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Dermatologie (Heidelberg, Germany) Jun 2023During the coronavirus pandemic, significantly more pets were probably bought and kept. This study focuses on whether more zoophilic dermatophytes have subsequently been...
During the coronavirus pandemic, significantly more pets were probably bought and kept. This study focuses on whether more zoophilic dermatophytes have subsequently been isolated and which species predominate. In the 1‑year period from March 2020 through February 2021, all zoophilic dermatophytes from all submissions to the Mölbis laboratory were recorded. Both the cultural and the molecular evidence of fungal detection from skin scrapings, hair roots, and, in single cases, from nails, were considered. For dermatophyte DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) detection, an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used. In distinct cases, identification of dermatophytes was confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rDNA, and of the gene of the translation elongation factor (TEF)-1α. In 579 (2.56%) of 22,575 samples studied in the year 2020/2021, zoophilic dermatophytes were detectable with PCR-ELISA and/or by cultivation. In comparison, the proportion of zoophilic dermatophytes was 2.03% in the 1‑year period 2014/2015, and only 1.6% in 2018/2019. The 579 zoophilic dermatophytes were identified as follows: Trichophyton (T.) benhamiae 186 (32.1%), T. mentagrophytes 173 (29.9%), T. quinckeanum 110 (19.0%), Microsporum (M.) canis 78 (13.5%), T. verrucosum 22 (3.8%), Nannizzia (N.) persicolor 8 (1.4%), T. erinacei 1 (0.2%), and T. equinum 1 (0.2%). T. benhamiae had the highest prevalence from June to September 2020, then again in December. T. quinckeanum is associated with a sharp increase in the mice population in Germany in 2020; a significant increase was found in the months September 2020 to January 2021. T. mentagrophytes had a conspicuous peak in September. Compered with that M. canis in November. Up to 50% of the dermatophytoses caused by T. mentagrophytes, T. quinckeanum, and M. canis affected children and adolescents, while in the case of T. benhamiae it was as much as two thirds. Tinea corporis was the most common, followed by tinea faciei and tinea capitis. M. canis infections affected the capillitium more frequently than the face. Zoophilic dermatophytes were increasingly isolated during the coronavirus pandemic in Germany when compared to previous year periods. In first place, the dermatophyte T. benhamiae from guinea pigs was found in children and adolescents. A significant proportion of dermatophytoses concerned adults. T. quinckeanum is an emerging pathogen in Germany with unprecedented high infection rates in 2020.
Topics: Animals; Guinea Pigs; Mice; Arthrodermataceae; Dermatomycoses; Coronavirus; Pandemics; Tinea; Coronavirus Infections; Germany; Canidae
PubMed: 37133787
DOI: 10.1007/s00105-023-05150-5 -
Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift Fur... Aug 2019The basis for effective treatment of any dermatomycosis is the correct and timely identification of the pathogen, which allows the targeted choice of the most suitable... (Review)
Review
The basis for effective treatment of any dermatomycosis is the correct and timely identification of the pathogen, which allows the targeted choice of the most suitable antimycotic and is important for the prevention of repeated infections. In recent years, infections with dermatophytes seem to have increased. In fact, from 2007 to 2018, there was an increase in the number of samples processed in the Mycology Laboratory of the Department of Dermatology at the University Hospital Jena. The most common isolated dermatophytes between 2007 and 2018 were Trichophyton (T.) rubrum, T. interdigitale, Microsporum (M.) canis and T. benhamiae. However, dermatophytoses may also be caused by rare anthropophilic agents such as Epidermophyton floccosum, zoophiles such as T. verrucosum, T. quinckeanum or Nannizzia (N.) persicolor as well as by geophiles such as N. gypsea. Therefore, these dermatophytes should at least be known, so that in case of unusual observations investigations can be performed accordingly. Changes in the pathogen spectrum of dermatophytoses have taken place over time and it is expected that the occurrence of dermatophytes will be subject of continuous fluctuations, which may mean that the incidence of some of these "rare" dermatophytes, as described here in five clinical examples, may be changing.
