Infección fúngica invasiva por Saprochaete capitata en un niño con aplasia medular / Invasive fungal infection by Saprochaete capitata in a child with bone marrow aplasia

RESUMEN Saprochaete capitata es una causa rara de infección fúngica invasiva en pacientes inmunocomprometidos con alta mortalidad y resistencia antifúngica. Presentamos el caso de un niño de cinco años con diagnóstico de aplasia medular, sometido a trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos (TPH), que cursó con neutropenia febril persistente, dolor abdominal intenso, aparición de lesiones maculopapulares en piel y deterioro de la función renal. Se identificó la presencia de S. capitata, en hemocultivos transcatéter venoso central. Esta infección fúngica invasiva resulta ser rara, pero emergente y potencialmente mortal, en pacientes con neutropenia febril persistente y uso prolongado de dispositivos invasivos intravasculares como catéter venoso central.

ABSTRACT Saprochaete capitata is a rare cause of invasive fungal infection in immunocompromised patients with high mortality and antifungal resistance. We present the case of a 5-year-old boy with bone marrow aplasia, who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and presented persistent febrile neutropenia, abdominal pain, appearance of maculopapular lesions on the skin, and impaired renal function. The presence of S. capitata was identified by blood culture from a central venous catheter. This invasive fungal infection is rare but emergent and life-threatening, especially in immunocompromised patients with persistent febrile neutropenia and prolonged use of invasive devices such as central venous catheters.

Calidad microbiológica del aire en seis áreas de la microestación biológica- Zoocriadero de la Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva ­ Tingo María ­ Perú / Microbiological quality of air in six areas of the biological micro station - Zoocriadero of the Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva - Tingo Maria ­ Peru

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo evaluar la calidad microbiológica del aire en seis áreas de la Microestación Biológica-Zoocriadero de la Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva-Tingo María-Perú; procediéndose de la siguiente manera: Se seleccionaron seis áreas de muestreo (A1: Boletería, A2: Caseta gallito de las rocas, A3: Zona de las tortugas, A4: Caseta del otorongo, A5: Caseta de los monos y A6: Cocina), de los cuales para la determinación de los parámetros físicos (PAS, temperatura, humedad relativa, precipitación y rosa de viento) se obtuvo información de la estación meteorológica de la UNAS y de lecturas directas en campo, para la determinación de las PAS se realizó por el método pasivo obteniéndose la mayor concentración de PAS en el área 1 "Boletería" (12.61 t/km2/mes, 11.08 t/km2/mes y 8.4 t/km2/mes) y la más baja en el área 5 "caseta de los monos" (2.80 t/km2/mes, 2.80 t/km2/mes y 3.2 t/km2/mes); para el análisis microbiológico se realizó por el método de borboteo en líquidos, identificándose 27 géneros entre bacterias y hongos, siendo las bacterias más frecuentes Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Enterobacter agglomerans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter hafniae y algunas bacterias patógenas para el hombre como Streptococcus sp., Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus anthracis. Los hongos de mayor frecuencia son Penicillium sp., Aspergillius sp., Geotrichum sp., algunos hongos patógenos identificados: Microsporum sp., Epirophyton sp. Por otro lado, para la percepción del público como trabajadores se aplicó encuestas, donde indicaron que la calidad microbiológica del aire en la Microestación Biológica-Zoocriadero es regular(AU)

