Tomato flu outbreak: An overview

Tomato flu, also known as tomato fever, is a newly identified virus in India that causes high temperatures, extreme fatigue, and aches and pains. Case studies have revealed that immunocompetent people can contract the virus;therefore, this may be a new Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease strain (HFMD). Although tomato fever shows symptoms similar to COVID-19, the virus is not related to SARS-CoV. Tomato fever is a self-limiting illness and there is no specific treatment/vaccination till date. The rare viral infection is in endemic state and is considered non-life threatening. Because of the fear of emergence of fourth wave and dreadful experience of COVID-19, vigilant management is desirable to prevent spread of tomato fever.

An inaugural survey of cereal, oilseed and vegetable crop diseases in the Yukon Territory in 2020

Various kinds of field crops growing on two commercial farms in the Whitehorse area of the southern Yukon Territory were surveyed for diseases in summer 2020 by staff of the Agriculture Branch of the Government of Yukon. They included barley, wheat, canola, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and turnips. Fields were visited one or more times during July and August. The incidence and severity of diseases were visually assessed on a crop-by-crop basis and samples were collected for laboratory analysis of the pathogens present, if any. Both infectious and non-infectious diseases were present on most crops. The infectious diseases were caused by various species of plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi that were common on these crops growing in other areas of Canada. INTRODUCTION AND METHODS: The 2020 field crop disease survey is believed to be the first organized study of its kind on agricultural crops in the Territory. In his book, "An Annotated Index of Plant Diseases in Canada . . . ", I.L. Conners lists over 300 records of plant diseases on trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses in the Yukon that were published by individuals who were surveying forests and native vegetation mainly for federal government departments, universities and other agencies (Conners 1967). The objectives of the 2020 survey were: (1) to determine the kinds and levels of diseases on selected Yukon crops, (2) to identify the major pathogen species attacking Yukon crops, and (3) to use the results to plan future surveillance activities aimed at helping producers to improve their current disease management programs. All of the fields included in the 2020 survey were situated on two commercial farms, which were designated as Farm #1 and #2, in the Whitehorse area in the southern Yukon (Fig. 1). The crops surveyed included cereals (barley and wheat), oilseeds (canola) and vegetables (beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and turnips). Fields were visited one or more times in the mid- to late growing season (July/August) at a time when damage from diseases was most noticeable. Symptoms were visually assessed on a crop-by-crop basis by determining their incidence and severity. Incidence was represented by the percentage of plants, leaves, heads, kernels, etc., damaged in the target crop, while severity was estimated to be the proportion of the leaf, fruit, head, root/canopy area, etc., affected by a specific disease as follows: Proportion of the canopy affected based on a 0-4 rating scale, where: 0 = no disease symptoms, 1 = 1-10% of the crop canopy showing symptoms;2 = 11-25% showing symptoms, 3 = 26- 50% showing symptoms, and 4 = > 50% showing symptoms. Photographs of affected plants were taken and sent to plant pathologists across Western Canada for their opinions on causation. Where possible, representative samples of plants with disease symptoms were packaged and sent to the Alberta Plant Health Lab (APHL) in Edmonton, AB for diagnostic analyses. Background information, such as the general cultural practices and cropping history, was obtained from the producers wherever possible. GPS coordinates were obtained for each field to enable future mapping Cereals: Individual fields of barley (11 ha) and wheat (30 ha) located at Farm #1 were surveyed. The barley was a two-row forage cultivar 'CDC Maverick', while the wheat was an unspecified cultivar of Canada Prairie Spring (CPS) Wheat. Plant samples were taken along a W-shaped transect for a total of five sampling points for the barley field (< 20 ha) and ten sampling points for the wheat field (> 20 ha). The first visit, which occurred on July 30, involved visual inspection and destructive sampling wherein plants were collected and removed from the field for a detailed disease assessment at a lab space in Whitehorse. There, the roots were rinsed off and the plants were examined for disease symptoms. The second visit to these fields, which occurred on August 27, only involved visual examination of the standing crop. Oilseeds: A single 40 ha field of Polish canola (cv. 'Synergy') was examined o

Microbial and clinical epidemiology of invasive fungal rhinosinusitis in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the divergent causative agents.