Topics: Arthrodermataceae; Dermatomycoses; Epidermophyton; Humans; Microsporum; Tinea; Trichophyton
PubMed: 31139861
DOI: 10.1007/s00105-019-4429-1 -
Mycopathologia Feb 2020Phylogenetic studies of the family Arthrodermataceae have revealed seven monophyletic dermatophyte clades representing the genera Trichophyton, Epidermophyton,...
Phylogenetic studies of the family Arthrodermataceae have revealed seven monophyletic dermatophyte clades representing the genera Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, Nannizzia, Lophophyton, Paraphyton, Microsporum, and Arthroderma. Members of the genus Nannizzia are geo- or zoophiles that occasionally infect humans. With the newly proposed taxonomy, the genus Nannizzia comprises thirteen species, i.e., Nannizzia aenigmatica, N. corniculata, N. duboisii, N. fulva, N. graeserae, N. gypsea, N. nana, N. incurvata, N. perplicata, N. persicolor, N. praecox, and two novel species. Nannizzia polymorpha sp. nov. was isolated from a skin lesion of a patient from French Guiana. For the strain originally described as Microsporum racemosum by Borelli in 1965, we proposed Nannizzia lorica nom. nov. The species are fully characterized with five sequenced loci (ITS, LSU, TUB2, RP 60S L1 and TEF3), combined with morphology of the asexual form and physiological features. A key to the species based on phenotypic and physiological characters is provided.
Topics: Arthrodermataceae; Epidermophyton; Microsporum; Phylogeny; Trichophyton
PubMed: 30976955
DOI: 10.1007/s11046-019-00336-9 -
Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift Fur... Sep 2018We report on a tinea faciei caused by Nannizzia (N.) persicolor. The 4‑year-old boy had probably been infected by a guinea pig. Unambiguous infections caused by...
We report on a tinea faciei caused by Nannizzia (N.) persicolor. The 4‑year-old boy had probably been infected by a guinea pig. Unambiguous infections caused by N. persicolor are rarely seen in Germany; however, this zoophilic and geophilic dermatophyte may only be rarely identified due to its resemblance to Trichophyton (T.) mentagrophytes. Therefore, the diagnostic attributes of N. persicolor and its differentiation from T. mentagrophytes are described. Particularly in case of contact with rodents, N. persicolor should be kept in mind.
Topics: Animals; Arthrodermataceae; Dermatomycoses; Germany; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Male; Microsporum; Tinea; Trichophyton; Zoonoses
PubMed: 29468277
DOI: 10.1007/s00105-018-4136-3 -
Mycopathologia Feb 2016Superficial fungal infections are predominantly caused by dermatophytes, but the spectrum of species involved is depending on geographic areas and lifestyle. Only few...
BACKGROUND
Superficial fungal infections are predominantly caused by dermatophytes, but the spectrum of species involved is depending on geographic areas and lifestyle. Only few studies have recently described the French epidemiology of these infections, especially dermatophytosis.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the epidemiological situation of superficial fungal infections and the spectrum of dermatophytes in Grenoble area.
PATIENTS/METHODS
A retrospective study of mycological laboratory records from January 2001 to December 2011 was carried out among patients with suspected fungal infections in the Grenoble University Hospital. Samples (skin scrapings, nail clippings and hair specimens) were collected, and mycological analyses were carried out by conventional methods.
RESULTS
A total of 5470 samples collected from 3740 patients were analysed. Among the 1984 (36.3 %) positive cultures, dermatophytes were identified in 1348/1984 (67.9 %) samples, non-dermatophytes in 636/1984 (32.1 %) samples (yeasts 24.4 %, moulds 7.7 %). Toenails and feet were the most frequent localizations collected (2032 samples, 37.1 %, 1181 samples, 21.5 %).
CONCLUSION
These data show the predominance (more than 92.6 %) of anthropophilic dermatophytes (Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale and Trichophyton tonsurans). Trichophyton rubrum was the most commonly (78.6 %) isolated dermatophyte. Among zoophilic dermatophytes, Trichophyton verrucosum and Microsporum persicolor were regularly isolated.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthrodermataceae; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatomycoses; Female; France; Hospitals, Teaching; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Young Adult
PubMed: 26452757
DOI: 10.1007/s11046-015-9953-7 -
Medical Mycology Oct 2014We investigated the resolving power of the beta tubulin protein-coding gene (BT2) for systematic study of dermatophyte fungi. Initially, 144 standard and clinical...
