Anthropophilic Fungi Research Articles

Epidemiology and Clinical Findings of Tinea Capitis: A 23-Year Retrospective, Single-Center Study in Guangzhou, China.

Tinea capitis (TC) is one of the most common public health concerns due to its high incidence in preadolescent children. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of TC vary depending on geographical regions and have changed over the past decades. This study aimed to identify epidemiological changes in recent decades, including the prevalence and clinical and mycological characteristics of TC in southern China. We conducted a retrospective study at the Department of Dermatology of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University from June 1997 to August 2020. We retrospectively evaluated 401 TC patients. Of these, 157 patients (39.2%) were preschool children aged 3-7years and the majority were males. However, the prevalence in children under 3years old is on the rise (from 19.67% during 1997-2010 to 32.49% during 2011-2020). Grey patches were the most common clinical pattern and mostly occurred in children (71.3%), while the proportion of grey patches and black dots was almost the same in adults. Although Microsporum canis (76%) was the most common causative organism, the number of the T. mentagrophytes complex, as a zoophilic fungus, has increased more than that of the anthropophilic fungi T. violaceum in the recent decade. There was a significant difference in the portion of sex among different age groups, and the gender difference was more notable in the adult group, which showed that the TC prevalence in females was 9 times that in males. In males, M. canis and the T. mentagrophytes complex were the two most common causative fungi, while M. canis and T. violaceum were the two most common causative fungi in females. Additionally, approximately 61.7% of black dot TCs occurred in females. For treatment, oral antifungal therapeutics were widely used in most patients with different treatment durations, although without a significant difference in efficacy (P = 0.106). In the last decade, the prevalence of TC in children under 3years old increased, and boys dramatically outnumbered girls. In adults, the TC prevalence in females is nine times that in males, and most TCs occurring in females are presented as black dots. Moreover, the zoophilic T. mentagrophytes complex has replaced T. violaceum and is now the second most prevalent organism, followed by M. canis of TC.

P285 Predominance of Trichophyton tonsurans causing tinea capitis: a 12-years retrospective study in north of Iran

Poster session 2, September 22, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMBackground: Tinea capitis is a common and endemic fungal infection of the scalp that Trichophyton spp. and Microsporum spp. usually cause. This study aimed to investigate tinea capitis and its etiologic agents for 12 years in northern Iran.Material Methods: The study is a retrospective analysis involving 11 095 patients referred to the Reference Laboratory of Medical Mycology at Sari, Iran, from July 2009 to April 2022. The skin scraping and hair samples were assessed based on direct microscopy and culture, and causative agents were identified based on macroscopic, and microscopic morphology.ResultsTinea capitis was confirmed in 209 patients: 157 (75.1%) male and 52 (24.9%) female out of 921 suspected patients with a scalp lesion. The prevalence of tinea capitis in patients who refer to the Reference Laboratory of Medical Mycology varied from 6.1 to 37.5%. In both sexes, a higher rate of tinea capitis was observed in patients younger than 20 years of age. Trichophyton tonsurans (146/209; 69.9%) was the most etiological agent, followed by T. mentagrophytes (13/209; 6.2), T. violaseum (9/209; 4.3), Microsporum canis (3/209; 1.4%), T. verrucosum (2/209; 1%), and T. rubrum (1/209; 0.5%). On direct microscopy examination, endothrix hair invasion in 77.0% cases, ectothrix in 2.3%, septate hyphae in 10.5%, and ecto-endothrix in one case were observed.ConclusionIn recent decades, the prevalence of tinea capitis caused by anthropophilic fungi has remained high, particularly in younger children. Therefore, it is essential to focus on public and personal health education in this age group to prevent and control the disease.

34293 Epidemiologic study of tinea cruris and decremental trend of Epidermophyton floccosum infection: A 12-year retrospective review

Background: Tinea cruris is a common fungal infection worldwide. Most common pathogens include Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton rubrum, and T mentagrophytes complex. E floccosum is an anthropophilic fungi which primarily causes tinea cruris and tinea pedis. This study aimed to determine causative pathogens of tinea cruris particularly E floccosum.

