The chronicle of the ups and downs that made Bacillus thuringiensis a natural insecticide

Bacillus thuringiensis is a worldwide known bacterium for its capacity to control insect pests thanks to the action of its parasporal crystal. The objective of this paper deals with the history, in some cases unknown, of the study of Bacillus thuringiensis that led it to be a crucial biological alternative in controlling pest insects. How the mode of action for killing insects was understood, as well as the field tests that were carried out to evaluate its effectiveness and to develop the first commercial products, are reflected in this review that presents and discusses the scientific successes and failures that marked the course of B. thuringiensis.

Bacillus thuringiensis es una bacteria conocida mundialmente por su capacidad para controlar insectos plaga, gracias a la acción de su cristal parasporal. El objetivo de esta revisión trata de la historia, en algunos casos desconocida, del estudio de Bacillus thuringiensis que la llevó a ser una importante alternativa biológica en el control de insectos plaga. Cómo se llegó a comprender el modo de acción para matar insectos, así como las pruebas de campo que se realizaron para evaluar su efectividad y lograr desarrollar los primeros productos comerciales están plasmados en esta revisión que presenta y discute los aciertos y desaciertos científicos que marcaron el rumbo de B. thuringiensis.

Inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as a strategy to improve annatto (Bixa orellana L. ) growth

This study aimed to assess the occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in annatto (Bixa orellana L.) cultivars and their response to AMF inoculation using biometric parameters. The occurrence surveys were conducted in annatto fields in three municipalities from Pernambuco Forest Zone: Lagoa de Itaenga, Gloria de Goitá, and Vitoria de Santo Antão, and in four cultivars (Red Piave, Green Piave, Red Peruvian Paulista, and Green Peruvian Paulista). In a greenhouse, biometric parameters of annatto seedlings of Red Piave, Red Peruvian Paulista, Embrapa-36, and Embrapa-37 cultivars inoculated with AMF isolated from annatto fields. The Red Piave cultivar exhibited greater root colonization than the Green Peruvian Paulista in the Lagoa de Itaenga and Vitoria de Santo Antão municipalities. The cultivar Red Piave showed a more beneficial association with AMF in plants and soil than cultivar Green Peruvian Paulista did, in both Lagoa de Itaenga and Vitoria de Santo Antão. AMF inoculation was effective in promoting the growth of annatto plants, particularly those inoculants with S. heterogama and C. etunicatum.

Rhinosporidiosis – A Clinical Survey

Background: Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic inflammatory granulomatous disease caused by the organism Rhinosporidiumseeberi. This causal organism was once believed to be a sporozoan, but is now considered to be a fungus. The disease ispresent all over the world except in Australia. However, it is endemic only in India and Sri Lanka; more than 95% of reportedcases are from these two countries. The most common site of manifestation of rhinosporidiosis in man is the nose accountingfor about 70% of cases. Surgical excision remains the mainstay of treatment today even though dapsone and ketoconazolehave been tried to some extent in preventing recurrence after surgery.Aim of the Study: The aim of the study was to study the prevalence, distribution, clinical behavior, results of various forms oftreatment and to provide a baseline clinical data and to supplement information for ongoing studies in the field of rhinosporidiosis.Materials and Methods: A total of 20 patients diagnosed as rhinosporidiosis, who attended the ENT Outpatient Department ofMedical College Hospital, Calicut, during the period from December 1998 to November 1999. Detailed history was recorded andpatients were subjected to thorough otolaryngological examination. Special attention was given to the site of lesions and type ofattachment. Details were also collected with particular reference to bathing habits, occupation, contact with animals, and occurrenceof similar illness in the family or in the neighborhood. Investigations included regular blood and urine and blood grouping. All thepatients underwent surgical excision of the lesions. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination of specimenobtained postoperatively. 100 mg of dapsone was administered daily (50 mg daily in children), 6 days a week, for a period of 6 months.All patients were reviewed for follow-up at the end of 1 month, 2, 4, and 6 and 9 months and on completion of a year after surgery.Observations and Results: In this study, the average age of patients suffering from rhinosporidiosis was 30.6 ± 2.80 years and theage varied between 8 and 52 years. The sex incidence was as follows: Males 17 (85%), females 3 (15%). Male predominance wasseen in this series and the male to female ratio was 5.66:1. Most of the subjects suffering from rhinosporidiosis were manual laborers7 (35%) out of 20, of which 2 (10%) were agricultural workers. The other major group was students accounting for 5 (25%) out of20 cases. The external appearance of the nose was normal in all patients. Partial nasal obstruction was seen in 13 cases (65%),on the left six, on the right five, and bilateral two cases. The total obstruction was seen in 5 cases (25%) – left two, right two, andbilateral one. Both nasal cavities were patent in only two cases. The vestibule showed the presence of mass in four cases (20%).Conclusions: Rhinosporidiosis is not an uncommon disease encountered in day-to-day ENT practice. The occurrence of thedisease does not bear any relation to the occupation of the patient. The maximum incidence of rhinosporidiosis is seen inthe age group of 21–30 years and males predominate. Rhinosporidiosis is more common in the rural population. There is asignificant association between dip baths in ponds and the occurrence of disease.

