Libero Ajello

Occurrence of Penicillium marneffei infections among wild bamboo rats in Thailand.

Penicilliosis marneffei has emerged as an endemic systemic mycosis in Southeast Asia among humans and wild bamboo rats. To gain an insight into the epidemiology of this life-threatening disease, a survey of bamboo rats for natural infections byPenicillium marneffei was carried out in the central plains of Thailand during June-September, 1987. Thirty-one lesser bamboo rats (Cannomys badius) and eight hoary bamboo rats (Rhizomys pruinosus) were trapped. Portions of their internal organs were cultured to determine if they had been infected byP. marneffei. Six each ofC. badius (19.4%) andR. pruinosus (75%) yielded cultures of this unique, dimorphicPenicillium species. All of the isolates were readily converted to their unicellular form that multiplies by the process of schizogony by incubating them at 37 °C on plates of brain heart infusion agar. Their identity was further confirmed by a specific immunological test. Among the internal organs of the positive rats, the lungs had the highest positivity (83.3%), next in decreased order of frequency were the liver (33.3%) and the pancreas (33.3%). The use and value of domestic and wild animals in locating and demarcating endemic areas of geophilic fungal pathogens are discussed. Penicilliosis marneffei is considered to be a zooanthroponosis — a disease that occurs in lower animals, as well as, humans.

Investigation of an outbreak of endemic coccidioidomycosis in Brazil's Northeastern State of Piauí with a review of the occurrence and distribution of Coccidioides immitis in three other Brazilian states

An outbreak of coccidioidomycosis is described that involved three individuals and eight of their dogs, who had engaged in a successful hunt for nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the environs of Oeiras, a community in Brazils north eastern state of Piauí.Diagnosis was based on clinical, serological and cultural findings. Four of 24 soil samples collected in and around the burrow of an armadillo yielded cultures of Coccidioides immitis, thus establishing the endemicity of that mould in the state of Piauí. A literature review revealed that C. immitis, aside from that state, is endemic in three other Brazilian states — Bahia, Ceará and Maranhão. These four contiguous states have semi-arid regions where climatic conditions and their flora are similar to those that exist in C. immitiss endemic regions in North, Central and South America.

Survey of mycotic and bacterial keratitis in Sri Lanka

Over a two-year period (1976–1977 and 1980–1981), 66 cases of bacterial and mycotic cases of keratitis were diagnosed in the Eye Clinic of the General Hospital in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The clinical and microbiologic aspects of these cases are described. Noteworthy was the first known human case caused byPaecilomyces farinosus, a geophilic species, commonly encountered as an insect parasite throughout the world. The bacterial and the other fungal etiologic agents isolated and identified were:Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Fusarium oxysporum, andLasiodiplodia theobromae. In vitro the fungi showed sensitivity in decreasing order to fluctytosine, nystatin, amphotericin B and econazole. Due to the out-patient status of the patients, their in-vivo response to treatment was not assessable.

Colonization by Cladosporium spp. of painted metal surfaces associated with heating and air conditioning systems

SummaryCladosporium cladosporioides andC. hebarum colonized painted metal surfaces of covering panels and register vents of heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems. Hyphae penetrated the paint film and developed characteristic conidiophores and conidia. The colonies were tightly appressed to the metal surface and conidia were not readily detectable via standard air sampling procedures.

In vitro studies on the mechanisms of endospore release by Rhinosporidium seeberi

Studies of Rhinosporidium seeberi have demonstrated that this organism has a complex life cycle in infected tissues. Its in vivo life cycle is initiated with the release of endospores into a hosts tissues from its spherical sporangia. However, little is known about the mechanisms of sporangium formation and endospore release since this pathogen is intractable to culture. We have studied the in vitro mechanisms of endospore release from viable R. seeberis sporangia. It was found that watery substances visibly stimulates the mature sporangia of R. seeberi to the point of endospore discharge. The internal rearrangement of the endospores within the mature sporangia, the opening of an apical pore in R. seeberis cell wall, and the active release of the endospores were the main features of this process. Only one pore per sporangium was observed. The finding of early stages of pore development in juvenile and intermediate sporangia suggested that its formation is genetically programed and that it is not a random process. The stimulation of R. seeberis sporangia by water supports the epidemiological studies that had linked this pathogen with wet environments. It also explains, in part, its affinities for mucous membranes in infected hosts. The microscopic features of endospore discharge suggest a connection with organisms classified in the Kingdom Protoctista. This study strongly supports a recent finding that placed R. seeberi with organisms in the protoctistan Mesomycetozoa clade.