Endonyx onychomycosis due to Trichophyton soudanense: Rare case with successful treatment

Dermatophytoses are infections of the skin, hair and nails, caused by dermatophytes, namely spp, Microsporum spp and Epidermophyton floccosum. is an anthropophilic fungus, a frequent cause of tinea capitis in Africa though some imported cases are now been reported from Europe, Brazil, Australia and USA. Untill now, 3 cases of causing tinea capitis, tinea unguium, tinea corporis from North India and 2 cases causing tinea corporis and tinea cruris from south India have been reported, but this is probably the first case report of onychomycosis caused by in India.

Tinea capitis et barbae caused by Trichophyton tonsurans: A retrospective cohort study of an infection chain after shavings in barber shops.

Tinea capitis is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by dermatophytes. In Central Europe, it is mainly caused by zoophilic dermatophytes, as, for example Microsporum (M) canis or Trichophyton (T) mentagrophytes and increasingly by anthropophilic fungi. Ttonsurans was commonly related to the Tinea gladiatorum, where transmission occurred between infected persons or via contaminated floors. Reporting the transmission of this highly contagious dermatophyte for the first time via beard shaving and hairdressing in barber shops in Germany. 18 young male patients developed tinea capitis and/or barbae shortly after shavings of the beard and/or hair in a barber shop. Native, cultural and molecular diagnostics as well as tissue biopsies and resistance tests were performed of skin and hair samples. In all samples, Ttonsurans could be identified. The medical history and the clinical picture suggest a transmission through contaminated hairdressing tools. The patients were treated with terbinafine or itraconazole in combination with or exclusively with topical antimycotics. The transmission and a resulting increase in the incidence of infections with Ttonsurans may be due to shavings with direct skin contact of insufficiently disinfected hairdressing tools. This path of infection has already been observed in Africa and is now being described for the first time in Germany. Knowledge of the pathogen and its transmission ways are essential to interrupt the chain of infection.

Whole-genome resequencing of Trichophyton rubrum provides insights into population differentiation and drug resistance.

Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum) is anthropophilic fungus and thus a very common cause of dermatophyte infections around the world. Infection of T. rubrum could result in conditions such as tinea capitis, tinea corporis, tinea inguinalis, tinea manus, tinea unguium, or tinea pedis. Because of this, the resistance of T. rubrum to antifungal therapies has drawn extensive research interest. However, the pathogenic characteristics of T. rubrum, such as site of infections, geographic location and host groups, have yet to be explored. In this study, the whole genome of 48 strains from different regions is resequenced and the population structure and association of single nucleotide polymorphism with resistance to six widely used antifungal drugs are analyzed. A total of 23,394 genomic variations are detected, which cover 2165 genes with only 15.14% of the variations located in exons. The population structure of T. rubrum is monomorphic, and genetic diversity is very low. Population structure analysis shows that the 48 sampled strains can be divided into two sub-populations. The gene TERG_08771 harboring the highest SNPs density is found to be associated with resistance to voriconazole. Although many proteins have yet to be identified and explored, association studies could still be useful to identify drug resistance or drug-susceptible loci, which would warrant further insightful investigations.

Adult tinea capitis and tinea barbae in a tertiary Portuguese hospital: A 11‐year audit

