Mycopathologia

Investigation on Microecology of Hair Root Fungi in Androgenetic Alopecia Patients Abstract Background This study focused on the differences in hairy root fungal microecology between androgenetic alopecia patients and healthy individuals. Methods Light microscopy was used to observe the morphology of hairy roots. Morphological observations were also performed in the positive specimens using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The high-throughput sequencing method was used to detect the fungal microecology of hairy roots at different sites. Moreover, the comparison of fungal loads of Malassezia in different group and scalp area were tested by PCR. Results The fungi in the hair root observed by optical microscopy are mainly Malassezia yeast. The positive rate of Malassezia in the hair loss group (60%) was higher than that in the control group (40%). The detection efficiency of Malassezia examined by scanning electron microscopy was higher than that by light microscopy. Results acquired from high-throughput molecular sequencing of fungi suggested that Ascomycota was the dominant species, whereas in the occipital hair roots of the control group Basidiomycota was the dominant species in the hair loss group. Malassezia followed by Trichosporon were the most abundant fungal genera. The changes in abundance at the top and occipital region of the control group were more significant than those of the genus Fusarium, followed by Epicoccum and Malassezia. The load of Malassezia located on calvaria in the alopecia group was significantly higher than that in the control group. In the alopecia group, the load of Malassezia on the scalp was higher than that on the occipital region. The load of Malassezia globosa and Malassezia restricta in the hair loss group was higher on calvaria and occipital areas. Conclusion Malassezia had a positive correlation with the incidence of androgenic alopecia.

High-Virulence Cat-Transmitted Ocular Sporotrichosis Abstract The article describes an atypical case of cat-transmitted ocular sporotrichosis due Sporothrix brasiliensis in a young patient. This report contributes significantly to knowledge of sporotrichosis as an important neglected tropical disease. In addition, this condition is an important public health problem in ascending incidence.

Candida albicans Elicits Pro-Inflammatory Differential Gene Expression in Intestinal Peyer's Patches Abstract The details of how gut-associated lymphoid tissues such as Peyer's patches (PPs) in the small intestine play a role in immune surveillance, microbial differentiation and the mucosal barrier protection in response to fungal organisms such as Candida albicans are still unclear. We particularly focus on PPs as they are the immune sensors and inductive sites of the gut that influence inflammation and tolerance. We have previously demonstrated that CD11c+ phagocytes that include dendritic cells and macrophages are located in the sub-epithelial dome within PPs sample C. albicans. To gain insight on how specific cells within PPs sense and respond to the sampling of fungi, we gavaged naïve mice with C. albicans strains ATCC 18804 and SC5314 as well as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We measured the differential gene expression of sorted CD45+ B220+ B-cells, CD3+ T-cells and CD11c+ DCs within the first 24 h post-gavage using nanostring nCounter® technology. The results reveal that at 24 h, PP phagocytes were the cell type that displayed differential gene expression. These phagocytes were able to sample C. albicans and discriminate between strains. In particular, strain ATCC 18804 upregulated fungal-specific pro-inflammatory genes pertaining to innate and adaptive immune responses. Interestingly, PP CD11c+ phagocytes also differentially expressed genes in response to C. albicans that were important in the protection of the mucosal barrier. These results highlight that the mucosal barrier not only responds to C. albicans, but also aids in the protection of the host.

Inhibitory Effects of Photodynamic Inactivation on Planktonic Cells and Biofilms of Candida auris Abstract Candida auris is an emerging pathogen that has caused numerous severe infections in recent years, and has therefore become a global concern for public health agencies. Most conventional antifungal agents, especially fluconazole, have shown limited effects on this pathogen. New methods to restrict this pathogen are in urgent demand. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been shown to be a promising technique against multiple pathogenic fungi. This study sought to determine the in vitro effect of aPDT using methylene blue (MB) combined with light-emitting diode (LED) on the viability of planktonic cells and biofilms of five clinical strains of C. auris. MB (8, 16 and 32 μg/ml) was applied as the photosensitizer, and a LED (635 nm, 12 and 24 J/cm2) device was used as light source to activate the photosensitizer. The results showed that there was no growth of tested C. auris strains following aPDT on planktonic cultures. In addition, aPDT exhibited colony-forming unit reduction of up to 7.20 log10 against C. auris biofilms. These data demonstrate that in vitro aPDT with MB and LED offers promising potential for the treatment of C. auris infections.

