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Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2021Among the top five human infections requiring medical treatment is dermatitis. Treatment of bacterial and fungal skin infections is usually based on antibiotic therapy,...
Among the top five human infections requiring medical treatment is dermatitis. Treatment of bacterial and fungal skin infections is usually based on antibiotic therapy, which is often ineffective due to the involvement of antibiotic-resistant microbial strains. The aim of this study was to compare the antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) and hydrolates (Hys) extracted from six aromatic plants grown in Italy ( and ) towards fungal (, , and ; , , , and ) and bacterial strains ( MRSA, MSSA, , VRE, and ) potentially pathogenic for human skin. The composition and antimicrobial activity of EOs and Hys were evaluated using the Gas-chromatography mass spectrometry and micro dilution-broth test, respectively. The volatiles' conversion factors (CFs) were calculated to compare the activity of Hys with that of the corresponding EOs. Data show that, although the minimum inhibitory concentration values of EOs are lower than the corresponding Hys, the volatiles contained in Hys are more effective at inhibiting microbial growth because they are active at lower concentrations.
PubMed: 33477717
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10010088 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Feb 2007Tinea capitis is of public health importance because of its transmissibility. Trichophyton violaceum and Trichophyton soudanense, which are common causes of tinea...
Tinea capitis is of public health importance because of its transmissibility. Trichophyton violaceum and Trichophyton soudanense, which are common causes of tinea capitis in parts of Africa and West Asia, have only rarely been reported to cause dermatophytoses in the United States. We identified 24 patients with 25 positive cultures for T. violaceum or T. soudanense that were processed in a single hospital laboratory in Baltimore, Maryland, between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2006. Most patients for whom clinical information was available had tinea capitis. There was a marked increase in the isolation of these organisms between the period from 2000 to 2002 and the period from 2003 to 2006, possibly associated with changes in immigration to the Baltimore metropolitan area. The changing epidemiology of this transmissible fungal infection not only is of public health interest as an example of the introduction of a "new" pathogen to an area where it traditionally was not endemic but also is of clinical and microbiological importance given reports suggesting an increasing incidence of tinea capitis in some areas and increasing clinical failure rates of current therapies.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Baltimore; Griseofulvin; Humans; Incidence; Itraconazole; Tinea; Tinea Capitis; Trichophyton
PubMed: 17151204
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02033-06 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Sep 2019The species complex comprises commonly encountered dermatophytic fungi with a worldwide distribution. The members of the complex usually have distinct phenotypes in...
The species complex comprises commonly encountered dermatophytic fungi with a worldwide distribution. The members of the complex usually have distinct phenotypes in culture and cause different clinical symptoms, despite high genome similarity. In order to better delimit the species within the complex, molecular, phenotypic, and physiological characteristics were combined to reestablish a natural species concept. Three groups, , , and , could be distinguished based on the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal DNA barcode gene. On average, strains within each group were similar by colony appearance, microscopy, and physiology, but strains between groups showed significant differences. strains had higher keratinase activity, whereas strains tended to be more lipophilic; however, none of the phenotypic features were diagnostic. The results of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) were partially consistent with the ITS data but failed to distinguish the species unambiguously. Despite their close similarity, , , and can be regarded as independent species with distinct geographical distributions and clinical predilections. is pheno- and genotypically intermediate between and For routine diagnostics, ITS sequencing is recommended.
Topics: Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; Cluster Analysis; DNA, Fungal; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; Humans; Microbiological Techniques; Microscopy; Phylogeny; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; Tinea; Trichophyton
PubMed: 31189587
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00352-19 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2019Onychomycosis is a fungal nails infection often caused by yeasts, dermatophytes and molds. It is an important public health concern due to its high prevalence, the...
Onychomycosis is a fungal nails infection often caused by yeasts, dermatophytes and molds. It is an important public health concern due to its high prevalence, the problem of diagnostics, and the poor response to treatments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological and microbiological profile of onychomycosis diagnosed at the Laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology of the National University Hospital of Fann in Dakar, Senegal, from 2012 to 2016. A retrospective and descriptive study was performed from January 2012 to December 2016 in a patient attending the laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology at the Fann teaching hospital. Socio-demographic, clinical and biological data were collected from the bench registers. Samples from the lesions were tested using direct microscopy and cultured on a Sabouraud-Chloramphenicol and Sabouraud-Chloramphenicol-Actidione medium. A descriptive analysis was done using Stata IC 12 software. The significance level of different tests was set at 5% two-side. A total of 469 patients were included in this study. The mean age of the study population was 33.2 ± 15.2 years, and the sex ratio was 0.52. The prevalence of onychomycosis was 48.4% (227/469). The main clinical presentations were disto-lateral subungual onychomycosis (37.9%) and onyxis (46.5%). Identified fungal species were (42.7%), (39.5%), (10.1%), (5.3%), and (2.6%). was more frequent in subjects over 15 years of age (43.6%) and women (45%). However, was higher in patients under 15 years old (17.4%) as well as in male subjects (18.8%). In conclusion, onychomycosis is a common cause of consultation in health facilities. and are the main fungal species causing onychomycosis. A better understanding of the epidemiology of onychomycosis as well as the spectrum of the pathogen could contribute to improve the management of the infection.