The objective of this research paper is to assess the microbiological quality of the air in six areas of the Biologial Micro-station and animal breeding farm of the Peruvian Univeristy "Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva in Tingo María, Perú", proceeding as follows: Six sampling areas were selected (A1: Ticket Office, A2: Cock-of-the-Rock hut, A3: Turtle area, A4: Otorongo hut, A5: Monkey hut, A6: Kitchen), of wich for the determination of the phisical parameters (SBP, temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and wind rose) information was obtained from the UNAS meteorological station and direct readings in the field. For the determination of SBP was performed by the passive method obtaining the high concentration of SBP in area 1 "Ticket Office" (12.61 t/km2/month, 11.08 t/km2/month and 8.4 t/km2/month) and the lowest in area 5 "monkey house" (2.80 t/km2/month, 2.80 t/km2/month and 3.2 t/km2/month); microbiological analysis was performed by the liquid bubbling method, identifying 27 genera incluiding bacteria and fungi, with the most frequent bacteria being Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Enterobacter agglomerans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter hafniae and some bacteria pathogenic for humans such as Streptococcus sp., Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus anthracis. The most frequent fungi are Penicillium sp., Aspergillius sp. and Geotrichum sp.; some pathogenic fungi identified: Microsporum sp., Epirophyton sp. On the other hand,regarding the perception of the public and workers, surveys were applied, wich indicated that the microbiologial quality of the air in the Biological Micro-station and animal breeding farm is regular(AU)

Xylitol production and furfural consumption by a wild type Geotrichum sp

Background: Xylitol is a five carbons polyol with promising medical applications. It can be obtained from chemical D-xylose reduction or by microbial fermentation of Sugarcane Bagasse Hemicellulosic Hydrolysate. For this last process, some microbial inhibitors, as furfural, constitute severe bottleneck. In this case, the use of strains able to produce xylitol simultaneously to furfural neutralization is an interesting alternative. A wild-type strain of Geotrichum sp. was detected with this ability, and its performance in xylitol production and furfural consumption was evaluated. Furthermore, were analyzed its degradation products. Results: Geotrichum sp. produced xylitol from D-xylose fermentation with a yield of 0.44 g-g-1. Furfural was fully consumed in fermentation assay and when provided in the medium until concentration of 6 g-L-1. The furfural degradation product is not an identified molecule, presenting a molecular weight of 161 g-mol-1, an uncommon feature for the microbial metabolism of this product. Conclusion: This strain presents most remarkable potential in performing furfural consumption simultaneous to xylitol production. Subsequent efforts must be employed to establish bioprocess to simultaneous detoxification and xylitol production by Geotrichum sp.

Influência do uso de cultura adjunta nas características físico-químicas e sensoriais do queijo tipo Camembert / Effect of the addition of a supplementary culture on the physical physicalchemical and sensory characteristics of Camembert-type cheese

O presente estudo avaliou o efeito da adição do Geotrichum candidum, como cultura adjunta, na aceitação e composição do queijo tipo Camembert. O leite utilizado na fabricação dos queijos foi submetido à pasteurização e adicionado de Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis e Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris. Foram realizados quatro tratamentos: controle (T1) – sem adição de Geotrichum candidum; e T2, T3 e T4, com concentrações, respectivamente, de 0,5 U, 1 U e 1,5 U do microorganismo. Após 1, 9, 17, 25, 33 e 41 dias de fabricação, os queijos foram avaliados quanto aos parâmetros: acidez, pH, proteína, NS a pH 4,6, NS em TCA12%, umidade, e para gordura e sal no queijo com um dia de preparação. A análise de aceitação foi realizada aos 30 dias de maturação. Os queijos com e sem adição de Geotrichum candidum não diferiram (P > 0,05) nas análises físico-químicas. Os quatros tratamentos diferiram (P < 0,05) em todas as análises no decorrer do tempo de maturação. Com o aumento na concentração do Geotrichum candidum, houve aumento na média de aceitação dos provadores. A utilização do Geotrichum candidum é uma boa alternativa para as indústrias que desejam um produto com boa aceitabilidade e características semelhantes ao tradicional queijo Camembert.