Adult tinea capitis and tinea barbae are nowadays considered uncommon in developed countries. Despite their potential for morbidity and healthcare costs, few series have attempted to characterise these infectious disorders. We conducted a cross-sectional study to analyse the epidemiological, clinical and mycological characteristics of adult tinea capitis and tinea barbae of a large tertiary centre in Southern Europe. All adult patients with a mycological-confirmed tinea capitis or barbae over a 11-year period (January 2008 to December 2018) were considered for the analysis. Concerning tinea capitis, 860 culture-confirmed diagnoses were made during this 11-year period, of which only 15 (1.5%) occurred in adults (15 patients). A disproportionately high number of patients were female and immunocompromised. Microsporum audouinii (20%) and Trichophyton rubrum (20%) were the most common isolates. Half of the cases were initially misdiagnosed. Regarding tinea barbae, 7 cases were diagnosed over this time period. Overuse of topical steroids was widespread in this population. Trichophyton rubrum was the infectious agent in all cases. Initial misdiagnosis was very common (43%). Adult tinea capitis and tinea barbae can still be observed in contemporary practice and remain a public health concern, with the immunosuppressed patient being particularly affected. Initial misdiagnosis is a common occurrence. Anthropophilic fungi are now the most common aetiologic agents of these infections, and they will probably continue to do so as the large urban centres expand peripherally. Awareness for this diagnosis is necessary to prevent unwarranted morbidity and costs.

Ringworm of Trichophyton tonsurans outbreak in a basic school in Valparaíso, Chile

Ringworm are skin and its annexes infections. Trichophyton tonsurans is an emergent anthropophilic fungus that might cause outbreaks. To describe a ringworm outbreak by T tonsurans in an elementary school in Valparaíso, Chile. A descriptive study was run between June and August, 2018. Students and his closest relatives in contact with them who were clinically diagnosed with ringworm have been considered a case. Mycological studies of samples had been carried out through morphophysiology tests. Data are shown in numbers and percentages. There were 18 cases, 16 kids (15 from kindergarten) and 2 adults. Attack rate was 68% in kindergarten. Nine cases were boys with average age of 6 years old. For 14 cases their nationality was Chilean and in 1 case Haitian. First case was a Chilean boy, and primary case was a Haitian boy. The most frequent location was face. Ten cases yielded positive cultures for T tonsurans. Most of the patients needed terbinafine treatment after a therapeutic failure performed with clotrimazole. T. tonsurans outbreak ocurred mainly in kindergarten male. The most frequent location was face. Most of the patients needed terbinafine treatment after a therapeutic failure with clotrimazole.

An ex vivo Human Skin Model to Study Superficial Fungal Infections.

Human skin fungal infections (SFIs) affect 25% of the world’s population. Most of these infections are superficial. The main limitation of current animal models of human superficial SFIs is that clinical presentation is different between the different species and animal models do not accurately reflect the human skin environment. An ex vivo human skin model was therefore developed and standardised to accurately model SFIs. In this manuscript, we report our protocol for setting up ex vivo human skin infections and report results from a primary superficial skin infection with Trichophyton rubrum, an anthropophilic fungus. The protocol includes a detailed description of the methodology to prepare the skin explants, establish infection, avoid contamination, and obtain high quality samples for further downstream analyses. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), histology and fluorescent microscopy were applied to evaluate skin cell viability and fungal morphology. Furthermore, we describe a broad range of assays, such as RNA extraction and qRT-PCR for human gene expression, and protein extraction from tissue and supernatants for proteomic analysis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Non-infected skin was viable after 14 days of incubation, expressed genes and contained proteins associated with proliferative, immune and differentiation functions. The macroscopic damage caused by T. rubrum had a similar appearance to the one expected in clinical settings. Finally, using this model, the host response to T. rubrum infection can be evaluated at different levels.

Reference genes for accurate evaluation of expression levels in Trichophyton interdigitale grown under different carbon sources, pH levels and phosphate levels

Tinea pedis is a type of dermatophytosis caused by anthropophilic keratinolytic fungi such as Trichophyton interdigitale. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) is a reliable and reproducible technique for measuring changes in target gene expression across various biological conditions. A crucial aspect of accurate normalization is the choice of appropriate internal controls. To identify reference genes for accurate evaluation of expression levels in T. interdigitale, the transcription levels of eight candidate reference genes (adp-rf, β-act, ef1-α, gapdh, psm1, sdha, rpl2 and ubc) and one target gene (Tri m4) were analysed by RT-qPCR after growing the dermatophyte under different environmental conditions. The results obtained from expression stability evaluations with NormFinder, geNorm, BestKeeper, and RefFinder software demonstrated that adp-rf and psm1 were the most stable internal control genes across all experimental conditions. The present study constitutes the first report of the identification and validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR normalization for T. interdigitale grown under different environmental conditions resembling the conditions encountered by fungi during invasion of skin.