We investigated the resolving power of the beta tubulin protein-coding gene (BT2) for systematic study of dermatophyte fungi. Initially, 144 standard and clinical strains belonging to 26 species in the genera Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton were identified by internal transcribe spacer (ITS) sequencing. Subsequently, BT2 was partially amplified in all strains, and sequence analysis performed after construction of a BT2 database that showed length ranged from approximately 723 (T. ajelloi) to 808 nucleotides (M. persicolor) in different species. Intraspecific sequence variation was found in some species, but T. tonsurans, T. equinum, T. concentricum, T. verrucosum, T. rubrum, T. violaceum, T. eriotrephon, E. floccosum, M. canis, M. ferrugineum, and M. audouinii were invariant. The sequences were found to be relatively conserved among different strains of the same species. The species with the closest resemblance were Arthroderma benhamiae and T. concentricum and T. tonsurans and T. equinum with 100% and 99.8% identity, respectively; the most distant species were M. persicolor and M. amazonicum. The dendrogram obtained from BT2 topology was almost compatible with the species concept based on ITS sequencing, and similar clades and species were distinguished in the BT2 tree. Here, beta tubulin was characterized in a wide range of dermatophytes in order to assess intra- and interspecies variation and resolution and was found to be a taxonomically valuable gene.
Topics: Animals; Arthrodermataceae; Base Sequence; Cluster Analysis; DNA, Fungal; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Genetic Variation; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Tubulin
PubMed: 25079222
DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myu033 -
Medical Mycology Jul 2013In this study we evaluated the suitability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for the identification of...
In this study we evaluated the suitability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for the identification of dermatophytes in diagnostic laboratories. First, a spectral database was built with 108 reference strains belonging to 18 species of the anamorphic genera Epidermophyton, Microsporum and Trichophyton. All strains were well characterized by morphological criteria and ITS sequencing (gold standard). The dendrogram resulting from MALDI-TOF mass spectra was almost identical with the phylogenetic tree based on ITS sequencing. Subsequently, MALDI-TOF MS SuperSpectra were created for the identification of Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporium audouinii, M. canis, M. gypseum (teleomorph: Arthroderma gypseum), M. gypseum (teleomorph: A. incurvatum), M. persicolor, A. benhamiae (Tax. Entity 3 and Am-Eur. race), T. erinacei, T. interdigitale (anthropophilic and zoophilic populations), T. rubrum/T. violaceum, T. tonsurans and T. terrestre. Because T. rubrum and T. violaceum did not present enough mismatches, a SuperSpectrum covering both species was created, and differentiation between them was done by comparison of eight specific peptide masses. In the second part of this study, MALDI-TOF MS with the newly created SuperSpectra was tested using 141 clinical isolates representing nine species. Analyses were done with 3-day-old cultures. Results were compared to morphological identification and ITS sequencing; 135/141 (95.8%) strains were correctly identified by MALDI-TOF MS compared to 128/141 (90.8%) by morphology. Therefore, MALDI-TOF MS has proven to be a useful and rapid identification method for dermatophytes.
Topics: Arthrodermataceae; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Cluster Analysis; DNA, Fungal; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Mycology; Phylogeny; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; Time Factors
PubMed: 23228046
DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2012.746476 -
Medical Mycology Apr 2013We recently reported that aminosterols are fungicidal due to their disrupting the outer membranes of yeasts and that they have a significant in vitro activity against...
