Oliane Maria Correia Magalhães

Avaliação clínica e micológica de onicomicose em pacientes brasileiros com HIV/AIDS

INTRODUCAO: Onicomicoses sao comuns em pacientes imunocomprometidos embora especies emergentes tenham sido verificadas, modificado o perfil epidemiologico desta micose. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa e avaliar o perfil clinico e micologico da onicomicose em pacientes com infeccao pelo HIV/AIDS. METODOS: Amostras clinicas foram coletadas, processados para exame direto e a cultura mantida a temperatura de 30°C e 37oC durante 15 dias. RESULTADOS: Dos 100 pacientes, 32 apresentavam onicomicose. Os agentes isolados foram Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondii, Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Fusarium solani, Scytalidium hialinum, S. japonicum, Aspergillus niger, Cylindrocarpon destructans e Phialophora reptans. CONCLUSOES: Onicomicoses em HIV/AIDS apresentam variadas manifestacoes clinicas e podem ser causadas por fungos emergentes. As peculiaridades apresentadas pelos diferentes agentes de origem fungica justificam a necessidade de identificacao ao nivel da especie, com a finalidade de orientar uma melhor abordagem terapeutica e minimizar a exposicao desses pacientes a condicoes de risco de uma infeccao disseminada.

Identification and pathogenicity of Malassezia species isolated from human healthy skin and with macules

This study investigated the ocurrence of Malassezia species in clinically healthy students and with macules with a slight fawn discoloration and characterized the isolates as to the pathogenicity factors such as growth at 37oC, lipase, phospholipase and protease detection. Clinical samples were collected from different body sites of one hundred students of different ages and both sexes. The samples, obtained by scrapping the skin surface and the scalp, were treated with potassa and cultured. Cultures were obtained in Petri dishes containing Sabouraud agar medium added of olive oil, incubated at room temperature and at 37oC. Culture identifications were based in their morphological and physiological properties. Lipase, phospholipase and protease detection was performed in specific media on Petri dishes for formation of a zone. Globose, spherical yeast cells and hypha were investigated by direct microscopy of clinical materials. Malassezia furfur was detected in seven samples and M. sympodialis in four. All Malassezia cultures presented lipase activity, but none was phospholipase positive. Protease activity was observed in two M. furfur and two M. simpodialis isolates.

Epidemiologia, etiologia e formas clínicas das dermatofitoses em Pernambuco, 1995-2005

Out of a total of 1,238 cases of dermatophytosis in the city of Recife (Pernambuco), lesions of the scalp (33.7%) and Trichophyton tonsurans (25.5%) predominated between 1995 and 2000, while lesions of the hairless skin (35.5%) and Trichophyton rubrum (34%) were the most frequent between 2000 and 2005. A significant reduction in Trichophyton mentagrophytes was detected in the second of these periods.

Pathogenic aspects of Epidermophyton floccosum langeron et milochevitch as possible aethiological agent of Tinea capits

The aim of this research was to verify the ability of 15 isolates of Epidermophyton floccosum to perforate hair in vitro and characterize them for pathogenicity factors such as growth at 37oC and proteinase and phospholipase production. Fourteen isolates perforated hair and from these twelve produced perforating organs. All isolates grew at 37oC and produced proteinase, but not phospholipase. These results suggest that E. floccosum may be a possible aethiological agent of tinea capitis.

Yeasts isolated from clinical samples of AIDS patients

In order to investigate yeasts in oropharyngeal secretion, urine, sputum and inguinal scales from AIDS patients, clinical samples were collected from one hundred patients interned in the Infectious and Parasitic Diseases Sector of the Hospital das Clinicas of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco and in Hospital Universitario Osvaldo Cruz of the Universidade de Pernambuco. Yeasts were isolated from seventy-two out of one hundred and eight clinical samples. The isolated yeasts were: Candida albicans (sixty-two isolates), Candida tropicalis (four isolates), Candida glabrata (two isolates), Candida parapsilosis (two isolates), Candida krusei (one isolate) and Trichosporon pullulans (one isolate).

Fusarium lateritium (NEES) as an agent of fungemia in a patient infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Emerging fungal pathogens are associated with significant morbidity and mortality in the immunocompromised host. The association of fungi from the Fusarium genus with human infection in uncommon. The objective of this paper is to report the first case of fungaemia caused by Fusarium lateritium in a 42-year-old HIV-infected patient.

Trichosporon pullulans (Lidner) Diddens & Lodder isolated from the oral cavity of AIDS patient

Trichosporon has been reported as a remarkable emerging pathogen and usually occurs in imunodrepressed patients. An oropharyngeal secretion sample was collected from a patient with AIDS, at the Sector of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Osvaldo Cruz University Hospital, Pernambuco State, Brazil. No yeast cells or arthroconidia were observed in the direct exam, but a culture was positive for Trichosporon pullulans, which is being reported in an AIDS patient for the first time.

Viability, taxonomic confirmation and enzymatic detection of Acremonium species preserved under mineral oil in the URM Culture Collection

Hydrolytic enzymes secreted by fungi play an important role in the pathogenesis of infection. With the aim of evaluating the enzymatic activity, 31 isolates of Acremonium stored in the University of Recife Mycology (URM) Culture Collection were tested. Culture fragments were transferred to glycoside broth for reactivation and further growth in potato dextrose agar medium in order to investigate viability and purity and to confirm the taxonomy through observing the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. To detect enzymes, milk casein and gelatin were used as substrates for proteinase, starch for amylase and soy lecithin for phospholipase. Among the 31 cultures, 26 (83.9%) remained viable and 24 (92.3%) were confirmed taxonomically. Out of these 24 cultures, 12 (50%) presented proteinase activity, of which two (16.7%) were on milk casein, one (8.3%) on gelatin and nine (75%) on both substrates; 16 (66.7%) degraded starch. None of the cultures presented phospholipase activity. It was concluded that Acremonium species are able to produce enzymes that are involved in the pathogenicity of fungal infections.

Engyodontium album fungaemia: the first reported case

Opportunistic mycoses have been increasingly observed among immunocompromised patients. We describe a case in which Engyodontium album was isolated and cultured from the blood of a patient with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. E. album grew at 37oC and showed proteinase activity, both indicators of pathogenicity. This is the first time that this organism has been reported as agent of fungaemia.

Epidemiological correlation between keratinophilic fungi isolated from soil and dermatomycosis agents

This study had the aim of isolating and identifying keratinophilic fungi from soil and correlating them with dermatomycosis agents. According to our results, the predominance of Trichophyton tonsurans as a dermatomycosis agent among children in the city of Recife, PE, is probably due to childrens greater contact with soil.