Diversity of Onygenalean Fungi in Keratin-Rich Habitats of Maharashtra (India) and Description of Three Novel Taxa Abstract Extensive survey was carried out in the state of Maharashtra, India, as part of a 3-year project to explore keratinophilic fungal diversity for conservation and biotechnological potential. A total of 578 soil samples were collected from keratin-rich habitats across 24 districts of Maharashtra State. Hair-baiting technique and micro-dilution drop-trail method were employed for isolation and purification of keratinophilic fungi from soil. A total of 66 species belonging to 17 genera of order Onygenales were recorded in hair baits. Eleven taxa were found to be new to science, most of which were rare as they were recorded in only one sample out of the > 500 samples analyzed. Three novel taxa have been characterized at morphological and molecular level and described here as new to science. These taxa include Currahmyces indicus gen. et sp. nov., Canomyces reticulatus gen. et sp. nov., Ctenomyces indicus sp. nov. All these novel taxa are morphologically and phylogenetically distinct from known taxa of order Onygenales. The study indicates that systematic sampling of a larger area is needed to uncover the hidden (unknown) diversity of keratinophilic fungi which is overlooked in sporadic samplings as evident from previous studies.

Elbow Malformation with Osteoarthritis and Bone Destruction Caused by Chromoblastomycosis

Persistent hematogenous dissemination in pulmonary P. jiroveci infection Abstract Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in non-HIV patients is infrequent and characterized by atypical presentations and increased severity. Although hematogenous dissemination from the lungs can lead to extrapulmonary infections, isolation of oocysts from blood in human subjects has not been documented. We report a case of P. jiroveci pneumonia with persistent isolation of oocysts from blood and positivity of P. jiroveci polymerase chain reaction. The patient presented with bilateral diffuse pulmonary nodules and received prolonged treatment with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

Mild Paracoccidioidomycosis Misdiagnosed as a Subcutaneous Mycosis

Antifungal Susceptibility Profile of Candida Albicans Isolated from Vulvovaginal Candidiasis in Xinjiang Province of China Abstract We investigated the antifungal susceptibility profiles of 207 independent Candida albicans strains isolated from patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) in Xinjiang Province of China. Using CLSI M27-A3 and M27-S4 guidelines, anidulafungin and micafungin were the most active drugs against C. albicans showing an MIC50/MIC90 corresponding to 0.016/0.0313 µg/mL, followed by caspofungin (0.25/0.25 µg/mL), posaconazole (0.125/0.5 µg/mL), ravuconazole (0.063/1 µg/mL), itraconazole (0.125/1 µg/mL), amphotericine B (0.5/1 µg/mL), isavuconazole (0.063/2 µg/mL), 5-flucytosine (1/2 µg/mL), voriconazole (0.125/4 µg/mL), and fluconazole (0.5/4 µg/mL). 96.1% (199)–100.0% (207) isolates were sensitive to the three echinocandins tested, amphotericine B and 5-flucytosine. The in vitro activity of triazoles against all isolates tested was variable; itraconazole and voriconazole had reduced the activity to almost half of the isolates (55.1% (114) and 51.2% (106) susceptible, respectively). Fluconazole was active against 76.3% (158) isolates tested. The new triazoles ravuconazole, isavuconazole and posaconazole showed good in vitro potency against 89.9% (186)–95.2% (197) of isolates with the geometric mean MIC (µg/mL) of 0.10, 0.12 and 0.14 µg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, our study indicates that for effective management of systemic candidiasis in Xinjiang Province of China, it is important to determine the susceptibility profiles of isolated C. albicans from patients with VVC.

Early Interaction of Alternaria infectoria Conidia with Macrophages Abstract Fungi of the genus Alternaria are ubiquitous indoor and outdoor airborne agents, and individuals are daily exposed to their spores. Although its importance in human infections and, particularly in respiratory allergies, there are no studies of how Alternaria spp. spores interact with host cells. Our aim was to study the early interaction of Alternaria infectoria spores with macrophages, the first line of immune defense. RAW 264.7 macrophages were infected with A. infectoria conidia, and the internalization and viability of conidia once inside the macrophages were quantified during the first 6 h of interaction. Live cell imaging was used to study the dynamics of this interaction. TNF-α production was quantified by relative gene expression, and the concentration of other cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, GM-CSF and INF-γ) and a chemokine, MIP-1α, was quantified by ELISA. Conidia were rapidly internalized by macrophages, with approximately half internalized after 30 min of interaction. During the first 6 h of interaction, macrophages retained the ability to mitotically divide while containing internalized conidia. The classical macrophage-activated morphology was absent in macrophages infected with conidia, and TNF-α and other cytokines and chemokines failed to be produced. Thus, macrophages are able to efficiently phagocyte A. infectoria conidia, but, during the first 6 h, no effective antifungal response is triggered, therefore promoting the residence of these fungal conidia inside the macrophages.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
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6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com