Breeding of high lipid producing strain of Geotrichum robustum by ion beam implantation

To obtain an industrial strain with high lipid yield, the wild strain G0 of Geotrichum robustum was mutated by means of nitrogen ions implantation. Mutagenic effects of strain G0 by low energy N+ ion implantation were studied. The experimental results indicated that the survival rate curve took a "saddle" shape, and the positive mutation rate was increased to 22.00 percent at the dose of nitrogen ions 2.0 x 10(15) ions/cm² when the survival rate was 28.60 percent. By repeated screening, a high lipid producing strain G9 was obtained. The biomass, lipid content and lipid yield of the mutant can reach 40.25 g/L, 71.14 percent and 28.63 g/L after cultured in a 5L fermenter for 8 days, increasing by 52.81 percent, 68.82 percent and 157.93 percent to those of wild strain, respectively. Analysis results on fatty acids composition and relative content by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry showed that the lipid in strain G9 was mainly composed of 16-carbon and 18-carbon fatty acids, including 37.360 percent oleic acid, 23.631 percent palmitic acid, 4.458 percent linoleic acid and 26.465 percent stearic acid. Such compositional features were quite similar to plant oil. Geotrichum robustum strain G9 may be an ideal high lipid producing strain for biodiesel production.

Sequential use of ammonium and leucine as nitrogen sources during growth of Geotrichum candidum on a glucose based medium / Uso secuencial del amonio y leucina como fuentes de nitrógeno durante el crecimiento de Geotrichum candidum en un medio basado en glucosa

Geotrichum candidum growth on ammonium and leucine as nitrogen sources and glucose as a carbon source was examined. A clear preference of G. candidum for ammonium over leucine as a nitrogen source was shown. Indeed, ammonium was completely exhausted at the end of exponential growth after less than 35 hrs of culture; in contrast only 5 percent of leucine was concomitantly assimilated. Growth continued at slower rates on glucose and leucine as carbon and nitrogen sources respectively, and at the end of culture (185 hrs), leucine was completely exhausted.

Screening of microbial lipases and evalutaion of their potential to produce glycerides with high gamma linolenic acid concentration

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3, cis- 6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid), an important compound in n-6 eicosanoid family biosynthesis, occurs in the lipids of a few plant and microbial sources. This study focused on the screening of microbial strains with suitable lipase activity for enrichment of GLA by selective hydrolysis of the borage oil (21.6 percent of GLA/total fatty acids). Firstly, 352 microrganisms were tested for their lipolytic capacity using screening techniques on agar plates containing borage oil, strains were then selected and screened for their activity (U/mg) using both submerged fermentation (SmF) and solid state fermentation (SSF). The rate of hydrolysis and the selective preference of these hydrolytic enzymes towards fatty acids, with a special focus on enrichment of GLA were studied and compared with those obtained by two commercially-available lipases. Only one of the lipases tested during this study displayed selectivity, discriminating the GLA during the hydrolysis reaction. Using the enzymatic extract from Geotrichum candidum as a biocatalyst of the reaction, it was possible to obtain a percentage of 41.7 percent of GLA in acylglycerols fraction when the borage oil was treated in a fixed-bed reactor for 24 hours at 30ºC.

Role of PPase-SE in Geotrichum klebahnii, a yeast-like fungus able to solubilize pectin

Protopectinases (PPases) constitute a heterogeneous group of extracellular enzymes able to release soluble pectin from insoluble protopectin in plant tissues. Geotrichum klebahnii (ATCC 42397) produces PPase-SE with endopolygalacturonase activity. PPase-SE has been used for pectin extraction and maceration of plant tissues. Here, the capacity of G. klebahnii to use different pectins as carbon and energy sources (CES) was studied, in addition to PPase-SE capacity to release pectin from lemon peel. The strain was unable to use pectin from different origins as CES. When G. klebahnii was cultivated with mixtures of different amounts of glucose and citrus pectin as CES, the biomass obtained was proportional to the initial concentration of glucose, which was completely consumed. In addition, it produced PPase-SE in a glucose-containing medium. A culture was used for the extraction of pectin from lemon peels. Pectin was enzymatically extracted simultaneously with tissue maceration, yielding 3.7 g of (dry) pectin per 100 g of (wet) lemon peel. Extracted pectin was not metabolized by the strain. It was concluded that G. klebahnii uses PPase-SE to macerate, invade and colonize plant tissues, thus releasing soluble sugars to be used as CES without metabolizing solubilized pectin.