Molecular Strain Typing of Clinical Isolates, Trichophyton rubrum using Non Transcribed Spacer (NTS) Region as a Molecular Marker.

Dermatophytes are a group of fungi which infect keratinized tissues and causes superficial mycoses in humans and animals. The group comprises of three major genera, Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton. Among them Trichophyton rubrum is a predominant anthropophilic fungi which causes chronic infections. Although, the infection is superficial and treatable, reinfection/coinfection causes inflation in the treatment cost. Identifying the source and mode of transmission is essential to prevent its transmission. Accurate discrimination is required to understand the clinical (relapse or reinfection) and epidemiological implications of the genetic heterogeneity of this species. Polymorphism in the Non Transcribed Spacer (NTS) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) clusters renders an effective way to discriminate strains among T. rubrum. To carry out the strain typing of the clinical isolates, Trichophyton rubrum using NTS as a molecular marker. Seventy T.rubrum clinical isolates obtained from April-2011-March 2013, from Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, were identified by conventional phenotypic methods and included in this prospective study. The isolates were then subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting two subrepeat elements (SREs), TRS-1 and TRS-2 of the NTS region. Strain-specific polymorphism was observed in both subrepeat loci. Total, nine different strains were obtained on combining both TRS-1 and TRS-2, SREs. The outcome has given a strong representation for using NTS region amplification in discriminating the T. rubrum clinical isolates. The method can be adapted as a tool for conducting epidemiology and population based study in T. rubrum infections. This will help in future exploration of the epidemiology of T. rubrum.

Epidemiological trends of dermatophytosis in Tehran, Iran: A five-year retrospective study

Dermatophytosis is the most frequent fungal infection all over the world and its frequency is constantly increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical features and epidemiological trends of dermatophytosis over the years 2010 to 2014 in Tehran, Iran. A total of 13,312 patients clinically suspected of cutaneous fungal infections were examined. Skin scales, plucked hairs, nail clippings and sub-ungual debris were examined by direct microscopy and culture. Dermatophyte species were identified at the species level by a combination of morphological and physiological criteria. Direct microscopy confirmed a contamination rate of 19.7% (2622/13,312 cases) of which 1535 cases (58.5%) were culture positive distributed in male (1022 cases) and female (513 cases). The most commonly infected age group was the 30-39 years old. Tinea pedis (30.4%) was the most prevalent type of dermatophytosis followed by tinea cruris (29.8%) and tinea corporis (15.8%). Epidermophyton floccosum (31%) was the most prevalent causative agent, followed by Trichophyton rubrum (26.2%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (20.3%). Our results showed considerable distribution of dermatophytosis from zoophilic, anthropophilic and geophilic species among population with diverse age groups. Although anthropophilic fungi such as T.mentagrophytes, E.floccosum, and T.rubrum were the main etiologic agents of dermatophytosis, the prevalence of T.verrucosum showed a meaningful increase over the years, which highlights the importance of rural dermatophytosis mainly transmitted from large animals. This noticeable information improves our current knowledge about dermatophytosis and assists to establish effective prevention and therapeutic strategies to overcome the disease.