Since COVID-19 spread worldwide, invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (IFRS) has emerged in immunocompromised patients as a new clinical challenge. In this study, clinical specimens of 89 COVID-19 patients who presented clinical and radiological evidence suggestive of IFRS were examined by direct microscopy, histopathology, and culture, and the isolated colonies were identified through DNA sequence analysis. Fungal elements were microscopically observed in 84.27% of the patients. Males (53.9%) and patients over 40 (95.5%) were more commonly affected than others. Headache (94.4%) and retro-orbital pain (87.6%) were the most common symptoms, followed by ptosis/proptosis/eyelid swelling (52.8%), and 74 patients underwent surgery and debridement. The most common predisposing factors were steroid therapy (n = 83, 93.3%), diabetes mellitus (n = 63, 70.8%), and hypertension (n = 42, 47.2%). The culture was positive for 60.67% of the confirmed cases, and Mucorales were the most prevalent (48.14%) causative fungal agents. Different species of Aspergillus (29.63%) and Fusarium (3.7%) and a mix of two filamentous fungi (16.67%) were other causative agents. For 21 patients, no growth was seen in culture despite a positive result on microscopic examinations. In PCR-sequencing of 53 isolates, divergent fungal taxons, including 8 genera and 17 species, were identified as followed: Rhizopus oryzae (n = 22), Aspergillus flavus (n = 10), A. fumigatus (n = 4), A. niger (n = 3), R. microsporus (n = 2), Mucor circinelloides, Lichtheimia ramosa, Apophysomyces variabilis, A. tubingensis, A. alliaceus, A. nidulans, A. calidoustus, Fusarium fujikuroi/proliferatum, F. oxysporum, F. solani, Lomentospora prolificans, and Candida albicans (each n = 1). In conclusion, a diverse set of species involved in COVID-19-associated IFRS was observed in this study. Our data encourage specialist physicians to consider the possibility of involving various species in IFRS in immunocompromised and COVID-19 patients. In light of utilizing molecular identification approaches, the current knowledge of microbial epidemiology of invasive fungal infections, especially IFRS, may change dramatically.

Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (IFRS) may infect people with diabetes, cancer, or COVID-19. In this study, various types of fungi were identified from COVID-19-associated-IFRS, encouraging physicians to consider specific treatments.

Mucorales/Fusarium Mixed Infection in Hematologic Patient with COVID-19 Complications: An Unfortunate Combination.

Hematological diseases, especially those causing severe neutropenia, represent the main factor in the development of invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Furthermore, COVID-19 has been considerably associated with IFIs due to immunological dysregulation, prolonged hospitalization in intensive care units, and immunomodulatory therapies. Opportunistic molds are correlated with elevated morbidity and mortality rates in these patients, due to immune impairment, diagnostic complexity, and therapeutic challenges. Among opportunistic fungal infections, the Mucorales and Fusarium species are considered particularly aggressive, especially during severe neutropenia. A mixed Mucorales/Fusarium infection has been rarely described in scientific literature. Herein, we report a case of Mucorales and Fusarium co-infection in a patient with acute leukemia whose clinical history was also complicated by COVID-19. Herein, we report a challenging case in order to encourage the clinical suspicion of combined fungal infections in immunosuppressed patients, performing a punctual microbiological diagnosis, and promptly administering the correct empiric and targeted antifungal therapy.

Cytotoxic hexadepsipeptides and anti-coronaviral 4-hydroxy-2-pyridones from an endophytic Fusarium sp.

Three new hexadepsipeptides (1-3), along with beauvericin (4), beauvericin D (5), and four 4-hydroxy-2-pyridone derivatives (6-9) were isolated from the endophytic fungus Fusarium sp. CPCC 400857 that derived from the stem of tea plant. Their structures were determined by extensive 1D and 2D NMR, and HRESIMS analyses. The absolute configuration of hexadepsipeptides were elucidated by the advanced Marfey's method and chiral HPLC analysis. Compounds 4, and 7-9 displayed the cytotoxicity against human pancreatic cancer cell line, AsPC-1 with IC50 values ranging from 3.45 to 29.69 µM, and 7 and 8 also showed the antiviral activity against the coronavirus (HCoV-OC43) with IC50 values of 13.33 and 6.65 µM, respectively.

Non-Mucormycetes Causes of Fungal Rhino Sinusitis With Periocular Swelling in COVID-19 With Delta Variant.

