Occurrence of pathogenic fungi in soil of burrows of rats and of other sites in bamboo plantations in India and Nepal

Abstract

This study examined 215 samples of soil from burrows of rats, other sites in bamboo plantations in different parts of India and Nepal by dilution plating and mouse passage technique for occurrence of Penicillium marneffei and other pathogenic fungi. None of the samples including 25 collected from the burrows of a bamboo rat (Cannomys badius) known to be a carrier of P. marneffei, was positive for the fungus. Among the pathogenic fungi recovered were four isolates of Pseudallescheria boydii (including one from Nepal), two of Trichosporon asteroides, one of Scytalidium hyalinum, 23 isolates of Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (including two from Nepal), and two of Microsporum gypseum. Fourteen of the 23 isolates of T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes when tested with the mating types of Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii were found to be of the '+' mating type. The frequent recovery of this dermatophyte from soils of bamboo plantations in several parts of India is remarkable. The study also demonstrates for the first time the occurrence of P. boydii and T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes in Nepalese soil. Among the other fungi recovered were several isolates of species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Paecilomyces, Fusarium, Chrysosporium, Acremonium, Rhizopus, Mucor, Geotrichum, Trichosporon and Rhodotorula.

The current Indian epidemic of superficial dermatophytosis due toTrichophyton mentagrophytes—A molecular study

“…The infectious agent described here could originate also from soil or a non‐animal environment which could be an additional reservoir of T mentagrophytes in India . There are different reports of T mentagrophytes in soil, in particular in India, which support this hypothesis . Interestingly, the vast majority of cats with dermatophytoses caused by T mentagrophytes were found to be strictly outdoors and presumably hunters in Europe.…”

Phylogenetic Findings Suggest Possible New Habitat and Routes of Infection of Human Eumyctoma

“…The causative agent of eumycetoma Leptosphaeria senegalensis has been recovered from thorns of Acacia species in West and Central Sub-Saharan Africa [32]. Pseudallescheria boydii has been recovered from polluted soil samples all over the world, including the endemic mycetoma regions [33], [34], [35]. For Madurella mycetomatis numerous isolation attempts from environmental sources were without success [4], [36].…”

Penicillium marneffei Infection: Knowledge, Gaps, and Future Directions

“…In a study in Thailand, of 28 samples of soil from bamboo rat burrows, only 1 was positive for P. marneffei, and a further 67 samples from soil around the homes of penicilliosis patients were all negative [70]. In a large study conducted at bamboo plantations in India and Nepal, 215 soil samples were collected, of which 25 were from bamboo rat burrows [72]. P. marneffei was not isolated from any of these samples, though several other species of fungi were recovered.…”