Tinea capitis: temporal shift in pathogens and epidemiology

Tinea capitis is the most common type of dermatomycosis in children. Its pathogen profile shows geographic variations as well as temporal shifts. Data from 150 patients with mycologically confirmed tinea capitis treated at the Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, between 1990 and 2014 were analyzed with respect to gender, age, and pathogen spectrum. Two time periods, each 12.5 years long, were compared. Although tinea capitis was most frequently diagnosed in children between the ages of 0 and 5, the percentage of adults (16%) was higher than previously reported. The zoophilic dermatophyte Microsporum canis was most frequently identified as the causative agent of tinea capitis. However, there was a rise in infections caused by the anthropophilic fungi Trichophyton tonsurans and Trichophyton rubrum, and also a trend towards a lower percentage of zoophilic versus anthropophilic pathogens. Over the course of time, we observed an increase in the diversity of the pathogen spectrum. Dermatophytes such as Trichophyton soudanense, the Trichophyton anamorph of Arthroderma benhamiae, Trichophyton schoenleinii, and Microsporum audouinii were isolated either for the first time or for the first time after a long hiatus. Although Microsporum canis infections still predominate, there has been an increase in anthropophilic pathogens. Given the unexpectedly high percentage of adults, tinea capitis should be included in the differential diagnostic considerations in all age groups.

Effects of Fatty Acid Salts against Trichophyton Violaceum

Trichophyton violaceum is an anthropophilic fungus. Dermatophytosis (Tinea) is fungal infection that can infect the scalp, glabrous skin, and nails. In general, Tinea can be spread by skin-to-skin contact or bathroom or floor materials. The treatments of Tinea need antifungal medication and good hygiene environment. The effective antifungal medication and infection prevention, and the creation of antifungal medication with high safety are required. In this study was focused on the antifungal effect of fatty acids potassium salts. The antifungal activity of nine fatty acid salts (butyrate, caproate, caprylate, caprate, laurate, myristate, oleate, linoleate, and linolenate) was tested on the spores of Trichophyton violaceum NBRC 31064. The results show that C6K, C8K, C10K, C12K, C18:2K, C18:3K was the most inhibit 4-log unit (99.99 %) of the fatty acids potassium incubated time for 10 min. It was observed that C12K and C18:3K was most high antifungal activity MIC. Commercially soap was lowest antifungal activity. This is because of the oleic acid is a major component of soap. Although further investigation is necessary to make clear antifungal mechanisms, our results suggest that fatty acid potassium will use to the development of a coating agent such as furniture.

Does competition for existence pushed the evolution of the ‘once’ saprophytic fungi to parasitic life?

Aims: The current study was planned to understand how the ‘once’ saprophytic fungi would have adapted/equipped themselves to be pathogens in human environment and what environmental events that would have compelled/ facilitated certain fungi to become human pathogens. Methodology and results: Antibiosis of soil fungi such as Chrysosporium keratinophillum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium sp., Rhizopus oryzae and Curvularia lunata on different test fungi viz. different species of dermatophytes, Malassezia furfur, Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum was studied. In vitro susceptibility testing of secretory and intracellular substances of soil fungi was also tested on the test fungi of clinical significance. The ability of the test fungi for saprophytic survivability was tested on sterile and un-sterile soil. M. furfur and the anthrophilic dermatophytes were susceptible to the secretory substance and intracellular substances of the soil fungi. Conclusion, significance and impact study: The anthropophilic dermatophytes are not capable of existing in soil as saprophytes. The antagonistic effect of C. keratinophillum (sharing the same nutritional preference viz keratinophilic nature and ecological niche) could be one among the possible early events that formed the basis for the evolution of obligate parasitism in certain dermatophytes. Other obligate anthropophilic fungi, M. furfur is also not capable of existing even in sterile soil as a saprophyte. Most of the soil fungi tested show inhibition on M. furfur in vitro. The ability of fungi to cause disease in humans appears to be an accidental phenomenon With the exception of a few dermatophytes, pathogenicity among the molds is not necessary for the maintenance of dissemination of the species (Rippon, 1988). Further, the fungi that are able to cause disease seem to do so because of some peculiar trait of their metabolism that is not shared by taxonomically similar species. The survival and growth of fungi at the elevated temperature of the body, the reduced oxidation-reduction environment of tissue and the ability to overcome the host’s defence mechanisms clearly sets ‘mere’ saprophytic and pathogenic fungi apart from each other. It is always of greater interest to know how these organisms would have adapted/equipped themselves to be pathogens in human environment and what environmental events that would have compelled/facilitated certain fungi to become human pathogens. This study reports the possible fungus-fungus interaction which would have been one of the driving forces of fungal evolution resulting in obligate anthropization of certain species.