OBJECTIVE:  To highlight fungi other than mucormycetes as causative agents of rhinosinusitis with periocular swelling in coronavirus (COVID-19) infection caused by Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus and identify the presenting features, risk factors, intervention, and outcomes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A retrospective interventional study of 96 patients with fungal rhinosinusitis and periocular swelling was done in patients with concurrent or recovered COVID-19 infection with the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) of SARS-CoV-2 virus in India. All patients with mucormycetes infection were excluded. Clinical presentation, medical history, blood reports, and imaging were analyzed. Management was by intravenous (IV) liposomal amphotericin B and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) with paranasal sinus debridement. Limited orbital debridement with or without transcutaneous retrobulbar liposomal amphotericin B (TRAMB) was done in patients with orbital involvement. Postoperative antifungal therapy was decided on the basis of the causative fungi. RESULTS: Four cases of Aspergillus and one each of Fusarium, Curvularia, and Penicillium-associated fungal rhinosinusitis with periocular swelling were seen. Signs of orbital involvement on MRI were present in all four of them. Two of these showed partial third-nerve palsy while one case with aspergillosis suffered cavernous sinus thrombosis. Proptosis was not witnessed in any case. History of diabetes and use of steroids was seen in all patients. All patients had mild to moderate COVID-19 with oxygen supplementation needed in one. No mortality, acute vision loss, or exenteration took place. CONCLUSION:  Aspergillus, Fusarium, Curvularia, and Penicillium were non-mucormycetes causes of fungal rhinosinusitis with periocular swelling in COVID-19 infection with the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) of SARS COV-2 virus. Few cases showed orbital and intracranial involvement.

Disseminated fusariosis in children: Report of two cases in girls with leukemia.

Background and Purpose: Disseminated fusariosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the hyaline fungus Fusarium spp. and occurs mainly in patients with leukemia. Case report: Two cases of disseminated fusariosis in pediatric patients are presented. Profound and prolonged neutropenia, fever, myalgia, and skin lesions in the legs were present in two girls with leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. In the first case, infection by Fusarium spp. was confirmed by anatomopathological findings, pathogen isolation, and polymerase chain reaction. In the second case, Fusarium solani infection was confirmed by mass spectrometry using blood cultures and skin lesion samples. Conclusion: It is important to consider disseminated fusariosis in high-risk patients who present with profound and prolonged neutropenia and persistent fever that does not resolve after broad-spectrum antibiotics to initiate antifungal therapy in a timely manner.

First Report of Fusarium asiaticum Causing Stem Rot of Ligusticum chuanxiong in China.

Ligusticum chuanxiong (known as Chuanxiong in China) is a traditional edible-medicinal herb, which has been playing important roles in fighting against COVID-19 (Ma et al. 2020). In March 2021, we investigated stem rot of Chuanxiong in six adjacent fields (~100 ha) in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. The disease incidence was above 5% in each field. Symptomatic plants showed stem rot, watersoaked lesions, and blackening with white hyphae present on the stems. Twelve symptomatic Chuanxiong plants (2 plants/field) were sampled. Diseased tissues from the margins of necrotic lesions were surface sterilized in 75% ethanol for 45 s, and 2% NaClO for 5 min. Samples were then rinsed three times in sterile distilled water and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25ºC for 72 h. Fourteen fungal cultures were isolated from 18 diseased tissues, of which eight monosporic isolates showed uniform characteristics. The eight fungal isolates showed fluffy white aerial mycelia and produced yellow pigments with age. Mung bean broth was used to induce sporulation. Macroconidia were sickle-shaped, slender, 3- to 5-septate, and averaged 50 to 70 µm in length. Based on morphological features of colonies and conidia, the isolates were tentatively identified as Fusarium spp. (Leslie and Summerell 2006). To identify the species, the partial translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF1-α) gene was amplified and sequenced (O'Donnell et al. 1998). TEF1-α sequences of LCSR01, LCSR02 and LCSR05 isolates (GenBank nos. MZ169386, MZ169388 and MZ169387) were 100%, 99.72% and 99.86% identical to that of F. asiaticum strain NRRL 26156, respectively. The phylogenetic tree based on TEF1-α sequences showed these isolates clustered with F. asiaticum using Neighbor-Joining algorithm. Furthermore, these isolates were identified using the specific primer pair Fg16 F/R (Nicholson et al. 1998). The results showed these isolates (GenBank nos. MZ164938, MZ164939 and MZ164940) were 100% identical to F. asiaticum NRRL 26156. Pathogenicity test of the isolate LCSR01 was conducted on Chuanxiong. After wounding Chuanxiong stalks and rhizomes with a sterile needle, the wounds were inoculated with mycelia PDA plugs. A total of 30 Chuanxiong rhizomes and stalks were inoculated with mycelia PDA plugs, and five mock-inoculated Chuanxiong rhizomes and stalks served as controls. After inoculation, the stalks and rhizomes were kept in a moist chamber at 25°C in the dark. At 8 days post inoculation (dpi), all inoculated stalks and rhizomes exhibited water-soaked and blackened lesions. At 10 dpi, the stalks turned soft and decayed, and abundant hyphae grew on the exterior of infected plants, similar to those observed in the field. No disease symptoms were observed on the control plants. The pathogen was re-isolated from the inoculated tissues and the identity was confirmed as described above. Ten fungal cultures were re-isolated from the 10 inoculated tissues, of which nine fungal cultures were F. asiaticum, fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. asiaticum causing stem rot of Chuanxiong in China. Chuanxiong has been cultivated in rotation with rice over multiple years. This rotation may have played a role in the increase in inoculum density in soil and stem rot epidemics in Chuanxiong. Diseased Chuanxiong may be contaminated with the mycotoxins produced by F. asciaticum, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol or nivalenol, which may deleteriously affect human health. Therefore, crop rotations should be considered carefully to reduce disease impacts.