We recently reported that aminosterols are fungicidal due to their disrupting the outer membranes of yeasts and that they have a significant in vitro activity against various mould species. Yet, their activity against dermatophytes had never been tested. This study's objective was to evaluate the in vitro activity of squalamine and a synthetic aminosterol derivative (ASD) against various dermatophytes. Susceptibility testing of squalamine, ASD, terbinafine, and griseofulvin was performed, in triplicate, in accord with the Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute's M38-A2 procedure, using an 80% growth inhibition endpoint. The studies included the following dermatophytes: Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, T. soudanense, Microsporum canis, M. audouinii, M. persicolor; M. cookie and M. gypseum. Squalamine and ASD showed significant in vitro activity against these dermatophytes. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranged from 4-16 mg/l and from 2-8 mg/l for squalamine and ASD, respectively. These findings support further clinical studies of aminosterols activity against superficial dermatophyte infections.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Arthrodermataceae; Child; Cholestanols; Griseofulvin; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Naphthalenes; Terbinafine; Tinea Capitis
PubMed: 22998181
DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2012.724773 -
International Journal of Dermatology Apr 2003A study was conducted to determine the chief agents of superficial mycoses in Malta. Data were collected over a 5-year period from mycologic investigations carried out...
BACKGROUND
A study was conducted to determine the chief agents of superficial mycoses in Malta. Data were collected over a 5-year period from mycologic investigations carried out on all dermatologic specimens sent to the Mycology Laboratory at St. Luke's Hospital in Malta.
METHODS
In the period between January 1995 and December 1999, a total of 1271 specimens from skin, nails, or hair were collected from 1200 clinically suspected cases of dermatomycoses.
RESULTS
The fungi cultivated included dermatophytes (n = 371), yeasts (n = 33), and nondermatophyte filamentous fungi (n = 12). Trichophyton rubrum (n = 121) was the most prevalent, followed by Microsporum canis (n = 109), T. mentagrophytes (n = 80), M. gypseum (n = 27), Epidermophyton floccosum (n = 17), T. soudanense (n = 10), T. tonsurans (n = 2), T. verrucosum (n = 2), M. persicolor (n = 1), and T. violaceum (n = 1). Candida species were also cultivated, with C. parapsilosis (n = 14) being the most common, followed by C. albicans (n = 12) and C. tropicalis (n = 6). Nondermatophyte filamentous fungi were isolated from nail specimens only.
CONCLUSIONS
In this study, superficial fungal infections were reported more commonly in female (n = 207) than in male (n = 182) patients. M. canis was the chief agent of tinea capitis and tinea corporis, whilst T. rubrum was the main causative agent of tinea pedis, tinea manuum, and tinea unguium. Onychomycosis due to Candida species was more common in female than in male patients.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Arthrodermataceae; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatomycoses; Female; Fungi; Humans; Infant; Male; Malta; Middle Aged; Yeasts
PubMed: 12694490
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2003.01789.x -
Mycoses 2001Trichophyton mentagrophytes is one of the most common pathogens for human and animal dermatophytoses and known as a complex species with variable morphology, and...
Trichophyton mentagrophytes is one of the most common pathogens for human and animal dermatophytoses and known as a complex species with variable morphology, and ecologic and genetic backgrounds. We performed random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis on 43 human and 18 animal isolates of T. mentagrophytes along with other 10 anamorphic species of dermatophytes and three teleomorphic species of T. mentagrophytes. Using RAPD analysis with primer 5'-ATGGATC(G,C)(G,C)C-3' (ATGS), all T. mentagrophytes strains produced identical band patterns with those of Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii, one of the teleomorphs of T. mentagrophytes, regardless of their phenotypes. Therefore, T. mentagrophytes could be identified by RAPD analysis with primer ATGS. Using RAPD analysis with primer 5'-ATGGATCGGC-3' (ATG) on T. mentagrophytes, human isolates yielded two distinct subgroups related by their colony morphologies at the time of primary isolation from patients. Three morphologic types--cottony, powdery and persicolor--revealed identical bands whereas the granular type lacked one minor band (0.74 kbp). Animal isolates of T. mentagrophytes produced five band patterns and some of them were identical with those of human isolates. With primer 5'-GAAGGCTCCC-3' (OPAO-15), animal isolates of T. mentagrophytes showed diverse band patterns in contrast to the uniform band pattern of human isolates. These results suggest that RAPD analysis may be a useful tool to identify and subtype T. mentagrophytes complex.
Topics: Animals; DNA Primers; DNA, Fungal; Humans; Mycological Typing Techniques; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; Tinea; Trichophyton
PubMed: 11486453
DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0507.2001.00633.x