PubMed: 31035727
DOI: 10.3390/jof5020035 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Jul 1983Studies of three monoconidial subcultures of each of 10 isolates of Trichophyton soudanense on seven trichophyton agars revealed variations in growth among the...
Studies of three monoconidial subcultures of each of 10 isolates of Trichophyton soudanense on seven trichophyton agars revealed variations in growth among the subcultures of each isolate and among the isolates themselves on six agars. In contrast, greater consistency and generally good to excellent growth were noted with all isolates on trichophyton agar 1 (basal medium). These results are contrary to those found with other Trichophyton species and suggest that growth on the trichophyton agars is not a suitable test for the identification of T. soudanense.
Topics: Agar; Culture Media; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Trichophyton
PubMed: 6885989
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.18.1.203-205.1983 -
Journal de Mycologie Medicale Dec 2020We report an outbreak of Trichophyton soudanense causing tinea capitis and corporis in an orphanage in Myanmar. The thirty orphan children were suspected to have...
We report an outbreak of Trichophyton soudanense causing tinea capitis and corporis in an orphanage in Myanmar. The thirty orphan children were suspected to have anthropophilic tinea but zoonotic tinea could not be excluded as all children were playing with stray dogs. Direct mycological examinations of hair and scalp samples showed filaments but culture assays remained sterile. We revealed T. soudanense as the infectious agent by PCR amplification of extracted fungal DNA and further sequencing of the PCR products. Children were successfully treated by terbinafine and reinfection was prevented by hygiene measures. This case report shed the light on T. soudanense infection on another continent than Africa and on the significant help of PCR identification.
Topics: Alopecia; Animals; Arthrodermataceae; Child; Child, Orphaned; Disease Outbreaks; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Humans; Male; Myanmar; Orphanages; Scalp; Tinea; Tinea Capitis; Zoonoses
PubMed: 32811733
DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2020.101013 -
BioMed Research International 2022Ethyl acetate, ethanol, and acetone extracts of the medicinal plants L., L., and L. (aerial parts) were evaluated for their phytochemical compositions, antimycotic...
Ethyl acetate, ethanol, and acetone extracts of the medicinal plants L., L., and L. (aerial parts) were evaluated for their phytochemical compositions, antimycotic activity against dermatophytes, and antiproliferative activity against different human cancer cell lines. Among them, the ethanolic extracts showed the highest phytochemical contents along with hyperactivities and were then selected for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of different characteristic peak values with various functional chemical groups of the active components. However, extracts through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed distinctive peaks related to phenolic, amines, amides, aromatic, alkanes, alkyne, cyclopentanone, conjugated aldehyde, nitro, methoxy, uronic acids, aromatic esters, tertiary alcohol or ester, secondary and primary alcohols, aliphatic ether, sulfoxide, vinylidene, and halo compounds. Many bioactive main compounds with reported biological activities were detected by GC/MS (%) in the ethanolic extract of , , and . All studied dermatophytes included a diverse set of virulence factors, including phospholipase, protease, keratinase, hemolysis, and melanoid production, all of which play vital roles in dermatophytic infection. Ethanolic extract of inhibited the growth of soudanense totally and in addition to all species. In contrast, the ethanolic extract of at concentrations of 25 g/mL totally prevented the growth of all species. EtOH extract of completely prevented the growth (100% inhibition) of all dermatophytic strains under study at the lowest concentration of 12.5 g/mL. Scanning electron microscope analysis revealed considerable morphological modifications and structural alterations in dermatophyte species exposed to ethanolic extract of these plants. The viability of HCT-116, HepG-2, MCF-7, and HeLa cell lines was reduced after treatment with the ethanolic extracts of , , and individually with IC50 values (10.0, 9.97, 48.5, and 56.24 g/mL), (26.98, 25.0, 17.11, and 9.52 g/mL), and (9.32, 7.46, 12.50, and 16.32 g/mL), respectively. Our work revealed the significance of these traditional ethnomedical plants as potent sources for biologically active pharmaceuticals with potential applicability for the treatment of fungal and cancer diseases.
Topics: Humans; Plants, Medicinal; Antifungal Agents; Drimia; Plantago; Plant Extracts; HeLa Cells; Phytochemicals; Thymelaeaceae
PubMed: 36619300
DOI: 10.1155/2022/9544915 -
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational... 2022This work aimed to determine the magnitude of tinea capitis, the diversity and species composition of fungi, and the predominant dermatophytes implicated in causing...
OBJECTIVE
This work aimed to determine the magnitude of tinea capitis, the diversity and species composition of fungi, and the predominant dermatophytes implicated in causing tinea capitis.