Ferric Oxide Colloid: Towards Green Nano-Fertilizer for Tomato Plant with Enhanced Vegetative Growth and Immune Response Against Fusarium Wilt Disease.

Global food crisis due to climate change, pandemic COVID-19 outbreak, and Russia-Ukraine conflict leads to catastrophic consequences; almost 10 percent of the world's population go to bed hungry daily. Narrative solution for green agriculture with high vegetation and crop yield is mandatory; novel nanomaterials can improve plant immunity and restrain plant diseases. Iron is fundamental nutrient element; it plays vital role in enzyme activity and RNA synthesis; furthermore it is involved in photosynthesis electron-transfer chains. This study reports on the facile synthesis of colloidal ferric oxide nanoparticles as novel nano-fertilizer to promote vegetation and to suppress Fusarium wilt disease in tomato plant. Disease index, protection percent, photosynthetic pigments, and metabolic indicators of resistance in plant as response to induction of systemic resistance (SR) were recorded. Results illustrated that Fe2O3 NPs had antifungal activity against F. oxysporum. Fe2O3 NPs (at 20 µg/mL) was the best treatment and reduced percent disease indexes by 15.62 and gave highly protection against disease by 82.15% relative to untreated infected plants. Fe2O3 NPs treatments in either (non-infected or infected) plants showed improvements in photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes, and antioxidant enzymes activity. The beneficial effects of the synthesized Fe2O3 NPs were extended to increase not only photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes contents but also the activities of peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), enzymes of the healthy and infected tomato plants in comparison with control. For, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities it was found that, application of Fe2O3 NPs (10 µg/mL) on challenged plants offered the best treatments which increased the activities of POD by (34.4%) and PPO by (31.24%). On the other hand, application of Fe2O3 NPs (20 µg/mL) on challenged plants offered the best treatments which increased the activities of CAT by (30.9%), and SOD by (31.33%). Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10904-022-02442-6.

Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Strategically Combined With Origanum vulgare Derivatives: Antibacterial Mechanism of Action and Effect on Multidrug-Resistant Strains.

Multidrug-resistant bacteria have become a public health problem worldwide, reducing treatment options against several pathogens. If we do not act against this problem, it is estimated that by 2050 superbugs will kill more people than the current COVID-19 pandemic. Among solutions to combat antibacterial resistance, there is increasing demand for new antimicrobials. The antibacterial activity of binary combinations containing bioAgNP (biogenically synthesized silver nanoparticles using Fusarium oxysporum), oregano essential oil (OEO), carvacrol (Car), and thymol (Thy) was evaluated: OEO plus bioAgNP, Car plus bioAgNP, Thy plus bioAgNP, and Car plus Thy. This study shows that the mechanism of action of Thy, bioAgNP, and Thy plus bioAgNP involves damaging the membrane and cell wall (surface blebbing and disruption seen with an electron microscope), causing cytoplasmic molecule leakage (ATP, DNA, RNA, and total proteins) and oxidative stress by enhancing intracellular reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation; a similar mechanism happens for OEO and Car, except for oxidative stress. The combination containing bioAgNP and oregano derivatives, especially thymol, shows strategic antibacterial mechanism; thymol disturbs the selective permeability of the cell membrane and consequently facilitates access of the nanoparticles to bacterial cytoplasm. BioAgNP-treated Escherichia coli developed resistance to nanosilver after 12 days of daily exposition. The combination of Thy and bioAgNP prevented the emergence of resistance to both antimicrobials; therefore, mixture of antimicrobials is a strategy to extend their life. For antimicrobials alone, minimal bactericidal concentration ranges were 0.3-2.38 mg/ml (OEO), 0.31-1.22 mg/ml (Car), 0.25-1 mg/ml (Thy), and 15.75-31.5 µg/ml (bioAgNP). The time-kill assays showed that the oregano derivatives acted very fast (at least 10 s), while the bioAgNP took at least 30 min to kill Gram-negative bacteria and 7 h to kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). All the combinations resulted in additive antibacterial effect, reducing significantly minimal inhibitory concentration and acting faster than the bioAgNP alone; they also showed no cytotoxicity. This study describes for the first time the effect of Car and Thy combined with bioAgNP (produced with F. oxysporum components) against bacteria for which efficient antimicrobials are urgently needed, such as carbapenem-resistant strains (E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and MRSA.