Media components and amino acid supplements influencing the production of fruity aroma by Geotrichum candidum

The ability of Geotrichum candidum to produce fruity aroma in food grade sucrose, molasses, corn steep liquor and peptone based culture media was tested by sensory evaluation and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. A strong and sweet fruity aroma was produced from molasses, with peptone or corn steep liquor stimulating aroma production. Molasses with peptone supplemented with leucine, valine, or alanine yielded better fruity aroma production and the presence of many esters was consistent with the fruity aroma production.

Geotrichum candidum foi cultivado em diversos meios de cultura contendo sacarose ou melaço e milhocina ou peptona e a produção de aroma frutal foi verificada através de avaliação sensorial e cromatografia gasosa acoplada a espectrometria de massas. Os meios contendo melaço, peptona e leucina, valina ou alanina apresentaram os melhores resultados e a presença de diversos ésteres foi consistente com a formação de aroma frutal.

Yeast lipases: enzyme purification, biochemical properties and gene cloning

Lipases are placed only after proteases and carbohydrases in world enzyme market and share about 5% of enzyme market. They occur in plants, animals and microorganisms and are accordingly classified as plant, animal and microbial lipases. Wherever they exist, they function to catalyze hydrolysis of triglycerides to glycerol and fatty acid. Like carbohydrases and proteases, lipases of microbial origin enjoy greater industrial importance as they are more stable (compared to plant and animal lipases) and can be obtained in bulk at low cost. Majority of yeast lipases are extracelluar, monomericglycoproteins with molecular weight ranging between ~33 to ~65 kD. More than 50% reported lipases producing yeast, produce it in the forms of various isozymes. These lipase isozymes are in turn produced by various lipase encoding genes. Among many lipase producing yeasts Candida rugosa is most frequently used yeast as the source of lipase commercially. This review is aimed at compiling the information on properties of various yeast lipases and genes encoding them.

Various yeast infections. About 835 cases

A study was conducted to determine the mycoses caused by yeasts in our laboratory. Data were collected over a 5-year period from mycologic investigations carried out on all samples realised or send to the mycology laboratory at the CHU Ibn Sina of Rabat. In the period between January 1999 and December 2003, a total of 4038 specimens were collected. The total number of patients included in this study was 820, 68.2% [n=560] of whom were females and 31.7% [n=260] were males. The age ranged from 1 month to 71 years. A total of 835 yeasts were isolated [20.7%]. Candida albicans [n=356] was the most prevalent, followed by Malassezia furfur [n=283]. Other Candida species [n=130], Rhodotorula spp. [n=65], and Geotrichum spp. [n=1] had also been isolated. The onychomycosis caused by the yeasts represented 50.9%. This study showed that 20.7% of patients had infections due to yeast. The majority of patients were females. Candida albicans as the principal yeast isolated followed by Malassezia furfur. Non albicans species are more and more reported. High incidence of yeasts was documented in finger onychomycosis caused by Candida albicans [59.5%]. Malassezia furfur was the principal yeast isolated from skin and scalp [74%]

Detection of fungi spectrum in industrial and home bakeries and determinated fungal allergy with skin prick test.