Soil microbiological properties and enzyme activity in agroforestry systems compared with monoculture, natural regeneration, and native Caatinga / Propriedades microbiológicas e atividade enzimática do solo sob sistemas agroflorestais comparado com monocultura, regeneração natural e caatinga nativa

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of agroforestry systems of different ages (AFS1: one-year old; AFS5: five-years old) on the biological attributes of soil; the following systems were used for comparison: a slash-and-burn (SBF) farming area, Caatinga which has been undergoing regeneration for 6 years (CaR6), and native Caatinga (NCa) in Brazil. Enzyme activity, abundance and composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and production of glomalin-related soil proteins (GRSP) were evaluated at soil depths of 0­0.05 m. AMF species composition in the AFS was more similar to that in the NCa than in the SBF and CaR6 systems. In the rainy season, sporulation was most abundant in the AFS-1, CaR6, and SBF systems, whereas GRSP concentrations were highest in the AFS5 during the dry season. Acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase enzyme activity was lower in the AFS1 soils than in the NCa and SBF soils (rainy period), and levels of ß-glucosidase and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis in the AFS were equal to or higher than those in the NCa in the dry season but lower in the rainy season. AFS thus appear to promote the maintenance of soil biological quality, and may be more sustainable than SBF farming systems in the Brazilian Caatinga over the long term.

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a influência de sistemas agroflorestais (AFS1: um ano de idade; AFS5: cinco anos de idade), nos atributos biológicos do solo usando como referência, uma área de agricultura de corte e queima (SBF), Caatinga em regeneração há 6 anos (CaR6), e Caatinga nativa (NCa), in Brasil. A atividade enzimática, a abundância e composição dos fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (AMF), e a produção de proteína do solo relacionada à glomalina (GRSP) foram avaliados, na profundidade de 0-5 cm do solo. A composição das espécies de AMF nos AFS foi mais semelhante a observada na NCa, do que os sistemas SBF e CaR6. Na estação chuvosa, a esporulação foi mais abundante em AFS-1, CaR6 and SBF quando comparada as outras áreas, enquanto a GRSP apresentou maiores teores no AFS5 no período seco. AFS1 apresentou atividade da fosfatase ácida e arilsulfatase inferiores tanto a NCa quanto a SBF, no período chuvoso. No período seco, a atividade de ß-glicosidase e a hidrólise do diacetato de fluoresceína (FDA) na AFS foram iguais ou superiores a Nca, mas menor no período chuvoso. Verifica-se que os AFS são potenciais para a manutenção da qualidade biológica do solo, podendo, em longo prazo, serem mais sustentáveis que a SBF, em ambiente de Caatinga.

Encapsulation of Metarhizium anisopliae spores with zeolite nanoparticles and magnesium silicate nanoparticles against mortality and lethal times of Crocidolomia pavonana larvae

Aims@#Cruciferae crops failure such as cabbage generally due to heavy attacks by of Crocidolomia pavonana larvae. Metarhizium anisopliae is a species of fungus that can infect more than 200 insect pests including C. pavonana larvae. However, the direct application of M. anisopliae spore in the field is susceptible to UV rays from the sun, which can decrease the efficiency of M. anisopliae. Thus, this study aims to investigate the encapsulation performance of M. anisopliae spore with zeolite and magnesium silicate nanoparticles in terms of mortality and lethal time against 3 rd instar C. pavonana larvae.@*Methodology and results@#Zeolite and magnesium silicate nanoparticles were chosen because they are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and able to maintain moisture, so that they are best used as protective materials for spores. The experiment was designed by Randomized Block Design (RBD) with a single factor. The obtained results showed that encapsulation of M. anisopliae spores with zeolite nanoparticles coating agent increased the mortality rate to 92.5% and accelerated the lethal time up to 1.075 days compared to only spore correspondingly 27.5% and 2.235 days. The M. anisopliae spores encapsulated with magnesium silicate nanoparticles also increased the mortality to 85.0% and accelerated the larval lethal time up to 1.150 days.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#Metarhizium anisopliae spores that encapsulated with zeolite nanoparticles coating received higher mortality and faster lethal time to C. pavonana compared to those encapsulated with magnesium silicate nanoparticles. The encapsulation formulation of these two coatings can be used as bioinsecticide in controlling C. pavonana larvae.