Sensitivity of Fusarium pseudograminearum isolates to fludioxonil in Henan Province, China

Wheat crown rot caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum has become an important soilborne disease and affects the quality and yield of wheat. In order to detect the sensitivity of F. pseudograminearum to fludioxonil in Henan Province, China, 105 isolates of F. pseudograminearum were collected from six cities in 2019. Sensitivity was determined by the mycelial growth rate method, then the methods of least-significant difference (LSD) and SPSS cluster were used for result analysis. The sensitivity of F. pseudograminearum to carbendazim and tebuconazole was determined and the correlation coefficient which existed between fludioxonil and the two fungicides, carbendazim and tebuconazole was analyzed. The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fludioxonil was 0.240 0 μg/mL. The sensitivity frequency distribution was a continuous single peak curve, and the EC50 value ranged from 0.002 7 to 0.047 0 μg/mL. The average EC50 value of (0.026 3 ± 0.010 1) μg/mL, could be used as the sensitivity baseline of the pathogen to fludioxonil. The variance analysis results showed that the sensitivity of the different cities to fludioxonil was different, and the EC50 value ranged from 0.015 0 to 0.033 5 μg/mL. The maximum EC50 value of the isolate from Zhongmu County Zhengzhou City was 16.78 times bigger than the minimum value. Cluster analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between the sensitivity of isolates to fludioxonil and their geographical origin. The mean EC50 values of carbendazimand tebuconazole against the pathogens were (0.788 1 ± 0.315 3) μg/mL and (0.088 6 ± 0.145 3) μg/mL, respectively. There was no significant correlation between the sensitivity of the isolates to fludioxonil, carbendazim and tebuconazole. The results of greenhouse trials showed that the control efficacy of fludioxonil suspension seed coat agent could reach 58.00% (75.0 μg a.i/g) in 2020 and 63.69% (50.0 μg a.i/g) in 2021 when used to treat wheat as a seed dressing agent. The results of this study provide the basis for the rational use of fludioxonil in the control of wheat crown rot and provide information for monitoring the sensitivity of pathogenic fungi to fungicides. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] 由假禾谷镰刀菌 Fusarium pseudograminearum 引起的小麦茎基腐病已成为重要的土传 病害,并且影响小麦的品质和产量。为了明确中国河南省假禾谷镰刀菌对咯菌腈的敏感性，采用 菌丝生长速率法测定了咯菌腈对 2019 年从河南省 6 个地市分离的 105 株假禾谷镰刀菌 F. pseudograminearum 的敏感性，通过最小显著差异法 (LSD) 和 SPSS 聚类方法对测定结果进行了 分析，并测定了假禾谷镰刀菌对多菌灵和戊唑醇的敏感性，分析了咯菌腈与这两种杀菌剂毒力 的相关性。结果表明：咯菌腈对供试菌株的最低抑制浓度 (MIC) 为 0.240 0 μg/mL。敏感性频率 分布图显示，EC50 值范围在 0.002 7~0.047 0 μg/mL，敏感性差异达 17.41 倍；敏感性频率分布 为连续单峰曲线，平均 EC50 值为 (0.026 3 ± 0.010 1) μg/mL，可作为假禾谷镰刀菌对咯菌腈的敏 感性基线。方差分析结果显示，不同县市的小麦假禾谷镰刀菌对咯菌腈的敏感性差异较大， EC50 值变化范围为 0.015 0~0.033 5 μg/mL，其中咯菌腈对郑州中牟的敏感性最低和最高菌株的 EC50 值相差 16.78 倍。聚类分析结果显示，河南省小麦茎基腐病菌菌株对咯菌腈敏感性差异与 菌株的地理来源无明显关联性。多菌灵和戊唑醇对病菌的平均 EC50 值分别为 (0.788 1 ± 0.315 3) μg/mL 和 (0.088 6 ± 0.145 3) μg/mL。病菌对咯菌腈与其对多菌灵和戊唑醇的敏感性之间无明显 相关性。温室防效结果显示，用咯菌腈悬浮种衣剂对小麦进行拌种处理，2020 年 (咯菌腈有效 成分为 75.0 μg/g) 对小麦茎基腐病的防治效果可达 58.00%，2021 年 (咯菌腈有效成分为 50.0 μg/g) 的防治效果可达到 63.69%。本研究结果可为咯菌腈在小麦茎基腐病防治中的合理使用提供依 据，为病原菌对药剂的敏感性监测提供参考。 (Chinese) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Chinese Journal of Pesticide Science / Nongyaoxue Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Pesticide Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Fulminant fungal endogenous endophthalmitis following SARS-CoV-2 infection: A case report.

