The aim of this study was to identify Candida species isolated from
women diagnosed with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) and their partners;
and to evaluate the fluconazole (FLZ) susceptibility of the isolates. In a period of
six years, among 172 patients diagnosed with vulvovaginal candidiasis, 13 women that
presented RVVC and their partners were selected for this investigation. The isolates
were obtained using Chromagar Candida medium, the species identification was
performed by phenotypic and molecular methods and FLZ susceptibility was evaluated by
E-test. Among 26 strains we identified 14Candida albicans, six
Candida duobushaemulonii, four Candida glabrata,
and twoCandida tropicalis. Agreement of the isolated species
occurred in 100% of the couples. FLZ low susceptibility was observed for all isolates
of C. duobushaemulonii (minimal inhibitory concentration values from
8-> 64 µg/mL), two C. glabrataisolates were FLZ-resistant and all
C. albicans and C. tropicalis isolates were
FLZ-susceptible. This report emphasises the importance of accurate identification of
the fungal agents by a reliable molecular technique in RVVC episodes besides the
lower antifungal susceptibility profile of this rare pathogen C.
duobushaemulonii to FLZ.
We report four cases of scalp white piedra (SWP) in Brazilian female children. Morphological and physiological approaches gave inconsistent results for identifying Trichosporon to species level, while the sequencing of the intergenic spacer 1 region of ribosomal DNA accurately identified the agent of SWP as T. inkin. These cases emphasize the occurrence of this species causing this type of infection. The molecular identification of the suspected agent is needed for appropriate epidemiological surveillance of superficial mycoses caused by Trichosporon species.
SUMMARYOur purpose was to compare the genetic polymorphism of six samples of P. brasiliensis (113, 339, BAT, T1F1, T3B6, T5LN1), with four samples of P. cerebriformis (735, 741, 750, 361) from the Mycological Laboratory of the Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Analysis (RAPD). RAPD profiles clearly segregated P. brasiliensis and P. cerebriformis isolates. However, the variation on band patterns among P. cerebriformis isolates was high. Sequencing of the 28S rDNA gene showed nucleotide conservancy among P. cerebriformis isolates, providing basis for taxonomical grouping, and disclosing high divergence to P. brasiliensis supporting that they are in fact two distinct species. Moreover, DNA sequence suggests that P. cerebriformis belongs in fact to the Aspergillus genus.
SUMMARYCoccidioidomycosis is an emerging fungal disease in Brazil; adequate maintenance and authentication of Coccidioides isolates are essential for research into genetic diversity of the environmental organisms, as well as for understanding the human disease. Seventeen Coccidioides isolates maintained under mineral oil since 1975 in the Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo (IMTSP) culture collection, Brazil, were evaluated with respect to their viability, morphological characteristics and genetic features in order to authenticate these fungal cultures. Only five isolates were viable after almost 30 years, showing typical morphological characteristics, and sequencing analysis using Coi-F and Coi-R primers revealed 99% identity with Coccidioides genera. These five isolates were then preserved in liquid nitrogen and sterile water, and remained viable after two years of storage under these conditions, maintaining the same features.
The fungal culture collection from the Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo/USP comprises 1047 isolates of fungi, algae and actinomycetes with medical and veterinary relevance, which up to now have been preserved by subculturing every three months. Created in 1925 by Prof. Floriano Paulo de Almeida and maintained by Prof. Carlos da Silva Lacaz and his assistants since 1953, this fungal collection needed to be realocated to another area in 2007, as well as updated and revised as to its preservation methods. This new area was reformed according to safety procedures recommended in guidelines for pathogenic microorganisms manipulation. Several studies demonstrated that storage of fungi by subculturing may induce antigenic changes, phenotypic and genetic alterations, in addition to attenuation of virulence. The present study was aimed at utilizing more adequate methods of long-term preservation, such as lyophilization, sterile distilled water, and cryopreservation (freezing at -80 °C and storage in liquid nitrogen [-196 °C]). Three hundred eighty six isolates consisting of dimorphic (213) and filamentous fungi (hyaline and melanized -106), and yeasts (67) associated with the most prevalent fungal diseases in our setting were randomly selected. Two methods were applied for storage of each fungal group: yeasts were submitted to lyophilization and freezing at -80 ºC; dimorphic and filamentous fungi were preserved in sterile distilled water and liquid nitrogen. All isolates were initially evaluated for their morphological features, submitted to the different methods of storage, and during a period of up to two years, reassessed for viability and morphological features. Yeasts showed 100% viability by the two applied preservation methods, maintaining their phenotypic characteristics. Similarly, the two methods applied to filamentous fungi resulted in high rates of viability, with maintenance of morphology. Regarding the dimorphic fungi, the preservation in liquid nitrogen resulted in variable rates of recovery, depending on the genus assessed. From all studied isolates, 75 were also submitted to molecular identification by sequencing after PCR amplification of the ITS region of the ribossomal DNA. This molecular technique showed, for some isolates, a lack of agreement in species identification when compared with the phenotypic methods. The new long-term storage methods used in the study preserved the typical genus and species morphology of the studied isolates, while resulting in high viability rates. The molecular identification proved to be an important tool for the authentication of isolates.
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