Contribution of environmental factors in the formation of biofilms by Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris on surfaces of the orange juice industry / Contribuição de fatores ambientais na formação de biofilmes por Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris em superfícies da indústria de suco de laranja

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the initial microbial load, temperature and contact time on the biofilm formation of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris on stainless steel and natural food-grade rubber using orange juice as culture medium. The low initial load of A. acidoterrestris (2 log CFU/mL) led to biofilm formation on the stainless steel surface after 48 h of contact at 28 ºC and after 24 h at 45 ºC, and on natural food-grade rubber surface after 48 h of contact at both temperatures. The high initial microbial load (5 log CFU/mL) led to biofilm formation on stainless steel after 4 h of contact at 28 °C and 45 °C, while biofilm was formed on natural food-grade rubber after 8 h of contact at 28 °C and 4 h at 45 °C. The microbial load also affected the presence of spores in biofilm, which was observed on both surfaces only at high initial loads of A. acidoterrestris.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da carga microbiana inicial, temperatura e tempo de contato na formação de biofilme de Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris em aço inoxidável e borracha natural de qualidade alimentar utilizando suco de laranja como meio de cultura. A baixa carga inicial de A. acidoterrestris (2 log UFC/mL) levou à formação de biofilme na superfície do aço inoxidável após 48 h de contato a 28 ºC e após 24 h a 45 ºC, e na superfície natural de borracha de qualidade alimentar após 48 h de contato nas duas temperaturas. A alta carga microbiana inicial (5 log UFC/mL) levou à formação de biofilme em aço inoxidável após 4 h de contato a 28 °C e 45 °C, enquanto o biofilme foi formado em borracha natural de qualidade alimentar após 8 h de contato a 28 °C e 4 h a 45 °C. A carga microbiana também afetou a presença de esporos no biofilme, o que foi observado em ambas as superfícies apenas com altas cargas iniciais de A. acidoterrestris.

Detection of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus anthracis-like spores in soil from state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BACKGROUND Bacillus anthracis is the aetiologic agent of anthrax, a re-emerging, septicaemic, haemorrhagic and lethal disease that affects humans, domestic ruminants and wildlife. Plasmids pXO1 and pXO2 are attributes that confer pathogenicity to B. anthracis strains. This bacterium was used as biological weapon in the World Wars and in the biological attack in the United States of America at 2001. B. anthracis is classified as a Tier 1 bioterrorism agent by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. Anthrax is recognised as a re-emerging disease. Several studies concerning the dynamics of B. anthracis cycle in soil revealed that nonpathogenic B. anthracis strains due to lack of pXO2 plasmid are commonly found in some types of soil. OBJECTIVES This study aimed isolation and identification of B. anthracis spores in soil samples of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS Phenotypic and genotypic approaches were used to identify isolates including MALDI-TOF/MS, motility test, susceptibility to gamma phage and penicillin, survey for pag and cap genes as surrogates of pXO1 and pXO2 plasmids, respectively, and sequencing of 16SrRNA-encoding gene. Physicochemical analysis of the soil samples were carried out to describe soil characteristics. FINDINGS We observed the presence of one B. anthracis pXO1+ and pXO2- isolated from clay loam soil; one B. anthracis-like strain pXO1+ and pXO2-isolated from loamy sand; and 10 Bacillus spp. strains sensitive to phage-gamma that need better characterisation to define which their species were recovered from loamy sand. MAIN CONCLUSIONS This work showed promising results and it was the first study to report results from an active surveillance for B. anthracis in Brazil.

Epidemiologia e fatores de riscos relacionados à intoxicação alimentar causada por Clostridium Botulinum: uma revisão narrativa / Epidemiology and risk factors related to food intoxication caused by Clostridium Botulinum: a narrative review

O botulismo é uma doença resultante da ação de uma toxina produzida pelo Clostridium botulinum. Devido à sua gravidade e alta mortalidade é considerado um problema de saúde pública. Nesta revisão apresentamos os principais fatores de riscos associados à intoxicação alimentar provocada pelo Clostridium botulinum, bem como realizamos um levantamento epidemiológico sobre o botulismo alimentar e infantil. A busca bibliográfica considerou as bases de dados Scielo, Medline, Lilacs e PubMed. Foram selecionados artigos originais e relatos de caso publicados em inglês, espanhol e português, incluindo publicações dos últimos dez anos. A partir das análises dos títulos, resumos e artigos, um total de 26 artigos foram incluídos nesta revisão. Verificou-se predomínio de 54% dos casos referentes ao botulismo alimentar, dos quais aproximadamente 58% confirmaram a ocorrência da toxina tipo A; e 35% referente ao botulismo infantil. Na literatura consultada os principais sintomas, relacionados ao botulismo alimentar, identificados foram: visão turva, vômito, paralisia flácida, náuseas, tontura, diplopia, dificuldade respiratória, disatria, disfagia, fraqueza muscular, boca seca, ptose e cefaleia. Dentre as principais fontes de contaminação, 65% das publicações selecionadas identificaram as conservas como principal causa do botulismo alimentar. Embora o mel (42%) seja a única fonte registrada de alimento veiculador do agente causador do botulismo infantil, alguns relatos na literatura (25%) associaram à doença com a inalação de poeira contendo esporos do Clostridium botulinum, bem como o uso de plantas medicinais (25%). Os sintomas mais comuns observados na literatura foram: constipação dificuldade respiratória e dificuldade de sucção. Apesar de vários relatos na literatura acerca das duas doenças, o botulismo ainda é muito subnotificado dado ao diagnóstico muitas vezes equivocado, ressaltando-se a importância do diagnóstico precoce no tratamento da doença pelos profissionais de saúde, bem como a disponibilidade de informações relevantes para a investigação epidemiológica de doenças de notificação compulsória. Os dados apresentados também demonstram a importância de sensibilizar a população dos principais riscos e medidas de prevenção, já que a maioria dos casos relatados está relacionada a práticas inadequadas de preparo dos alimentos. (AU)

