Opportunistic Aspergillus pathogens measured in home and hospital tap water by quantitative PCR (QPCR)

Abstract

Opportunistic fungal pathogens are a concern because of the increasing number of immunocompromised patients. The goal of this research was to test a simple extraction method and rapid quantitative PCR (QPCR) measurement of the occurrence of potential pathogens, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. terreus and A. niger, in home tap water and a hospital water supply.Water samples were taken from the kitchen tap in the homes of 60 patients who were diagnosed with legionellosis. Water samples were also taken from three locations in a hospital that generated all of its hot water by flash heating. Opportunistic infectious agents Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. terreus and A. niger were measured using QPCR. Aspergillus terreus DNA was found in 16.7% and A. fumigatus DNA in 1.7% of the samples taken from the kitchen tap.None of the Aspergillus species were found in any of the hospital water samples.The development of a simple DNA extraction method along with QPCR analysis is suitable for rapid screening of tap water for opportunistic fungal pathogens. This simple method can be used to obtain pathogen occurrence results in about 3 h, instead of waiting days to weeks for culture data. Obtaining pathogen occurrence data in a timely manner could promote the elimination of the pathogens from the water supply of immunocompromised patients.

Structural Studies and Investigation on the Activity of Imidazole-Derived Thiosemicarbazones and Hydrazones against Crop-Related Fungi

“…The reaction mixture was kept under reflux for 6 h. After cooling to room temperature the resulting solids were filtered off, washed with ethanol and ether and dried in vacuum. (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) The imidazole-derived hydrazones were prepared by mixing equimolar amounts (2 mmol) of 4(5)-imidazole-carboxaldehyde, 4-(1H-imidazole-1-yl)-benzaldehyde and 4-(1H-imidazole-1-yl)-acetophenone with the desired hydrazide in methanol with addition of three drops of acetic acid as catalyst. The reaction mixture was kept under reflux for 6 h. After cooling to room temperature the resulting solids were filtered off, washed with ethanol and ether and dried in vacuum.…”

“…It has been reported that C. cladosporioides can play a role as opportunistic fungi causing ocular infections [9]. A. flavus has also been reported to be an opportunistic fungus especially in immuno-compromised patients [10].…”

Airborne fungi in an intensive care unit

“…and Aspergillus ssp. in hospitals can cause high morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, such as cancer patients in chemotherapy treatments, AIDS patients, patients with multiple trauma and among others are the most affected by opportunistic mycoses (Vesper et al, 2007;Moretti, 2007;Pfaller, 1996).…”

Microbial Growth in Drinking-Water Supplies: Problems, Causes, Control and Research Needs

“…A. fumigatus was not or only rarely encountered in drinking water samples from 29 different water localities in Germany (Gottlich et al 2002), 14 water supplies in Norway (Hageskal et al 2006) and at taps of 60 homes in the US (Vesper et al 2007), whereas A. fumigatus constituted 50% of the mould species isolated from drinking water in Warsaw, Poland (Grabinska-Loniewska et al. 2007).…”