Systemic corticosteroids and immunocompromised state following SARS-CoV-2 infection can predispose individuals to endogenous endophthalmitis. A 66-year-old gentleman presented with complaints of diminution of vision and redness one week post discharge after hospitalization for COVID-19 infection. Clinical examination suggested fulminant endogenous endophthalmitis which responded poorly even after aggressive treatment requiring evisceration. Culture and gene sequenced analysis confirmed Aspergillus fumigatus to be the causative organism. A high degree of suspicion is warranted in the presence of recent onset of floaters in COVID-19-infected individuals to facilitate early diagnosis and outcomes.

A Two-Year Field Experiment for the Integrated Management of Bread and Durum Wheat Fungal Diseases and of Deoxynivalenol Accumulation in the Grain in Central Italy

A two-year (2018/19 and 2019/20) field experiment was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of recently developed fungicide combinations (with different modes of action) towards fungal diseases on seven bread and eight durum wheat varieties. The trial was performed at the FIELDLAB experimental station of the University of Perugia (Italy). The diseases were assessed under natural pressure except for Fusarium head blight (FHB) for which artificial inoculation with a Fusarium culmorum deoxynivalenol (DON)-producing strain was performed at the full flowering stage (BBCH 65). Fungicides were sprayed at the fully extended flag leaf (BBCH 39) and full flowering (BBCH 65) stages. The incidence of different fungal diseases was visually evaluated and other parameters [grains production (t/ha), protein content (%), test weight (kg/hL), and DON accumulation in grain (μg/kg)] were also determined. In the two years, characterized by different climatic conditions, the fungicide treatments showed efficacy in controlling the observed diseases (Septoria tritici blotch and FHB) as well as in reducing DON contamination. No significant differences were found between treatments. The results highlight that, in the present scenario of commercially available durum and bread wheat varieties, the timely application of the most common fungicides plays a crucial role for FHB and DON management in the presence of climatic conditions that are favorable to the disease. The impact of these results in an integrated disease management perspective is discussed. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Agronomy is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Sensitivity of the isolates of Fusarium pseudograminearum to carbendazim in Henan Province.