Botulism is a disease resulting from the action of a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. Because of its severity and high mortality, it is considered a public health problem. In this review, we present the main risk factors associated with food poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum, as well as an epidemiological survey on foodborne and infant botulism. A bibliographic search was conducted in SciELO, MEDLINE, LILACS and PubMed databases. Original articles and case reports published in English, Spanish and Portuguese in the past ten years were selected. After analyzing titles, abstracts and articles, 26 articles were used in this review. In total, 54% of the cases were related to foodborne botulism, of which approximately 58% had confirmed type A botulism, and 35% were related to infant botulism. In the literature consulted, the main symptoms related to foodborne botulism were blurred vision, vomiting, flaccid paralysis, nausea, dizziness, diplopia, respiratory distress, dysarthria, dysphagia, muscle weakness, dry mouth, ptosis and headache. Among the sources of contamination, 65% of the published studies reported home-canned foods as the main cause of foodborne botulism. Although honey (42%) is the only reported food source for the agent causing infant botulism, some reports in the literature (25%) associated the disease with inhalation of dust containing Clostridium botulinum spores, as well as use of medicinal plants (25%). The most common symptoms observed in the literature were constipation, difficulty breathing and difficulty suckling. Although several reports on the two forms of the disease exist, botulism remains under-reported because of often incorrect diagnosis. Thus, early diagnosis is important for an adequate treatment provided by health professionals, as well as availability of relevant information for the epidemiological investigation of notifiable diseases. The data presented in this study also demonstrate the importance of raising people's awareness to main risks and prevention measures, as most reported cases were related to inadequate food preparation practices. (AU)

Desenvolvimento tecnológico do Bacillus coagulans BVB5 como potencial cepa probiótica / Technological development of Bacillus coagulans BVB5 as potential probiotic strains

Introdução: O aumento da demanda por alimentos funcionais, os quais incluem os suplementados ou fermentados por microrganismos probióticos, resultou no avanço da pesquisa e desenvolvimento de novas cepas potencialmente probióticas. Os microrganismos probióticos pertencentes ao gênero Bacillus spp. são atraentes devido a sua estabilidade inerente de bactérias formadoras de esporos. Os esporos permitem uma vida de prateleira prolongada e aumentam a capacidade do microrganismo de sobreviver às barreiras gástricas, que se revelam uma vantagem sobre os lactobacilos. Objetivo: Foram realizados experimentos para o desenvolvimento tecnológico de duas cepas formadoras de esporos de Bacillus coagulans BVB1 e BVB5 como potenciais microrganismos probióticos objetivando avaliar o potencial probiótico dos mesmos. Método: Como primeira etapa, as caracterizações fenotípica e genotípica identificaram que a cepa BVB1 não era B. coagulans e sim B. subtilis. Os estudos seguiram com a cinética da fermentação/esporulação apenas da cepa de Bacillus coagulans BVB5. Conclusão: O desafio da esporulação de Bacillus coagulans BVB5 foi vencido, fato que pode ser verificado na cinética da fermentação que apresentou resultados superiores a 99% de grau de esporulação

Introduction: The increased demand for functional foods, which include those supplemented or fermented by probiotic microorganisms, resulted in the advancement of research and development of new potentially probiotic strains. Probiotic microorganisms Bacillus spp. Are attractive because of their inherent stability of spore forming bacteria. Spores allow prolonged shelf life and increase the ability to survive gastric barriers, which prove to be an advantage over lactobacilli. Objective: Experiments were performed for the technological development of Bacillus coagulans BVB1 and BVB5 as potential probiotic microorganisms with two strains of Bacillus coagulans aiming to evaluate the efficacy of probiotic product composed of spore forming microorganism (Bacillus coagulans strains BVB1 and BVB5). Method: As a first step, phenotypic and genotypic characterization identified that the BVB1 strain was not B. coagulans but B. subtilis. Although Bacillus subtilis strain BVB1 presented a technological potential to be used as a probiotic strain in food additives, the studies followed with the kinetics of fermentation/sporulation of Bacillus coagulans BVB5, in agreement with the master's project originally proposed. Conclusion: The challenge of sporulation of Bacillus coagulans BVB5 was overcome, a fact that can be verified with the results of fermentation kinetic which presented sporulation degree more than 99%