Airborne fungal pathogens such as Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Trichophyton, and Alternaria may cause health problems. In this research, the fungal flora at different bakeries and their potential allergenic effects on the workers were investigated. We investigated 148 workers at 17 industrial type bakeries and 62 workers at 17 home type bakeries in Afyon. Our study was performed in two different seasons and climates, between January 2004 and June 2004. Fungal flora was detected by using Petri-dish method. In the winter, Penicillium was the dominant genus, while Cladosporium was the dominant genus during the summer, in both types of bakeries. The allergenic properties of dominant culturable fungi on workers involved in the bakeries were determined with the skin-prick test. It was found that with workers in the industrial type bakeries, the most common skin test positivity was caused by Penicillium. In the other hand, the skin test positivity, performed on workers in the home type bakeries, was equally caused by Penicillium, Trichophyton and Aspergillus.

Coinfection of Cryptosporidium and Geotrichum in a case of AIDS.

A 32 year old male, positive for human immunodeficiency virus (mY) antibodies, was found to be positive for multiple opportunistic infections by a parasite and a fungi, which is a very rare occurrence. Cryptosporidium and Geotrichum were simultaneously detected from his stool and sputum respectively.

The use of acetonitrile as the sole nitrogen and carbon source by Geotrichum sp. JR1

Uma linhagem de levedura identificada como Geotrichum sp. JR1 foi capaz de utilizar acetonitrila, em concentrações de 0,5 a 2M, como única fonte de carbono e de nitrogênio. A geração de amônia durante o crescimento do microrganismo indica a presença de sistema enzimático capaz de degradar acetonitrila. Durante os ensaios enzimáticos, com células cultivadas em acetonitrila, foram detectados ácido acético e acetamida como produtos indicando a presença de sistema enzimático capaz de degradar acetonitrila e acetamida. Este trabalho é o primeiro a descrever a utilização de acetonitrila como única fonte de carbono e de nitrogênio por uma levedura.

Onicomicosis: consideraciones epidemiológicas de nuestra casuítica / Onychomicosis: etiologycal considerations

El objetivo del trabajo es el análisis de la frecuencia de onicomicosis y sus agentes etiológicos en un centro privado dermatológico de la ciudad de Resistencia y la revisión del tema. Se examinaron 300 pacientes de los cuales fueron seleccionados 200, de ambos sexos, con lesiones clínicamente compatibles con onicomicosis, examen micológico directo y cultivo positivos. En el análisis se determinó la frecuencia según sexo, edad, localización y etiología de las micosis ungulares. La prevalencia fue 69 por ciento en mujeres y 31 por ciento en hombres. El agente patógeno predominante fue Trichophyton rubrum. Hemos determinado además una alta frecuencia de onicomicosis por hongos filamentosos no dermatófitos (HFND) (21,5 por ciento), mayor que la informada en la bibliografía consultada

Mycotic bovine nasal granuloma

A case of mycotic bovine nasal granuloma in a 10 year-old Jersey cow, produced by Drechslera halodes is presented. Histopathological sections showed abundant hyaline and pigmented extra and intracellular fungal structures together with a polymorphic cellular granuloma formed by neutrophils, lymphocytes, plasmocytes, histiocytes and giant cells of the Langhans type. It is the first case of mycotic bovine nasal granuloma recognized in Uruguay although this disease seems to be frequent according to the opinion of veterinarian specialists. Another similar clinical case also in a Jersey cow from the same dairy house with an intense cellular infiltrate rich in eosinophils without granulomatous image, together with extracellular hyaline and fuliginous fungal forms, is also referred for comparative purposes. Geotrichum sp. was isolated. The need of an early diagnosis and treatment of the disease is stressed

Ocorrência de filamentos micelianos e de matérias estranhas em frutas em calda comercializadas em Säo Paulo, SP / Ocurrence of mycelial fragments and extrateous materials in canned syrup fruits commercialized in Säo Paulo, SP

