ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: The study aimed to develop and validate a standard area diagram set (SADs) to improve accuracy, precision, and reproducibility in the assessment of scab severity in trilobed leaves of the sour passion fruit. The SADs comprised six severity levels (1%; 3%; 6%; 11%; 21%; and 33%). The SADs increased the accuracy of the estimates by reducing the constant and systematic errors, and the tendency to overestimate the actual severity, limited the number of evaluators who presented this trend, in addition to increasing the bias correction factor. The inexperienced evaluators were the ones that benefited the most from the SADs use. Once the SADs was introduced, 80% and 100% evaluators gave estimates free from constant and systematic errors, respectively. The improvement in precision was verified by the increase in the coefficient of determination and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient, by reducing absolute errors and increasing the reproducibility of the estimates.
RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver e validar uma escala diagramática para melhorar a acurácia, precisão e reprodutibilidade na avaliação da severidade da verrugose em folhas trilobadas do maracujazeiro azedo. A escala apresentou seis níveis de severidade (1; 3; 6; 11; 21 e 33%) e aumentou a acurácia das estimativas, reduzindo os erros constantes e sistemáticos, a tendência de superestimação em relação aos valores de severidade real e o número de avaliadores que apresentavam essa tendência, além de aumentar o fator de correção do desvio. Os avaliadores inexperientes foram os mais beneficiados pela utilização da escala, sendo que 80% e 100% destes avaliadores apresentaram estimativas livres de erros constantes e sistemáticos, respectivamente, quando a escala foi empregada. O aumento da precisão foi verificado pelo incremento dos coeficientes de determinação e de concordância de Lin, redução dos erros absolutos e aumento da reprodutibilidade das estimativas.
ABSTRACT
Os esporos de fungos estão distribuídos em grande quantidade naatmosfera e, alguns deles, apresentam capacidade de causar doençasem seres humanos, animais e vegetais. Dentre os variados táxons destaca-se Cladosporium spp, um dos fungos mais cosmopolitas e de maiorconcentração no ar. Esporos de Cladosporium spp têm sido caracterizadoscomo importantes alérgenos.Objetivos: Medir as concentrações de esporos de Cladosporium sppna atmosfera de Caxias do Sul, RS, Brasil, durante os anos de 2001 e2002 e avaliar a relação destas, com parâmetros meteorológicos.Métodos: Amostras diárias foram coletadas, utilizando um aparelhotipo Hirst (Burkard®).Resultados: Os resultados mostraram que Cladosporium spp tempresença constante no ar. Em 2001 foram contabilizados 133.586 esporos/m3, com valor máximo diário de 3.265 esporos/m3 e mensal de24.912 esporos/m3, no mês de março. Em 2002 o número total foi de118.766 esporos/m3 com máximo diário de 4.470 esporos/m3 e mensalde 29.816 esporos/m3, em janeiro. A análise com os parâmetrosmeteorológicos mostrou correlação positiva com temperatura média enegativa com a umidade. Os períodos de maior concentração ocorreramcom temperaturas médias mais elevadas, no entanto, a umidade altatem um efeito negativo na distribuição destes esporos por favorecer ahidratação dos mesmos, que sedimentam ao solo.Conclusão: Os dados obtidos podem ser úteis nas áreas da patologiahumana, especialmente nos processos alérgicos, na patologia animal evegetal, em trabalhos com finalidades de preservação de acervo cultural,no controle de infecções e na ecologia.
Fungal spores are distributed in large amounts in the outdoor air, andsome of them may cause diseases in human beings, animals, and plants.Among several taxa, Cladosporium spp is one of the most ubiquitous andmost widely distributed, being found in high concentrations in the air.Cladosporium spp spores have been classified as important allergens,and are, therefore, important to the study of allergies.Objectives: To measure the concentrations of Cladosporium sppspores in the outdoor air of Caxias do Sul, Southern Brazil, during 2001and 2002, and to evaluate the association of these concentrations withmeteorological parameters.Methods: Daily samples were collected using a Hirst sampler(Burkard®).Results: The results showed that Cladosporium spp spores are oftenpart of the air. In 2001, the total amount was 133,586 spores/m3; withmaximum daily and monthly concentration of 3,265 spores/m3, and24,912 spores/m3 in March, respectively. In 2002, the total amount was118,766 spores/m3; with maximum daily and monthly concentration of4,470 spores/m3 and 29,816 spores/m3 in January. The meteorologicalparameters showed a positive correlation with the temperature averageand a negative one regarding humidity. The highest levels were found athigher temperature averages, however, elevated humidity has a negativeeffect on the distribution of these spores, contributing to their hydrationand deposition on the soil.Conclusions: The data obtained can be useful in human pathologyarea - especially in allergy - animal and plants pathology, in studies ofcultural inventory preservation, infection control and ecology.
