[Onychocola canadensis: first isolates from onychomycoses in Slovakia]. / Onychocola canadensis: prvé izoláty z onychomykóz na Slovensku.

Toenail onychomycoses are among the most common human superficial mycoses. The species spectrum of the causative agents, mainly nondermatophytes, is broad and varied. During 14 months (March 2007 to April 2008), Onychocola canadensis Sigler 1990, an uncommon nondermatophyte, was identified microscopically and by culture as the causative agent of nail infection in four patients. It is the first report of this species in the Slovak Republic. The experience gained with the identification of this uncommon, slow-growing arthroconidial fungus is presented.

Results from the ARTEMIS DISK Global Antifungal Surveillance Study, 1997 to 2007: 10.5-year analysis of susceptibilities of noncandidal yeast species to fluconazole and voriconazole determined by CLSI standardized disk diffusion testing.

Fluconazole in vitro susceptibility test results determined by the CLSI M44-A disk diffusion method for 11,240 isolates of noncandidal yeasts were collected from 134 study sites in 40 countries from June 1997 through December 2007. Data were collected for 8,717 yeast isolates tested with voriconazole from 2001 through 2007. A total of 22 different species/organism groups were isolated, of which Cryptococcus neoformans was the most common (31.2% of all isolates). Overall, Cryptococcus (32.9%), Saccharomyces (11.7%), Trichosporon (10.6%), and Rhodotorula (4.1%) were the most commonly identified genera. The overall percentages of isolates in each category (susceptible, susceptible dose dependent, and resistant) were 78.0%, 9.5%, and 12.5% and 92.7%, 2.3%, and 5.0% for fluconazole and voriconazole, respectively. Less than 30% of fluconazole-resistant isolates of Cryptococcus spp., Cryptococcus albidus, Cryptococcus laurentii, Trichosporon beigelii/Trichosporon cutaneum, Rhodotorula spp., Rhodotorula rubra/Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Rhodotorula glutinis remained susceptible to voriconazole. Emerging resistance to fluconazole was documented among isolates of C. neoformans from the Asia-Pacific, Africa/Middle East, and Latin American regions but not among isolates from Europe or North America. This survey documents the continuing broad spectrum of activity of voriconazole against opportunistic yeast pathogens but identifies several of the less common species with decreased azole susceptibility. These organisms may pose a future threat to optimal antifungal therapy and emphasize the importance of prompt and accurate species identification.

[Arthrographis kalrae--an uncommon causative agent of onychomycosis]. / Arthrographis kalrae--nezvycajný pôvodca onychomykózy.

At a routine examination, multiple colonies of hyphomycetes of uncommon morphology were isolated from two patients with clinically suspected mycosis of the big toes (and confirmed microscopically by the presence of fragmented/thin hyphae). Based on the detailed study of the morphological and physiological characteristics of the cultures, the isolates were identified as Arthrographis kalrae. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation of the thermally dimorphic keratinolytic fungus to be reported in Slovakia.

[Evidence of enterotoxins and toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1) in strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from various biological materials]. / Dôkaz enterotoxínov a toxínu sokového syndrómu (TSST-1) u kmenov Staphylococcus aureus izolovaných od pacientov z rôzneho biologického materiálu.

Among 413 strains of S. aureus isolated from patients with chronic staphylococcal infections, from haemocultures in bacteriaemia and septic conditions, from gynaecological materials and nasal plugs of healthy carriers the authors detected the production of one or several types of enterotoxins in 124 strains (30.0%), production of TSST-1 in 19 strains (4.6%) and the concurrent production of enterotoxins and TSST-1 in 38 strains (9.2%). The highest ratio of toxigenic strains of S. aureus was found in departments (51.4%) and from hospitalized patients in blood cultures in bacteriaemias and septic conditions (41.2%). In a group of 184 strains from patients with chronic staphylococcal infection toxin production was proved in 49 strains (26.6%). Of 74 strains of S. aureus isolated from healthy carriers there were 16 toxigenic strains (21.6%). The most frequent type of enterotoxins were enterotoxins type A (26.7%) and C (24.4%). 21 strains (24.4%) produced more than one type of enterotoxins.

[Coagulase negative staphylococci isolated on blood cultures]. / Koaguláza negatívne stafylokoky izolované z hemokultúr.

224 coagulase-negative strains of staphylococci (CNS) isolated from haemocultures of hospitalized patients were classified into 11 types. The most frequent one was S. epidermis (73.2%), S. haemolyticus (7.6%), S. lugdunensis (6.7%) and S. hominis (3.6%). In different strains virulence factors were assessed: production of mucus and delta toxin. Based on these properties the strains were classified into biotypes. Of 164 strains of S. epidermis mucus was produced by 64.6% and delta toxin by 75.0%. Of 17 strains of S. haemolyticus mucus was produced by 8 and delta toxin by 10 strains. Of 15 strains of S. lugdunensis 9 strains produced both virulence factors. Of 8 strains of S. hominis 5 strains produced mucus and 3 delta toxin. In strains S. capitis, S. sciuri, S. auricularis, S. caprae these factors were not detected. The most frequent biotypes were: subtype 3 (43.3%), 1a (26.8%) and 1b (10.3%). The sensitivity of CNS to 11 antibacterial substances was assessed quantitatively by estimating the MIC (mg/l). The most effective antibiotic was vancomycin (100%) and tetracycline (76.8%). Only 26.3% strains were sensitive to oxacillin and cefalotine. Of 224 CNS (70%) were resistant to more than 8 antibacterial substances.