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi padronizar procediemntos analíticos para quantificaçäo de filamentos micelianos e de matérias estranhas em frutas em calda e avaliar tais contaminantes em 114 amostras de diferentes tipos e marcas. Para as análises de contagem de filamentos micelianos (contage Howard) e de Geotrichum foram adotados os métodos da Association of Official Analytical Chemists e para matérias estranhas, os métodos descritos no Macroanalytical Procedures Manual. Os resultados mostraram que os métodos podem ser utilizados pelos laboratórios de microscopia de alimentos. Quanto aos resultados das análises para avaliar a contaminaçäo dos produtos, 53,5 por cento das amostras mostraram-se em desacordo com a legislaçäo em vigor por apresentarem filamentos micelianos na contagem Howard, 46,5 por cento por conterem filamentos de Geotrichum e 32,5 por cento devido à presença de matérias orgänicas estranhas. Apenas 21,1 por cento das amostras näo apresentaram contaminantes. Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram necessidades de revisäo na legislaçäo em vigor para as frutas em calda, com o estabelecimento de limites de tolerância para filamentos micelianos pela contagem Howard e para fragmentos de insetos

Hongos fitopatógenos asociados a frutos comercializados en Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil / Phytopathogenic fungi associated with fruits marketed in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

En la central de abastecimiento y en tres ferias libres de la ciudad de Recife, PE(Brasil), se analizaron cada tres meses, durante un año, frutos de aguacate (palta), limón, maracuyá-amarillo, pimentón y tomate para detectar la presencia de enfermedades fúngicas. En cada muestra fueron evaluadas 20 unidades de cada tipo de fruto, en cinco puntos diferentes por sitio de colecta, totalizándo 100 frutos/punto de comercialización, la incidencia de enfermedades fúngicas en los frutos de aguacate fue de 38,52 porciento, en maracuyá de 15,48 porciento, en limón de 17,55 porciento, en pimentón de 1,58 porciento y en tomate de 6,5 porciento. El hongo detectado con mayor frecuencia en los frutos de aguacate fue sphaceloma perseae (20,0 porciento), en limón sphaceloma fawcetti (6,2 porciento), en maracuja cladosporium herbarum (10,3 porciento) en pimentón alternaria alternata (0,7 porciento) y en tomate geotrichum candidum (3,2 porciento). Los altos valores de incidencia de enfermedades fúngicas detectados, indican la necesidad de adoptar procedimientos antes y después de la cosecha, para reducir los riesgos de infección, lo que promovería la reducción significativa de pérdidas de postcosecha

Microscopia alimentar de produtos industrializados de frutas, comercializados em supermercados de Säo Paulo, SP / Food microscopy of processed fruit products, marketed in the supermarkets of Säo Paulo, SP

Objetivo: Quantificar filamentos micelianos de fungos e matéras estranhas em geléias de frutas, doces de frutas em pasta e frutas em calda industrializados. Métodos: Foram adotadas as metodologias descritas no Official Methods of Analysis of Association of Official Analytical Chemists International - 1995 (AOAC International), quando necessário, os métodos foram adaptados e/ou modificados. Resultados: Comenta as modificaçöes realizadas nos métodos adotados. Quanto às condiçöes higiênicas dos doces analisados, pelo método Howard verifica que o maior percentual de amostras contendo filamentos de fungos foi dos doces em pasta, seguido das geléias e das frutas em calda. Na contagem de filamentos de Geotrichum, o maior percentual de amostras positivas foi encontrado nas frutas em calda, seguido dos doces em pasta e, em menor percentual, das geléias. Para matérias estranhas, as geléias e os doces em pasta apresentaram os maiores percentuais de amostras positivas. As frutas apresentaram comportamento diferente para um mesmo tipo de doce. Conclusäo: Os métodos adotados mostram-se adequados, permitindo leituras satisfatórias tanto de contagem de filamentos de fungos como das matérias estranhas, sendo possível a sua utilizaçäo pelos laboratórios de microscopia de alimentos. Os resultados obtidos nas análises mostram a necessidade de revisäo na legislaçäo bromatológica em vigor, com o estabelecimento de limites de tolerância para filamentos micelianos (exceto para Geotrichum) e para fragmentos de insetos, nos produtos de frutas aqui estudados