Esporos de bactérias aeróbias são bons indicadores da eficiência do tratamento de água? Um estudo exploratório / Are aerobic spore-forming bacteria good indicators of water treatment efficiency? An explanatory study

RESUMO Apresentam-se e discutem-se neste trabalho os resultados do monitoramento de esporos de bactérias aeróbias em uma estação de tratamento de água de ciclo completo em escala real. Os esporos foram removidos de forma consistente e efetiva ao longo das etapas do tratamento, somando cerca de 3 log em média no ciclo completo. A etapa de clarificação da água (decantação e filtração) foi a principal responsável pela remoção de esporos: 0,65 log na decantação e 1,71 log na filtração, em valores médios. Os esporos mostraram-se resistentes à cloração, mas ainda assim foi alcançada inativação média de 0,8 log. Infere-se que esporos de bactérias aeróbias são bons indicadores da eficiência do tratamento da água em ciclo completo (clarificação e desinfecção por cloração) e exibem potencial de uso como indicadores da remoção/inativação (clarificação e desinfecção por cloração) de cistos de Giardia e de remoção por clarificação de oocistos de Cryptosporidium.

ABSTRACT The results of monitoring aerobic spore-forming bacteria in a field-scale conventional water treatment plant are presented and discussed herein. Spores were consistently and effectively removed throughout the treatment steps, totaling approximately 3 log-unit complete removal. The clarification steps (sedimentation + filtration) accounted for most of the spore removal: 0.65 log by sedimentation and 1.71 log by filtration - average values. Although the spores proved to be rather resistant to chlorination, a 0.8 log-unit reduction by inactivation was achieved. It is suggested that spores of aerobic spore-forming bacteria are useful indicators for evaluating overall water treatment plant performance (clarification and disinfection by chlorination), and can potentially be used as removal/inactivation indicators (clarification and disinfection by chlorination) of Giardia cysts, and removal by clarification of Cryptosporidium oocysts.

The Effect of an Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculum on the Growth and Fruiting of Fragaria ananassa (Weston) Duchesne Ex Rozier (Rosaceae) in Morocco

The effect of composite endomycorrhizal inoculums was studied on the strawberry plant growth under greenhouse conditions. After six months, a significative effect was observed. Leaves number, fruits number, fresh roots weight and fresh fruits weight under greenhouse conditions compared to controls were 28.9/11.2, 58/1, 12.59g/9.62g and 367g/230g. Mycorrhizal intensity, arbuscular content and spores number in mycorrhized and non mycorrhized strawberry seedlings were respectively 54.1, 28.3 and 220. The spores detected belong to eight species and four genera: Glomus, Rhizophagus, Gigaspora and Scutellospora.

Abundancia y riqueza de hongos micorrizógenos arbusculares en cafetales de Soconusco, Chiapas, México / Abundance and richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in coffee plantations from Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico

Resumen El cultivo del café, en la economía mexicana y en la región del Soconusco en Chiapas, aporta importantes divisas; sin embargo es susceptible a plagas y enfermedades, por lo que se requiere reforzar su producción a través de un manejo más sustentable. Este estudio analizó la abundancia, riqueza y composición de hongos micorrizógenos arbusculares (HMA) nativos que pudieran emplearse en un futuro como biofertilizantes en el cultivo del café. En 21 muestras de suelo recolectadas en noviembre 2015 de siete sitios en la región del Soconusco, Chiapas, México, cultivados con café "robusta" (Coffea canephora), se cuantificó la abundancia de esporas, la riqueza y composición de morfoespecies de HMA y se exploró su relación con las propiedades del suelo. Se obtuvo un total de 20 morfoespecies y cinco nuevos registros de HMA para Chiapas, las morfoespecies más frecuentes pertenecen a los géneros Acaulospora y Glomus. Los sitios Toluca y Victoria tuvieron mayor riqueza de especies (17 spp. c/u) que San Agustín, 20 de noviembre y San Luis Nexapa (4 - 7 spp. c/u); mientras que Providencia y Platanar registraron una riqueza intermedia y los mayores valores de abundancia de esporas. Los sitios Victoria y Toluca presentaron un 97 % de disimilitud en la composición de especies de HMA con respecto a los demás sitios; la cual fue explicada por la baja concentración de PO4 -3en el suelo de Victoria y Toluca. La disponibilidad de P, ligada a la acidez del suelo, fueron los factores que podrían estar regulando las comunidades de HMA en el suelo de la rizosfera de los cafetos en la región del Soconusco. Se propone que podrían haber consorcios de HMA específicos para los niveles de P y acidez presentes en diferentes sitios con cafetos, o bien consorcios de especies de Acaulospora y Glomusacordes con las condiciones ambientales en las que se desarrolla el café, cuya compatibilidad y funcionalidad debe examinarse antes de emplearlos como biofertilizantes nativos en los cafetos de esta región tropical de México.