Wheat stem rot caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum has become the main disease in Huang-Huai wheat area, which poses a great threat to the stable and high yield of wheat. In order to detect the sensitivity to carbendazim of F. pseudograminearum causing wheat stembase rot in Henan Province, China, 90 isolates of were collected from 8 counties in 2019, the inhibitory activities of these isolates were determined by mycelial growth rate method. The results were analyzed by variance analysis and cluster analysis, and the sensitivity of tebuconazole and fludioxonil was also tested, to analyze the correlation efficient existed between carbendazim and the two fungicides, tebuconazole and fludioxonil. The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of carbendazim was 2.4 μg/mL, the EC50 values ranged from 0.436 to 1.73 μg/mL, the maximum value was 3.98 times the minimum value, and the average EC50 value was (0.750 ± 0.291) μg/mL. The sensitivity frequency distribution map showed that although there were subpopulations with low sensitivity to multiple bacteria, there were still 61 strains tested within the corresponding main peak range, and the sensitivity frequency distribution was a continuous single peak curve, which could be used as the sensitivity baseline of the pathogen to carbendazim. The results of variance analysis showed that the sensitivity of the different county to carbendazim was less different, and the average EC50 value in different cities ranged from 0.604 μg/mL to 1.04 μg/mL, and the lowest and highest strains were Hongqi and Huixian from Xinxiang, respectively, with a difference of 1.72 times. The susceptibility of the strains to carbendazim was significantly different in the same city, and the difference of EC50 value was 3.98 times in Nanyang Neixiang. Cluster analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between the sensitivity of F. pseudograminearum to carbendazem in Henan Province and their geographical origin. There was no significant correlation between the sensitivity of wheat stem rot pathogen to carbendazim and its sensitivity to tebuconazole and fludioxonil. The results of greenhouse control showed that 50% carbendazim wettable powder can be used for wheat seed dressing treatment and the highest control efficacy on wheat stem rot up to 76.66% when the treatment dosage was 3.90 mg/g. The results of this study laid a theoretical foundation for the chemical control of wheat stem rot with carbendazim and provide important information for the sensitivity monitoring of pathogenic bacteria to fungicides. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] 主要由假禾谷镰刀菌引起的小麦茎基腐病已蔓延成为黄淮麦区的主要病害,对小麦的 稳产、高产带来极大威胁.为了解河南省假禾谷镰刀菌对多菌灵的敏感性,采用菌丝生长速率 法测定了多菌灵对 2019 年从河南省 8 个地市分离的 90 株假禾谷镰刀菌的毒力;分别通过方差 分析法及聚类分析法对测定结果进行了分析,并研究了多菌灵与戊唑醇和咯菌腈对病菌毒力的 相关性.结果表明:多菌灵对供试菌株菌丝生长的最低抑制浓度为 2.4 μg/mL, EC50 值在 0.436~1.73 μg/mL 之间,最大值是最小值的 3.98 倍,平均 EC50 值为 (0.750±0.291) μg/mL;敏 感性频率分布图显示,尽管病菌群体中存在着对多菌灵敏感性较低的亚群体,但仍有 61 株供 试菌株位于相应的主峰范围内,敏感性频率分布仍为连续单峰曲线,可以将该值作为假禾谷镰 刀菌对多菌灵的敏感性基线.方差分析结果显示,不同地市菌株对多菌灵的敏感性差异较小, 各地市菌株平均 EC50 值变化范围为 0.604~1.04 μg/mL,最低和最高的分别为新乡红旗和新乡辉 县菌株,两者相差 1.72 倍;同一地市菌株对多菌灵的敏感性差异较大,其中南阳内乡菌株差异 最大,最不敏感菌株的 EC50 值是最敏感菌株的 3.98 倍.聚类分析结果显示,河南省假禾谷镰 刀菌对多菌灵的敏感性差异与菌株的地理来源无明显关联性.病菌对多菌灵与其对戊唑醇和咯 菌腈的敏感性之间无明显相关性.温室防效结果显示,用 50% 多菌灵可湿性粉剂拌种处理小麦 种子,对小麦茎基腐病可起到较好的防治效果,其中有效成分 3.90 mg/g 处理防效最高,可达 76.66%.本研究结果可为多菌灵对小麦茎基腐病的化学防治提供理论基础,为病原菌对药剂的 敏感性监测提供重要信息. (Chinese) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Chinese Journal of Pesticide Science / Nongyaoxue Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Pesticide Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Rhino-orbital Fungal Invasion in Post COVID-19 Cases at a Tertiary Eye Care Centre in Hyderabad- A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: In India, especially in Southern part of the country during the second wave of the pandemic there has been a sudden surge of rhino-orbital invasion by various fungi like Fusarium, Mucor, Aspergillus etc., in post Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients. Several risk factors have been attributed like lowering of cell-mediated immunity by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), lymphopenia and associated reduction in CD4+ (Cluster of Differentiation) and CD8+ cell population, Steroid-induced hyperglycaemia, immunosuppression, and uncontrolled diabetes. Aim: To detect rhino-orbital fungal conquering post COVID-19 cases. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study done at a tertiary eye care centre in Hyderabad, between May 2021 to June 2021 and the study subjects were post COVID-19 patients with fungal invasion reporting to Government SD Eye Hospital and Government ENT Hospital. The patients were evaluated for associated co-morbidities, location of fungal infection, use of steroids, oxygen therapy usage and microbiologically identified the causative fungi. Descriptive analysis was done and data was presented as numbers and percentages were calculated. Results: Overall, 470 cases of post COVID-19 suspected fungal invasion cases were referred from the Ophthalmology and ENT departments, of which 287 (61.06%) cases were culture positive for various fungal elements. Fusarium spp. was predominantly seen in 165 cases (57.49%) followed by Aspergillus spp. in 71 cases (24.74%), Mucor was isolated in 42 cases (14.64%) cases and other fungi like Candida spp. were isolated in 5 cases (1.74%) and Bipolaris spp. was seen in 4 cases (1.39%). Pre-existing Diabetes Mellitus (DM) was present in 233 cases (81.18%) cases, corticosteroid intake for the treatment of COVID-19 was recorded in 203 (70.73%) cases and oxygen therapy was administered in 160 (55.74%) cases. Conclusion: As per the evaluation especially in post COVID-19 patients there seems to be a nexus between diabetes, imprudent use of steroids, decreased immune status, inappropriate use of oxygen therapy and invasion of fungi, therefore cautious and prudent use of the steroids and oxygen among the COVID-19 treatment protocol is advised.