Tinea Capitis in the Paediatric Population in Milan, Italy: The Emergence of Trichophyton violaceum

Tinea capitis (TC) is the most common type of dermatophytosis in children. The epidemiology of TC depends on the geographical areas, and it changes over time. The aim of the study is to determine the incidence of TC and to identify the causative species in children observed at Dermatology Outpatient Department of the University of Milan, Italy, between January 2004 and December 2011. Four hundred and eighty-six children with suspected dermatomycosis were observed; TC was the most prevalent dermatomycoses with 86 cases. The most common isolated dermatophyte in scalp lesions was Trichophyton violaceum with 33 cases. The most recent epidemiological Italian studies still show zoophilic fungi as primary cause of TC. We are the first medical team in Italy to demonstrate a dominance of anthropophilic fungi, in particular T. violaceum.

Dermatophytoses Due to Anthropophilic Fungi in Cadiz, Spain, Between 1997 and 2008

Background and objectives Cutaneous fungal infections are a major public health problem. The distribution of the dermatophytoses varies between countries and geographical areas. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, epidemiology, etiology, and clinical course of the dermatophytoses caused by anthropophilic fungi in Cadiz, Spain, over the past 12 years. Material and methods The study, conducted between 1997 and 2008, included 2235 samples from lesions of the skin, hair, and nails of 2220 patients with a clinical suspicion of mycosis. Samples were examined by microscopy using potassium hydroxide and were cultured on mycological media. The dermatophytes were identified by their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Results Cultures were positive in 283 cases (12.7%). Anthropophilic dermatophytes (53.3%) were more common than zoophilic (41.3%) and geophilic (5.3%) dermatophytes. Trichophyton rubrum (38.2%) was the predominant pathogen isolated, followed by Microsporum canis (22.3%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (15.5%). Five other species of anthropophilic fungi were identified: Trichophyton tonsurans (5.6%), Trichophyton violaceum (4.9%), Epidermophyton floccosum (2.8%), Trichophyton soudanense (1.0%), and Trichophyton schoenleinii (0.7%). Infections caused by the anthropophilic fungi included tinea unguium (29.1%), tinea corporis (25.8%), tinea pedis (19.2%), tinea cruris (11.9%), tinea capitis (5.3%), and tinea faciei (3.3%). Conclusions The principal fungus responsible for dermatomycosis in Cadiz was T. rubrum, and its incidence has been rising since 2000. The prevalence of other anthropophilic fungi, such as T. tonsurans and T. violaceum, has increased, though this is not directly related to immigration. E. floccosum, T. soudanense, and T. schoenleinii are isolated occasionally.

Dermatofitosis por hongos antropofílicos en Cádiz (1997–2008)