Fungal colonization of synthetic substrates for use in space craft

SummaryMaterials being used or considered for use in space flight were examined for their susceptibility to fungal colonization. The materials included soft goods (clothing) and insulation and fabrication products such as Velcro® attachments and elastic cord binders. Materials were exposed for at least 28 days in a highhumidity chamber colonized with over 50 species of fungi, including those species recommended for determining recalcitrance of materials to fungal biodegradation. At least nine of 25 products demonstrated extensive microscopic colonization by fungi, mostly byAcremonium obclavatum. Challenge procedures that rely on observations with the unaided eye, or 40×magnification of growth by a restricted number of fungal species with a cellulosic substrate as a positive control, are insufficient for determining the resistance of synthetic substrates to fungal colonization.

Pilzininfektionen beim Menschen. K. Salfelder unter Mitarbeit von E. Sauerteig, T.R. de Liscano und H-J.

The current heightened interest in the mycoses and their etiologic agents is reflected in the wealth of books that have been published in recent years that deal with the various aspects of medical mycology. The author of this book, Karlhanns Salfelder, and his collaborators, Eberhard Sauerteig, Teresa Reyes de Liscano and H-J Tietz have had in-depth experiences in the diagnosis, etiology, histopathology and treatment of mycoses and in presenting courses and workshops in their institutions and during international mycological congresses. Their collective experiences are well reflected in the organization of their handsome and sturdily bound book with its 659 striking color and black and white images of the clinical, and histological details of the diseases covered along with their etiologic agents. The four introductory chapters deal with the basic properties of the fungi in general, fungal infections, therapy and immunology. Respectively, the fifth and sixth chapters take up the dermatophytoses and such superficial infections as pityriasis versicolor, pityriasis niger, black and white piedra, ocular mycoses and otomycosis. The following specific disease chapters essentially follow a format composed as follows. A few descriptive introductory paragraphs followed by these subdivisions: Geschichte (History), Epidemiologie, Erreger (Etiologic agent(s)), Infektion, Klinick, Pathologie, Therapie, and Literature. These are followed by a series of plates with photographs illustrating the clinical and histological features of the diseases and their etiologic agents. Chapters 7 through 23 present the mycoses in alphabetical order ranging from aspergillosis to sporotrichosis. Zygomycosis is unnecessarily and illogically dealt within two separate chapters under the headings of Entomophthoromykose (Ch. 11) and Mukormykose (Ch. 17). The four end chapters (Chs. 24–27) respectively cover: Seltene Mykosen (Rare Mycoses), Mykoseähnliche Infektionen (Mycoses-like infections), Mykotische Pseudotumoren (Mycotic Pseudotumors) and Histo und zytologische Differentialdiagnose von Pilzen (Histological and cytological differentiation of fungi) A five page glossary and an Index are covered in the last two sections of this 22 × 29.7 cm (8 11 16 × 11 12 16 in.) sized tome. All in all, one cannot but be impressed by the lavishness and completeness of the illustrations that dominate and typify this much needed newcomer to the German medical mycological literature. Even those readers who lack proficiency in its language will readily profit from the clarity of its authoritative illustrations and text.

Antigenic relationships among pathogenic Beauveria bassiana with Engyodontium album (=B. alba) and non-pathogenic species of the genus Beauveria

Exoantigenic extracts of 15 isolates belonging to hyalohyphomycosis-causing Beauveria bassiana (1), and Engyodontium album (1), as well as other species of the genus Beauveria (one isolate each of B. brogniartii, B. densa, B. stephanoderis, B. velata, B. vermiconia and six isolates of unknown Beauveria species) were studied. Aqueous-merthiolated extracts derived from 10-day-old Sabourauds dextrose agar slant cultures (25 °C) were concentrated (25X), and reacted against rabbit anti-B. bassiana serum in the presence of partially purified homologous antigen (20X) prepared from 5-week-old shaken cultures (30 °C), using a microimmunodiffusion procedure. Beauveria bassiana reference antigen and antiserum reacted to produce four bands of identity. With the exception of E. album, which was negative, extracts of the isolates of B. brogniartii, B. densa, B. stephanoderis, B. velata, B. vermiconia and the unknown Beauveria species all produced 2-4 lines of identity against the homologous anti-B. bassiana serum. These results suggested that all the species of the genus Beauveria tested were antigenically related to B. bassiana. Engyodontium album demonstrated antigenic distinctness, however, from B. bassiana and thus supported the validity of this taxon.