Invasive fusariosis in a critically ill patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia: A case report.

Invasive fungal infections as aspergillosis and candidiasis are well-documented complications in critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to COVID-19. However, invasive infections by other molds are rarely reported. We describe a case of invasive fusariosis in a patient with severe COVID-19 with a fatal outcome.

Fungal Keratitis Due to Fusarium lichenicola: A Case Report and Global Review of Fusarium lichenicola Keratitis.

Fusarium species are among the most commonly isolated causes of fungal keratitis. Most species of the genus Fusarium belong to Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC). Fusarium lichenicola, a member of the FSSC complex, is a well-established plant and human pathogen. However, reports of fungal keratitis due to Fusarium lichenicola have not been frequently reported. To the best of our knowledge, only twelve cases of Fusarium lichenicola keratitis have been reported in the past fifty years. Clinical cases of Fusarium lichenicola may have most likely been misidentified because of the lack of clinical and microbiological suspicion, as well as inadequate diagnostic facilities in many tropical countries where the burden of the disease may be the highest. We report a case of fungal keratitis caused by Fusarium lichenicola and present a global review of the literature of all cases of fungal keratitis caused by this potentially blinding fungus.

Antimicrobial Efficacy of Contact Lens Solutions Assessed by ISO Standards.

Microbial keratitis (MK) is an eye infection caused by opportunistic bacteria or fungi, which may lead to sight-threatening corneal ulcers. These microorganisms can be introduced to the eye via improper contact lens usage or hygiene, or ineffective multipurpose solutions (MPSs) to disinfect daily wear contact lenses. Thus, the patient's choice and use of these MPSs is a known risk factor for the development of MK. It is then critical to determine the efficacy of popular MPSs against ubiquitous ocular microorganisms. Therefore, we compare the efficacy of nine major MPSs on the global market against four different microorganism species, and with four different common contact lenses. In accordance with International Standards Organization protocol 14729 and 18259, the microorganisms were inoculated into each MPS with and without contact lenses, and held for the manufacturer's disinfection time, 24 h, and 7 days after challenge with Serratia marcescens or Fusarium spp. Plates were incubated for 2-7 days and plate counts were conducted to determine the number of surviving microorganisms. The majority of MPSs demonstrated significantly higher disinfection efficacies without contact lenses. Broadly, among the microorganisms tested, the OPTI-FREE products (Puremoist, Express, and Replenish) maintained the highest disinfection efficacies at the manufacturer's stated disinfection time when paired with any contact lens, compared with other MPSs. These were followed closely by RevitaLens and renu Advanced. MPSs containing dual biocides polyquaternium-1 and myristamidopropyl dimethylamine possessed the highest disinfection efficacy against multiple ocular pathogens.

Pervasive but Neglected: A Perspective on COVID-19-Associated Pulmonary Mold Infections Among Mechanically Ventilated COVID-19 Patients.

Background: Recent studies from multiple countries have shown a high prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) among severely ill patients. Despite providing valuable insight into the clinical management of CAPA, large-scale prospective studies are limited. Here, we report on one of the largest multicenter epidemiological studies to explore the clinical features and prevalence of COVID-19-associated pulmonary mold infections (CAPMIs) among mechanically ventilated patients. Methods: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum samples were collected for culture, galactomannan (GM), and ß-D-glucan (BDG) testing. Patients were classified as probable CAPMI based on the presence of host factors, radiological findings, and mycological criteria. Results: During the study period, 302 COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), among whom 105 were mechanically ventilated for ≥4 days. Probable CAPMI was observed among 38% of patients (40/105), among whom BAL culture of 29 patients turned positive for molds, while galactomannan testing on BAL (GM index ≥1) and serum (GM index >0.5) samples were positive for 60% (24/40) and 37.5% (15/39) of patients, respectively. Aspergillus (22/29; 75.8%) and Fusarium (6/29; 20.6%) constituted 96.5% of the molds isolated. Diaporthe foeniculina was isolated from a COVID-19 patient. None of the patients who presented with CAPMI were treated with antifungal drugs. Conclusion: Despite being prevalent, the absence of appropriate antifungal treatment highlights that CAPMI is a neglected complication among mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs. CAPMI can be caused by species other than Aspergillus.