Background and objectives Cutaneous fungal infections are a major public health problem. The distribution of the dermatophytoses varies between countries and geographical areas. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, epidemiology, etiology, and clinical course of the dermatophytoses caused by anthropophilic fungi in Cadiz, Spain, over the past 12 years. Material and methods The study, conducted between 1997 and 2008, included 2,235 samples from lesions of the skin, hair, and nails of 2,220 patients with a clinical suspicion of mycosis. Samples were examined by microscopy using potassium hydroxide and were cultured on mycological media. The dermatophytes were identified by their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Results Cultures were positive in 283 cases (12.7%). Anthropophilic dermatophytes (53.3%) were more common than zoophilic (41.3%) and geophilic (5.3%) dermatophytes. Trichophyton rubrum (38.2%) was the predominant pathogen isolated, followed by Microsporum canis (22.3%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (15.5%). Five other species of anthropophilic fungi were identified: Trichophyton tonsurans (5.6%), Trichophyton violaceum (4.9%), Epidermophyton floccosum (2.8%), Trichophyton soudanense (1.0%), and Trichophyton schoenleinii (0.7%). Infections caused by the anthropophilic fungi included tinea unguium (29.1%), tinea corporis (25.8%), tinea pedis (19.2%), tinea cruris (11.9%), tinea capitis (5.3%), and tinea faciei (3.3%). Conclusions The principal fungus responsible for dermatomycosis in Cadiz was T. rubrum, and its incidence has been rising since 2000. The prevalence of other anthropophilic fungi, such as T. tonsurans and T. violaceum, has increased, though this is not directly related to immigration. E. floccosum, T. soudanense, and T. schoenleinii are isolated occasionally.

Transcriptional profiling reveals the expression of novel genes in response to various stimuli in the human dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum

BackgroundCutaneous mycoses are common human infections among healthy and immunocompromised hosts, and the anthropophilic fungus Trichophyton rubrum is the most prevalent microorganism isolated from such clinical cases worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the transcriptional profile of T. rubrum exposed to various stimuli in order to obtain insights into the responses of this pathogen to different environmental challenges. Therefore, we generated an expressed sequence tag (EST) collection by constructing one cDNA library and nine suppression subtractive hybridization libraries.ResultsThe 1388 unigenes identified in this study were functionally classified based on the Munich Information Center for Protein Sequences (MIPS) categories. The identified proteins were involved in transcriptional regulation, cellular defense and stress, protein degradation, signaling, transport, and secretion, among other functions. Analysis of these unigenes revealed 575 T. rubrum sequences that had not been previously deposited in public databases.ConclusionIn this study, we identified novel T. rubrum genes that will be useful for ORF prediction in genome sequencing and facilitating functional genome analysis. Annotation of these expressed genes revealed metabolic adaptations of T. rubrum to carbon sources, ambient pH shifts, and various antifungal drugs used in medical practice. Furthermore, challenging T. rubrum with cytotoxic drugs and ambient pH shifts extended our understanding of the molecular events possibly involved in the infectious process and resistance to antifungal drugs.

Dermatomycosis: A potential source of zoonotic infection in cities

Skin infections in animals and humans represent a complex syndrome that is, from etiological point of view, often hard to solve. Skin is one of the largest organs and plays an important role in the organism of mammals. Depending on the age, it presents 5-8% of total body mass in humans, 12% of adult animals, and even up to 24% in newly born animals. The population of pets and stray dogs in cities provides a possibility for contacts between animals and/or humans, which is a mode of transmission for some diseases. Fungal diseases in dogs caused by dermatophyte are zoonosis, contagious infections that affect dogs and cats, but also other animals, as well as humans. There has been an overall increase in the number of the cases caused by anthropophilic fungi from the strain of Microsporum spp. and Trichophyton spp. Our research was related to animals with different changes on skin manifested by hairless surfaces, dandruff, red skin and extensive pruritus. The objective of our examination was the analyses of scarified samples and swob from canine skin with the aim to determine whether the changes were caused by dermatophytosis. Our aim was to point out the possibility of transmission of mycotic infections from animals to humans in households. For this mycological examination swobs and skin scarifications from dogs, were used. The samples were streaked on Sabo and dextrose agar and incubated at 25?C for at least 21 days. In one year period 81 samples were collected out of which 11 (13.58%) were positive for dermatophyte. In all samples Microsporum canis was isolated. The findings of Microsporum canis in 13.58% of the examined samples indicate the importance of mycological skin disorder in pets. Having in mind that this is a zoonosis, the findings point to a possibility of exposing the humans to fungal infection, affecting almost all pet owners, especially in urban environment.