Abstract In the Mexican economy, and especially in the Soconusco region of Chiapas, coffee is economically important, and sustainable management most cover pests and diseases. In this study, we searched for native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that could be used as biofertilizers in coffee cultivation. We collected 21 soil samples from seven coffee plantations (Coffea canephora) in November 2015. We used wet sieving and decanting to quantify abundance, richness and composition of morphospecies, as well as their relationships with soil properties. A total of 20 morphospecies and five new records of AMF were obtained, and the most frequent genera were Acaulospora and Glomus. The Toluca and Victoria sites had more morphospecies richness (17 spp. each) than San Agustín, November 20 and San Luis Nexapa (4-7 spp. each). Providencia and Platanar were intermediate but had the highest spore abundance. The dissimilarity of Victoria and Toluca may reflect a low concentration of PO4 -3in the soil. P availability, linked to soil acidity, sems to be regulating these mycorrhizae communities at Soconusco. AMF consortia specific for soil P-levels and acidity, i.e. Acaulospora and Glomusconsortia, may occur and be common in the environmental conditions of Mexican coffee plantations, Strains should be tested for compatibility and functionality before using them as native biofertilizers. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(1): 91-105. Epub 2018 March 01.

Aspergilosis pulmonar crónica cavitada / Chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis

Resumen: La aspergilosis pulmonar es una infección fúngica causada por el hongo Aspergillus, en la mayoría de los casos de la especie fumigatus, un hongo ubicuo que se adquiere al inhalar sus esporas. El pulmón es el principal órgano afectado por Aspergillus. La aspergilosis crónica cavitada (anteriormente denominada aspergiloma complicado) afecta a pacientes inmunocompetentes que padecen una o más cavidades durante varios meses, habitualmente en los lóbulos superiores y si progresan pueden llegar a padecer formas crónicas fibrosantes. Se comunica el caso de una paciente de 67 años de edad, residente de la Ciudad de México, con antecedentes personales de exposición a tabaquismo pasivo durante 30 años, hipertensión arterial en tratamiento con losartán y amlodipino, sin otros antecedentes de importancia. Inició su padecimiento cuatro meses previos a su ingreso con tos seca alternada ocasionalmente con expectoración hemoptoica, así como fiebre intermitente. La aspergilosis pulmonar es poco común en pacientes sin factores de riesgo e inmunocompetentes, como ocurrió en este caso, por lo que su diagnóstico no es fácil de sospechar y, por tanto, el abordaje debe ser minucioso. Es esencial que los clínicos estén familiarizados con la manifestación clínica de la aspergilosis pulmonar crónica cavitada.

Abstract: Pulmonary aspergillosis is a fungal infection caused by the fungus Aspergillus. In most cases, it comes from the fumigatus species, a ubiquitous fungus that is acquired by inhaling its spores. The lung is the main organ affected by Aspergillus. Chronic cavitary aspergillosis (previously referred to as complicated aspergilloma) affects immunocompetent patients who develop one or more cavities for several months, usually in the upper lobes, and if they progress they may develop chronic fibrosing forms. This paper reports the case of a female, 67 year-old patient, resident of Mexico City, with a personal history of exposure to passive smoking for 30 years, hypertension under treatment with losartan and amlodipine, without other antecedents of importance. She started her picture 4 months prior to admission with alternating dry cough occasionally with hemoptysis expectoration, as well as intermittent fever. Pulmonary aspergillosis is little common un patients without risk factors and immunocompetent, as in this case, thus, its diagnosis is not easy to suspect and, therefore, the approach must be careful. It is essential that clinicians become familiar with the clinical presentation and diagnostic approach of chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis.

Bacteria from the Bacillus cereus group as contaminants in requeijão curd cheeses and especialidade láctea tipo requeijão / Bactérias do grupo Bacillus cereus como contaminantes em queijos fundidos requeijão e especialidade láctea tipo requeijão

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of Bacillus cereus group in requeijões and especialidades lácteas tipo requeijão (regular and light) and to verify if there is differences in relation to this occurrence among different categories of these products. A set of 14 (35%) lots was contaminated with this bacterial group from the 40 lots with low counts (maximum 3.1 × 10 CFU/g), and no significant difference regarding counts or presence/absence were observed among the categories of the products. It can be concluded that contamination by B. cereus group in these products is unable to consist in risk to consumers, regarding adequate refrigeration during selling. This study was the first one to report this bacteria group for these dairy products and highlights the needs of further investigations to evaluate the impact of its spoilage during shelf life.(AU)

Este estudo objetivou avaliar a ocorrência de bactérias do grupo de Bacillus cereus em requeijões e especialidades lácteas (normais e light) e verificar se há diferença em relação a essa ocorrência entre as diferentes categorias desses produtos. Entre os 40 lotes avaliados, 14 (35%) estavam contaminados por bactérias desse grupo, com baixas contagens (máxima de 3,1 × 10 UFC/g) e sem diferenças significativas no que tange às contagens ou à presença/ausência entre as diversas categorias. Conclui-se que as bactérias do grupo de B. cereus em requeijões e especialidades lácteas são incapazes de consistir em risco aos consumidores desses produtos, desde que as condições de refrigeração sejam adequadas durante armazenamento e venda. O presente trabalho é o primeiro a relatar a presença de tal grupo de micro-organismos nesses tipos de produtos, porém, são necessários novos estudos para avaliar o impacto de sua ação deteriorante sobre o período em que passa na prateleira.(AU)

High fungal spore burden with predominance of Aspergillus in hospital air of a tertiary care hospital in Chandigarh.

