida rugosa, Candida lipolytica, trycospron bejli, Blastoschizomyces capitatus [6.4%]

Conclusion: Non-pathogenic yeasts were isolated from patients with defective immunity systems, and need to be considered in patients with vaginal infections

enzymatic activity and molecular characterization of a secreted subtilisin-like protease in Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton vanbreuseghemii

Subtilisin -like proteases are the group of proteases including keratinases found in dermatophytes which degraded keratin. Determination of the proteases activity of Trichophyton vanbreuseghemii isolates which were obtained from soil and clinical and soil isolates of Microsporum gypseum in Iran and characterization of their genome were aim of present study. Ezymatic activity was determined by use of chromogenic substrates. The genes, which coded subtilisin-like proteases in above-mentioned dermatophytes, was identified and amplified by using specific primers in PCR. The highest yield of enzyme production was observed in only one isolate of T. vanbreuseghemii Ir-84 whereas low enzyme activity was observed in M. gypseum isolates. Homology study of obtained nucleotide as well as amino acid sequences indicated different rates of homology with other subtilisin-like proteases genes in other pathogenic dermatophytes. Intra-strain differences were observed in production of serine proteinases and molecular characterization of genes encoding such enzymes could be of great interest for studies on pathogenicity and other purposes

comparative study of the enzymatic activity of the keratinolytic fungi in soil samples from different regions

Background and Purpose: Keratinolytic fungi [KF] are among the fungi existing in the soil, whose enzymatic activity causes the decomposition of keratinized material in the soil; they are also considered as one of the pathogenic factors. The present study was conducted to determine the enzymatic activity of the KF, and to evaluate the effect of climatic conditions on their activity

Methods and Materials: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 isolates of KF randomly selected from different regions in Iran and other countries in 2004. The samples were cultured in Modified Czaspex-dextrose liquid medium [MCDLM]. Their enzymatic activity was measured using Azocazein, the general subtilisin of serin proteinase, and chromogenic substrates including N-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-NA, N-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Leu-NA and N-Bz- Phe-Val-Arg- NA. The obtained data were summarized using two-dimensional tables, and were analyzed using non-repeating one-way ANOVA and Tukey test in SPSS

Results: The results indicated that Myriodontium keratinophilum [94.6 micro/ml] and Microsporum coockei [81.66 micro/ml] had the highest Azocaseinolytic activity, and hydrolysed N-Suc-Ala-Ala- Pro-Phe-NA, N-Bz- Phe-Val-Arg- NA and N-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Leu-_NA respectively. Statistically significant differences were onserved to exist between methods of determining enzymatic activity [P<0.05]

Conclusion: The results indicated that the enzymes secreted in these fungi were of a proteinase nature and belong to the subtilisin-like serin proteinase

Isolation of keratinophilic fungi from soil samples of forests and farm yards

Soil is well known to support the transient or ongoing existence of kerathophilic fungi and potential sources of infection for humans and animals. Fifty soil samples were collected from various areas of forests and farmyards at Golestan Province in the north part of Iran to determine the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi and dominant species. A total of 357 fungal colonies including 13 genera with 11 species were isolated as follows: Anixiopsis stercoraria [16.24%], Arthroderma cuniculi [12.04%], Reniospora flavissima [9.24%], Fusarium oxysporum [9.24%], Aspergillus flavus [8.68%], Chrysosporium keratinophilum [8.40%], Trichophyton vanbreuseghemii [7.84%], and other fungi [37.56%]. McNemar's test showed that non-keratinolytic fungi were dominant in this investigation [P<0.05]. Anixiopsis stercoraria [16.24%] was the most prevalent and dominant keratinophilc fungus [P<0.05]. It can be concluded that soils from forest and farmyards of Golestan Province are rich in keratiophilic fungi including dermatophytes