METHODS
A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at a dermatology clinic. Scalp scrapings were collected and cultured, and dermatophyte and non-dermatophyte molds were identified.
RESULTS
Of 364 scalp scrapings, fungi were recovered from 301 (82.7%) clinical samples. About 60.7% of the samples were collected from women, while 39.3% were collected from male study subjects. The association between the magnitude of scalp ringworm and gender was not statistically significant ( = 0.105). Two hundred eighty study subjects were less than 15 years of age, of which 254 were culture positive. The association of tinea capitis and the age of patients was statistically significant ( = 0). Three hundred forty-nine fungal isolates were isolated, of which 54.2% were dermatophytes, while 45.8% were non-dermatophyte molds. The occurrence of dermatophytes in their decreasing order was (138; 73%), (18; 9.5%), (16; 8.5%), (8; 4.5%), (7; 3.7%), (1; 0.5%), and (1; 0.5%).
CONCLUSION
A high prevalence rate of -induced tinea capitis was reported. The magnitude of scalp ringworm in adults was remarkably high. Therefore, conducting a nationwide epidemiological survey on tinea capitis regardless of age is suggested. The isolation of many non-dermatophyte molds in the current study may shade questions about the perception that tinea capitis is caused by dermatophytes only. Therefore, studies on their potential pathogenic role on skin and skin-related (nail and the scalp) infections appear to be an active field of research.
PubMed: 35847420
DOI: 10.2147/CCID.S367763 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2020Dermatophytes are the most common pathogenic agents of superficial mycoses in humans and animals. Knowledge of their epidemiology can facilitate the prevention of...
Dermatophytes are the most common pathogenic agents of superficial mycoses in humans and animals. Knowledge of their epidemiology can facilitate the prevention of dermatophytosis and improve prophylactic measures. We sought to determine the incidence of the different dermatophyte species diagnosed in Lausanne (Switzerland) from 2001 to 2018. In total, 10,958 dermatophytes were isolated from patients and 459 from pets. Overall, 99% of tinea unguium and tinea pedis were caused by and with a prevalence ratio of 3:1. and were mainly found in tinea capitis in patients of African and Mediterranean origin. Interestingly, while and were prevalent 50 years ago in an epidemiological analysis carried out in the same laboratory from 1967 to 1970, these two species were rarely detected from 2001 to 2018. , and were the prevalent zoophilic pathogenic species in children and young adults. Our investigation of animal samples revealed the main reservoirs of these zoophilic species to be cats and dogs for and , and Guinea pigs for . This study provides an epidemiological overview of dermatophytoses in Switzerland to improve their surveillance.
PubMed: 32604976
DOI: 10.3390/jof6020095 -
Singapore Medical Journal Oct 2018Tinea unguium is a common nail infection. We conducted a retrospective ten-year study of the patient demographics and species distribution of dermatophytes causing tinea...
INTRODUCTION
Tinea unguium is a common nail infection. We conducted a retrospective ten-year study of the patient demographics and species distribution of dermatophytes causing tinea unguium in a tertiary hospital from Singapore.
METHODS
Results of fungal nail cultures were retrieved from our hospital's microbiology department. Samples from nail scrapings and clippings were inoculated onto agar plates (Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and Mycosel agar). Nail specimens that grew dermatophytes were included in the study.
RESULTS
Overall, 229 (male: n = 164, 71.6%; female: n = 65, 28.4%) nail specimens grew dermatophytes. Mean patient age was 58 (range 18-93) years. A majority of specimens came from patients aged over 50 years (n = 162, 70.7%) and 60-79 years (n = 100, 43.7%). Ethnically, 160 (69.9%) patients were Chinese, 36 (15.7%) Indian, 18 (7.9%) Malay and 15 (6.6%) of other ethnicities. Among dermatophytes isolated were Trichophyton rubrum (n = 93, 40.6%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (n = 60, 26.2%), unidentified Trichophyton spp. (n = 57, 24.9%), Trichophyton tonsurans (n = 10, 4.4%), Epidermophyton floccosum (n = 5, 2.2%), Trichophyton verrucosum (n = 2, 0.9%), Trichophyton soudanense (n = 1, 0.4%) and Trichophyton violaceum (n = 1, 0.4%).
CONCLUSION
A majority of isolates were from elderly patients. Compared to Singapore's general population, patients of Indian and other ethnicities were over-represented for tinea unguium when compared to Chinese and Malay patients. Trichophyton rubrum was the most common dermatophyte isolated, while Trichophyton verrucosum, Trichophyton violaceum and Trichophyton soudanense were rare causes of tinea unguium.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthrodermataceae; Epidermophyton; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nails; Onychomycosis; Retrospective Studies; Singapore; Tertiary Care Centers; Trichophyton; Young Adult
PubMed: 29552686
DOI: 10.11622/smedj.2018037