The prevalence of fungal spores in the hospital air is essential to understand the hospital‑acquired fungal infections. Air conditioners (ACs) used in hospitals may either reduce spores in air or be colonised by fungi and aid in its dissemination. The present study was conducted to assess the fungal spore burden in AC and non‑AC areas. We found a high fungal spore count in air irrespective of whether the area was AC or non‑AC. The most predominant species isolated were Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus. Such high concentrations of pathogenic fungi in air may predispose individuals to develop disease.

Primary cutaneous aspergillosis and idiopathic bone marrow aplasia

Abstract: We describe the case of a 9-year-old boy with idiopathic bone marrow aplasia and severe neutropenia, who developed skin ulcers under cardiac monitoring electrodes. The diagnosis of primary cutaneous aspergillosis was made after the second biopsy and culture. Imaging investigation did not reveal internal fungal infection. The child was treated, but did not improve and died 3 months after admission. The report highlights and discusses the preventable risk of aspergillus skin infection in immunocompromised patients.

Sporormiella as a tool for detecting the presence of large herbivores in the Neotropics / Sporormiella como ferramenta para detectar a presença de grandes herbívoros na região Neotropical

The reliability of using the abundance of Sporormiella spores as a proxy for the presence and abundance of megaherbivores was tested in southern Brazil. Mud-water interface samples from nine lakes, in which cattle-use was categorized as high, medium, or low, were assayed for Sporormiella representation. The sampling design allowed an analysis of both the influence of the number of animals using the shoreline and the distance of the sampling site from the nearest shoreline. Sporormiella was found to be a reliable proxy for the presence of large livestock. The concentration and abundance of spores declined from the edge of the lake toward the center, with the strongest response being in sites with high livestock use. Consistent with prior studies in temperate regions, we find that Sporormiella spores are a useful proxy to study the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna or the arrival of European livestock in Neotropical landscapes.

A confiabilidade dos valores de Sporormiella como um proxy para estimar a presença e abundância de megaherbívoros foi testada na região sudeste do Brasil. Amostras superficiais de nove lagos, categorizados quanto a presença de gados em alto, médio e baixo uso do seu entorno foram coletadas para a análise de abundância de Sporormiella. O modelo amostral aplicado permitiu a interpretação tanto da influência do número de animais que usam a margem do lago quanto a distância da margem do lago sobre a quantidade de esporos encontrados. As análises indicam que esporos de Sporormiella é um excelente proxy para detectar a presença de grandes herbívoros. A concentração e abundância de esporos reduz em direção ao centro do lago, o que fica mais evidente em locais com alto uso do entorno do lago por esses animais. Consistente com estudos realizados em regiões temperadas, nós concluímos que o uso de Sporormiella se mostra de grande valia para entender a extinção da megafauna do Pleistoceno como também a introdução de animais nas paisagens neotropicais.

Contaminación fúngica ambiental en tres centros de enseñanza primaria del cantón central de la provincia de Heredia, Costa Rica / Aerial fungal contamination in three primary schools of the province of Heredia, Costa Rica

Justificación y objetivo: las esporas fúngicas aéreas son consideradas agentes etiológicos de la rinitis alérgica y el asma. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar la contaminación fúngica ambiental en tres centros de enseñanza primaria del cantón Central de la provincia de Heredia, midiendo la concentración de esporas fúngicas aéreas por metro cúbico. Métodos: se utilizó el equipo para muestreo volumétrico aéreo Burkard Personal Volumetric Air Sampler durante las épocas seca y lluviosa. Los conteos de esporas se relacionaron con los factores meteorológicos y las características estructurales de los centros educativos analizados. Resultados: se encontró un total de 1391,89 ± 119,70 esporas/m3 en marzo, 3194,45 ± 577,03 esporas/m3 en mayo, 3747,12 ± 568,05 esporas/m3 en octubre y 1009,99 ± 81,24 esporas/m3 en diciembre. En marzo, octubre y diciembre, aproximadamente el 91,0% de estas esporas pertenecían a cuatro grupos: Aspergillus/Penicillium, ascosporas, basidiosporas y Cladosporium. Sin embargo, en mayo el 78,46% de las esporas identificadas pertenecían al género Cladosporium. Al correlacionar la concentración de esporas fúngicas se encontró correlación negativa con la velocidad del viento (-0.418, p<0.05), correlación positiva con la precipitación pluvial (0,568, p<0,05), correlación positiva con el porcentaje de humedad relativa (0,504, p<0,05), y no se encontró correlación con los cambios de temperatura. Conclusión: la concentración de esporas fúngicas encontrada en las tres escuelas muestreadas es mayor al límite de 1000 esporas por metro cúbico, considerado saludable.

