Dynamics of fungal colonization in a new medical mycology laboratory.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: Study of the spatio-temporal fungal colonization in a new medical mycology laboratory. METHODS: A 17-month survey of airborne fungal contamination was conducted in a new medical mycology laboratory at a tertiary care university hospital. This survey was implemented at three different periods: before the new premises were occupied (period A), during the move into the new laboratory (period B) and after resumption of the mycological activities in these new premises (period C). RESULTS: During period A, the airborne fungal load ranged from 2.3 to 6 cfu/m(3). The most frequently recovered airborne fungi were Penicillium spp. (75 to 100%). During period B, a dramatic increase in Penicillium chrysogenum conidia was observed in the air of the new laboratory (40 to 160 cfu/m(3)). During period C, the fungal load ranged from 4.5 to 8.4 cfu/m(3). Penicillium was the most common genus identified in rooms of the laboratory where no filamentous fungi were handled, while Aspergillus was clearly the predominant genus (78%) in the room dedicated to the culture of filamentous fungi. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the specific fungal ecology in air of the room dedicated to the culture of filamentous fungi is due to the handling of a large number of medical strains of A. fumigatus.

Effect of inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis on vasopressin secretion in conscious rabbits.

NO synthase is present in magnocellular neurons of supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei as well as in the posterior pituitary gland and may participate in control of vasopressin secretion. To test this possibility, experiments were performed in conscious, chronically prepared rabbits to determine the effect of NO synthesis inhibition with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) on basal vasopressin secretion and vasopressin responses to increased plasma osmolality (hypertonic saline infusion; P osm) and decreased blood pressure (nitroprusside infusion). L-NAME infusion (0.5 mg.kg-1 x min-1 i.v.) increased mean arterial pressure [MAP; 82.6 +/- 3.4 to 93.0 +/- 3.0 mmHg (P < 0.02)], decreased heart rate [HR; 242 +/- 12 to 209 +/- 9 beats/min (P < 0.02)], decreased plasma renin activity [PRA; 3.1 +/- 0.6 to 2.0 +/- 0.6 ng.ml-.2 h-1 (P < 0.001)], and increased plasma vasopressin concentration [P AVP; 2.2 +/- 0.3 to 4.5 +/- 1.0 pg/ml (P < 0.05)]. P(osm) did not change. Hypertonic saline infusion did not change MAP or HR but decreased PRA [4.3 +/- 0.8 to 0.9 +/- 0.2 ng.ml-1 x 2 h-1 (P < 0.01)], increased P(osm) [284 +/- 1 to 305 +/- 2 mosmol/kg H2O (P < 0.001)], and increased PAVP [2.8 +/- 0.3 to 12.7 +/- 2.7 pg/ml (P < 0.01)].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)