Article Info Fungus/Allergen Size (kD) Biological Activity Sequence access number Penicillium brevicompactum Pen b 13 33 Alkaline serine protease * Pen b 26 11 Ribosomal acid protein 60S AY786077 Penicillium chrysogenum Pen ch 13 34 Alkaline serine protease AF193420 Pen ch 18 32 Vacuolar serine protease AF264027 Pen ch 20 68 N-acetyl-glucosaminidase S77837 Pen ch 31 Calreticulin AY850367 Pen ch 33 16 unknown EF206657.1 Pen ch 35 36.5 Transaldolase GQ925430 Penicillium citrinum Pen c 3 18 Peroxisomal membrane protein AF144753 Pen c 13 33 Alkaline serine protease * Pen c 19 70 Heat shock protein P70 U64207 Pen c 22 46 Enolase AF254643 Pen c 24 Elongation factor 1β AY363911 Pen c 30 97 Catalase DQ288844 Pen c 32 40 Pectate lyase EF159713 Penicillium crustosum Pen cr 26 11 Acid ribosomal phosphoprotein P1 60s JN791438 Penicillium oxalicum

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The emergence and reemergence of mosquito-borne diseases in Brazil such as yellow fever, zika, chikungunya, and dengue have had serious impacts on public health. Concerns have been raised due to the rapid dissemination of the chikungunya virus across the country since its first detection in 2014 in Northeast Brazil. In this work, we carried out on-site training activities in genomic surveillance in partnership with the National Network of Public Health Laboratories that have led to the generation of 422 chikungunya virus genomes from 12 Brazilian states over the past two years (2021–2022), a period that has seen more than 312 thousand chikungunya fever cases reported in the country. These genomes increased the amount of available data and allowed a more comprehensive characterization of the dispersal dynamics of the chikungunya virus East-Central-South-African lineage in Brazil. Tree branching patterns revealed the emergence and expansion of two distinct subclades. Phylogeographic analysis indicated that the northeast region has been the leading hub of virus spread towards other regions. Increased frequency of C > T transitions among the new genomes suggested that host restriction factors from the immune system such as ADAR and AID/APOBEC deaminases might be driving the genetic diversity of the chikungunya virus in Brazil.

Fungi are opportunistic organisms with wide geographical distribution and can also be found in the hospital environment. These microorganisms can cause infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate airborne fungal contamination in two neonatal intensive care units (ICU) of a public hospital before and after cleaning. The technique of Petri dishes exposure containing Sabouraud agar with 50mg/L chloramphenicol was used for sample collection. Air conditioning filters were also sampled using a sterile swab for fungal collection. The identification of fungal isolates was performed by observing macroscopic and microscopic structures. A total of 1305 colony forming units was isolated, where: 718 (55.0%) were isolated before neonatal ICU cleaning and 587 (45.0%) after cleaning. Forty-two species belonging to 24 genera were identified, being Cladosporium cladosporioides, Penicillium aurantiogriseum and Aspergillus oryzae the most frequent species in the analyzed samples. The presence of pathogenic fungi in ICUs demonstrates the need for constant monitoring of indoor air quality in order to better control airborne contamination in hospital environments.

Monitoring the microbiological quality of indoor air in hospital environments is a matter of comprehensive discussion due to its influence on the transmission and spread of pathogenic microorganisms. Among the artificially air-conditioned environments, hospitals are noteworthy for being specific places for the treatment and recovery of patients. In addition to problems related to patients health and professionals health, immunocompromised patients are more exposed to microorganisms present in the air currents of the refrigeration system in these environments, which can lead to consequences such as the occurrence of outbreaks. The objective of this work was to evaluate the indoor air quality in critical hospital environments of a teaching hospital in the city of Maceió, the state of Alagoas. In addition, we sought to identify the anemophilous fungal microbiota present. Air collections were taken in the rainy season, totaling, following recommendations indicated by Resolution No. 9 of the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency. The study was based on determining the concentration parameter of bioaerosols in indoor and outdoor air. The fungal microbiota identification was carried out by analyzing macro and microscopic characteristics for filamentous fungi and the use of molecular tools for yeasts. The most frequent species in hospital critical environments were Cladosporium cladosporioides, Penicillium piceum, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Cladosporium herbarum and Aspergillus oryzae. In outdoor air, the most frequently found fungi were Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Cladosporium species. Candida tropicalis, C. krusei, and C. parapsilosis were identified among the yeasts in indoor and outdoor air samples. Identifying potentially pathogenic fungi in the evaluated environments points to the need for continuous monitoring of indoor air quality. Furthermore, to avoid the widespread fungal pathogens and the consequent occurrence of outbreaks, the adoption of indoor air microbiological quality analysis programs is suggested as an essential tool in developing infection control standards. In our study, airborne fungi are reported as indoor air contaminants in critical hospital environments. This finding is noteworthy because, in general, individuals present in these environments have an immunological impairment.

RESUMO Os badnavírus (família Caulimoviridae) possuem genoma de dsDNA semicircular encapsidado em partículas baciliformes. Dioscorea bacilliform virus (DBV) é um importante Badnavirus infectando várias espécies de Dioscorea (inhame) no hemisfério sul. No presente estudo, 235 amostras foliares de inhame foram coletadas em diferentes bancos de germoplasma mantidos pela Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz (ESALQ/USP), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV) e Universidade Federal do Recôncavo Baiano (UFRB). A incidência média de badnavírus nas amostras avaliadas foi de 75,3%. As análises moleculares e filogenéticas, realizadas a partir de 42 sequências nucleotídicas, da região da RT/RNaseH de badnavírus, revelaram a ocorrência do Dioscorea bacilliform AL virus (DBALV) e Dioscorea bacilliform SN virus (DBSNV) em diferentes espécies de inhame. Até o momento, somente o DBALV havia sido relatado em inhame no Brasil, estando restrito à região Nordeste. Portanto, este é o primeiro relato do DBSNV infectando a cultura do inhame, no país. Além das espécies espissomais, também foram detectadas sequências endógenas, com porcentagem de identidade de nucleotídeos variando entre 89% e 100% com endogenous Dioscorea bacilliform virus (eDBV), pertencentes aos grupos 9 e 12. Os resultados obtidos corroboram com a hipótese de que o DBALV e o DBSNV estão presentes em materiais propagativos de inhame e amplamente disseminados no Brasil.

Background: Fungi are ubiquitous microorganisms that are easily dispersed through the air. In healthcare environments, indoor air can favor the spread of healthcare-associated fungal infections, compromising mainly immunocompromised hospitalized individuals. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the indoor air contamination in healthcare environments, investigating mainly the presence of potentially pathogenic yeasts. Methods: Indoor air samples were collected from twelve healthcare environments (hospital and medical clinics). After the growth, isolation, and purification of the yeast colonies, the isolates were identified by polymerase chain reaction using species-specific primers for yeasts of the genus Candida and sequencing of D1/D2 domains of the large ribosomal subunit (LSU rRNA). Results: Fourteen yeast species were identified, including emerging pathogens. Species of clinical importance such as Candida parapsilosis, Candida orthopsilosis, Candida glabrata, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Trichosporon mucoides were present. C. Parapsilosis was the most prevalent species, followed by Rodothorula mucilaginosa. Conclusions: The present study shows that potentially fungal pathogens were present in air samples from healthcare environments, proving the role of indoor air in spreading infections. Thus, monitoring air quality in healthcare environments is a fundamental approach in developing infection control measures, especially those related to invasive fungal infections.