Subject(s)
Humans , Allergens , Climate , Cladosporium/isolation & purification , Spores, Fungal/isolation & purification , Hypersensitivity , Temperature , Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures , Methods , Microscopy, Polarization , Reference StandardsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cladosporium spp. are dematiaceous fungi that are commonly isolated from indoor and outdoor environments, including hospital air. This fungus is rarely pathogenic to humans, but has been reported to cause infections of the skin and toenails, as well as sinusitis and pulmonary infections. The monitoring of culture results was conducted to identify the outbreak of an unknown black fungal infection between January and March 2006 in a University hospital, and infection control activity was performed to identify the cause of the outbreak. METHODS: An epidemiological investigation of 22 patients with infections caused by an unknown black fungus was conducted. Microscopic examination and molecular analysis on the internal transcript spacer (ITS) region was performed to identify the black fungus. To detect the source of contamination, a culture of environmental specimens was performed, and then, disinfection of the laboratory was implemented. RESULTS: The patients with black fungi belonged to various departments and wards. No symptoms of fungal infection were recognized on the basis of the survey. The black fungus was identified as Cladosporium spp. on the basis of morphological features and ITS region sequencing. Culturing of environmental specimens was performed in the laboratory. Black fungi were isolated from a specimen from a rack and had the same morphological features with Cladosporium spp. from clinical specimens. After the rack was autoclaved, Cladosporium spp. from clinical specimens was no longer isolated. CONCLUSION: Epidemiological investigation, microscopic examination, and molecular analysis revealed that the sudden increase in the isolation rate of Cladosporium spp. from clinical specimens was the result of a pseudo-outbreak caused by the contamination of a rack. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a pseudo-outbreak of Cladosporium spp. Continuous monitoring of culture results is important to avoid unnecessary labor for nosocomial infection control.
Subject(s)
Humans , Cladosporium , Cross Infection , Disinfection , Fungi , Infection Control , Nails , Sinusitis , SkinABSTRACT
El tomate (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) es uno de los frutos importantes en la dieta humana y como todo vegetal posee una variada microbiota epífita asociada ya sea saprofítica, fitopatógena u oportunista acorde a las zonas de cultivo, manejo y distribución de esta solanácea. Se determinó la ocurrencia, distribución e importancia de los hongos filamentosos epífitos de tomates sanos provenientes de ferias libres y locales establecidos en 2 períodos estacionales, entre abril 2008 y enero 2009. Se procesaron un total de 27 muestras (16 en otoño y 11 en invierno) mediante lavado de los frutos con agua destilada estéril, centrifugación y posterior siembra en medio PCA en duplicado. Se detectaron un total de 8288 colonias (ufc por 1 mL), que incluyeron 24 géneros y 34 especies de hongos filamentosos identificados mediante métodos morfofisiológicos (en especial Cladosporium). Se enumeró además la presencia de levaduras blancas, levaduras rosadas (sin identificación genérica) y bacterias (no incluidas en el análisis). Las especies de hongos filamentosos más frecuentes en ambos períodos fueron: Cladosporium cladosporioides (16,91 por ciento) C. sphaerospermum (9,31 por ciento), Geotrichum candidum (4,82 por ciento), Penicillium olsonii (3,51 por ciento) y Fusarium oxysporum (3,11 por ciento). Las levaduras blancas (35,49 por ciento) fueron similares en número a los integrantes del género Cladosporium en otoño, pero mayoritarias sobre este en invierno, mientras las levaduras rosadas (11,66 por ciento) fueron las segundas en importancias después de las especies de Cladosporium en otoño, pero muy inferiores en invierno. Se encontraron algunas diferencias significativas entre las muestras de otoño y las muestras de invierno en los siguientes géneros y/o especies: P. olsonii, C. cladosporioides y Fusarium spp., sin embargo, al comparar locales establecidos y ferias libres no se encontraron diferencias significativas. Se consideraron de interés clínico 11 especies...
Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) is one of the important fruits designed for human diet and as a vegetal bears an associated and varied epiphytal microbiota, either saprophytic, fitopathogenic or opportunisticdepending on the sites of cultivation, handling and distribution of this solanaceous. The occurrence,distribution and importance of epiphytic filamentous fungi in healthy tomatoes collected from outdoor fairs and established shops were determined in two seasonal periods, within april 2008 and january 2009. Twenty seven samples (16 in fall and 11 in winter) were processed by means of fruit wash in distillate sterile water, centrifugation and further sowing in duplicate PCA medium. An 8288 total of colonies (ufc/1ml) was detected that included 24 genera and 34 species of filamentous fungi identified by means of morphophysiological methods (mainly Cladosporium). Besides the presence of white yeasts, pink yeasts (lacking generic identification) and bacteria (not included in the analysis) was determined. Most frequently occurring species of filamentous fungi, considering both periods were: Cladosporium cladosporioides (16.91 percent), C.sphaerospermu (9.31 percent), Geotrichum candidum (4.82 percent), Penicillium olsonii (3.51 percent) and Fusarium oxysporum (3.11 percent). White yeasts (35.49 percent) were similar in number to those belonging to the genus Cladosporium in fall yet higher than them in winter whereas pinkyeasts (11.66 percent) were in the second place of importance after the species of Cladosporium in fall yet had less importance in winter. Some significant differences were found among fall samples and winter samples in the following genera and/or species: P. olsonii, C. cladosporioides and Fusarium, however no significant differences were found on comparing established shops and outdoorfairs. Eleven species were considered to be of clinical interest in spite of the scarce presence of some of them inthe samples. However our...