Background and aim: Fungal spores are considered etiological agents of allergic rhinitis and asthma; therefore, it is advised to monitor fungal levels within the classrooms. The aim of this paper was to study fungal aerial contamination in three public schools of Heredia by measuring the concentration of aerial fungal spores per cubic meter. Methods: We used the Burkard Personal Volumetric Air Sampler to collect and identify fungal spores during the dry and rainy season. The relationship between the fungal spore concentration, the meteorological factors and structural characteristics of the schools was determined. Results: A total of 1391.89 ± 119.70 spores/m3 was found in March, 3194.45 ± 577.03 spores/ m3 in May, 3747.12 ± 568.05 spores/m3 in October and 1009.99 ± 81.24 spores/m3 in December. Except for May, approximately 91.0 % of the spores identified belonged to four groups: Aspergillus/ Penicillium, ascospores, basidiospores and Cladosporium. In May, 78.46 % of the spores identified were Cladosporium. A negative correlation was found between spore concentration and wind velocity (-0.418; p<0.05), and a positive one with rain (0.568; p<0.05) and with humidity (0.504; p<0.05). No correlation was found with temperature changes. Conclusion: The three schools analysed presented fungal spore concentrations which exceeded the limit of 1000 spores per cubic meter which is considered as healthy.

Influência do meio suporte na inativação de endósporos de Bacillus atrophaeus em resíduos de serviços de saúde por micro-ondas / Support influence on microwave inactivation of Bacillus atrophaeus spores in healthcare waste

A Norma Técnica CETESB P2.111/2007 foi tomada como base para avaliar a desinfecção de resíduos de serviços de saúde (RSS) por micro-ondas, através da comparação dos resultados provenientes da utilização da norma, ou seja, com endósporos de Bacillus atropheus em suspensão no interior de ampolas introduzidas nos RSS, com os obtidos nos endósporos dispersos na superfície das partículas. Os resultados foram ajustados à cinética de primeira ordem e à Lei de Arrhenius para obtenção das energias de ativação (Ea) e dos fatores pré-exponenciais (k0). A Ea obtida nos endósporos em suspensão nas ampolas (99-45 J.mol-1) foram sensivelmente menores quando comparadas com as Ea (9.203-5.782 J.mol-1) provenientes da inativação dos endósporos dispersos sobre os RSS, para k0 praticamente constantes (0,26 e 0,23 min-1, respectivamente). Portanto, a resistência à inativação dos endósporos foi bastante afetada pelo meio suporte utilizado, tendo sido mais sensíveis à exposição a micro-ondas no meio líquido do que no meio sólido.

The Technical Standard CETESB P2.111/2007 was tested to evaluate the microwave healthcare waste disinfection, by comparing the results obtained using the standard procedure, i.e. Bacillus atropheus spores in suspension inside vials distributed in the waste, with those obtained with spores dispersed on the particles surface. The experimental results were adjusted based on first-order kinetic model and Arrhenius Law to determine the activation energies (Ea) and the pre-exponential factors (k0). The Ea in spores suspension inside vials (99-45 J.mol-1) were significantly lower when compared with Ea (9,203-5,782 J.mol-1) from the inactivation of dispersed spores in the waste to k0 practically constant (0.26 and 0.23 min-1, respectively). Therefore, spore resistance to inactivation was greatly affected by the support medium used, since the spores were more susceptible to microwave exposition in liquid medium than in the solid one.

Aspergillus fumigatus conidia inhibit early apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells / 中华传染病杂志

Objective To observe the impact of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia on the early apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells.Methods A549 cells was first stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)or staurosporine (STS)to induce cell apoptosis,and then co-cultured with Aspergillus fumigatus conidia of three different concentrations (5 × 10 5 ,5 × 10 6 ,5 × 10 7 )simultaneously.The changes of the apoptosis rate of A549 cells were detected by flow cytometry.Results The early apoptosis of A549 cells was increased markedly after stimulated with TNF-α ([14.94 ± 0.82 ]% vs [3.26 ± 0.74]%,χ2 =9.18,P <0.05)and STS ([18.10±1 .00]% vs [3.26±0.74]%,χ2 =12.32,P <0.05). When Aspergillus fumigatus conidia of different concentrations were added,the apoptosis rate was decreased (χ2 =31 .23,P <0.05 ).The early apoptosis of A549 cells was negatively correlated with the concentration of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia (rTNF = - 0.92,r STS = - 0.94,both P < 0.05 ). Conclusion Aspergillus fumigatus conidia inhibits the early apoptosis of A549 cells induced by TNF-αor STS and the inhibit effect increases with the concentration of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia.