Aspergillus Colonies Research Articles

Semiinvasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The purpose of this study is to assess the radiographic, thin-section CT, and histologic findings of semiinvasive aspergillosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study included nine patients with COPD seen at the Hospital de Sant Pau during a 3-year period who had histopathologically proven aspergillosis with tissue invasion. Chest radiography and thin-section (2-mm collimation) CT of the chest were available in all cases. Nine patients had semiinvasive aspergillosis proven at autopsy (n = 7) or by thoracoscopically guided lung biopsy (n = 2). The radiologic findings consisted of parenchymal consolidation (n = 6) and nodules larger than 1 cm in diameter (n = 3). Parenchymal consolidation involved the upper lobes in five patients and was bilateral in four. Cavitation was present in two of the patients with consolidation and in two of the patients with nodular opacities. Adjacent pleural thickening was revealed by CT in four patients. Histologically, the areas of consolidation represented active inflammation and intraalveolar hemorrhage containing Aspergillus organisms. In the three patients with multiple cavitated nodules, a variable degree of central necrosis was observed. The inflammatory infiltrate extended into the surrounding lung parenchyma, and adjacent areas of hemorrhage were also seen. Aspergillus colonies were identified within the lung tissue. Upper lobe consolidation or multiple nodules in patients with COPD should raise the possibility of semiinvasive aspergillosis.

Aspergillus species isolated from clinical specimens: suggested clinical and microbiological criteria to determine significance

OBJECTIVE: To test a case-definition score for its usefulness in the diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis and to determine microbiological criteria useful in assessing the significance of isolating Aspergillus species from lower respiratory tract specimens (LRTS). METHODS: With the exception of cystic fibrosis patients, all patients with Aspergillus isolated from LRTS were classified according to a clinical case-definition ratio as: (i) colonized patients; (ii) patients with isolates of undetermined significance; (iii) patients with proven or probable pulmonary aspergillosis. Retrospective review of pathology records led to the identification of additional patients with histologically compatible pulmonary aspergillosis. Microbiological variables were compared between aspergillosis and colonization groups. RESULTS: Seventy-six isolates of Aspergillus species were obtained from 73 patients. For patients with proven (n=2) or histologically compatible pulmonary aspergillosis (n=5), the case definition ratio was always higher than 0.3; no patient with proven disease was classified into the colonized group. Compared to patients considered to be colonized (n=26), patients with proven or probable pulmonary aspergillosis showed a significant difference in the total number of Aspergillus colonies cultured per episode. In addition, for bronchoalveolar lavage specimens, the mean number of Aspergillus colonies/agar plate was also significantly higher in the latter group. The sensitivity and specificity of Aspergillus spp. detection by culture of LRTS for proven or probable pulmonary aspergillosis was 35.7% and 70.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The case-definition ratio used in this study helps interpret the clinical significance of Aspergillus isolated from LRTS. Data for assessment should include the absolute number of colonies recovered from culture of any LRTS and, for bronchoalveolar lavage, the mean number of Aspergillus colonies per agar plate.

Contamination of microscope slides with Aspergillus glaucus group A: a laboratory problem in the diagnosis of suspected mycotic infections.

The microscopic examination of lesions of patients with suspected mycotic infections using slides purchased from foreign countries often showed hyphae. The slides and their wrappings were cultured successfully on Sabouraud...

Parasellar Aspergillus granuloma extending from the sphenoid sinus: Report of two cases

Sphenoid sinus aspergillosis is a rare disease known to show an aggressive course with high mortality. Early diagnosis, though difficult, is required to prevent lethal fungal meningoencephalitis. We describe two cases of parasellar Aspergillus granuloma extending from the sphenoid sinus clinically indistinguishable from intracranial neoplasms. In the first patient, the fungus colony was visualized by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a calcified concretion and total removal was curative. In the second patient, partial removal and subsequent antifungal therapy had minimal effect. The prognosis of the patients with this disease depends on prompt surgical treatment before intradural invasion occurs, and CT and MRI are useful diagnostic maneuvers for detecting calcified Aspergillus colonies.

A simple mathematical modeling of the growth of microorganism colonies

The growth rates of aspergillus, fusarium, and penicillium microorganism colonies in ‘Czapex Dox Agar’ as a feed material, under room conditions, are observed to be linear. This phenomenon is mathematically modeled and exactly predicted on the basis of the exponential growth assumption of a single microorganism. The approach allows an easy determination of the multiplication constant of a ‘had microorganisms been allowed to grow freely’ microorganism, in given conditions.

Localization of free sulphydryl groups by ferricyanide reduction in developing conidiophores of Aspergillus nidulans.

Light and electron microscope observations were made on colonies ofAspergillus nidulans treated before fixation with the ferricyanide reaction of Chevremont & Frederic. Sulphydryl groups, blockable by maleimide, were found at the conidiophore surface, internal to the wall, especially at the septa. Maleimide-stable reactivity, and at first some sulphydryl reactivity, was associated with the pigmenting regions of the exterior of the wall. No reactivity was found at any growing apex and none on the cell surface until the end of a budding cycle. The free sulphydryl groups were, therefore, associated with cell surface activity in the maturing cell immediately prior to pigmentation.

Phenotypic specificity of aneuploid states in Aspergillus nidulans.

SUMMARYHyperhaploid and hyperdiploid colonies ofAspergillus nidulans, disomic or trisomic for one or more chromosomes respectively, are abnormal in phenotype and somatically unstable. It has been shown for Glasgow strains that a different specific phenotype arises, depending upon which chromosome is additional (Pollard, Käfer & Johnston, 1968). This report extends this system and shows that irrespective of the residual genetic background of the isolate, the system of phenotypic specificity applies.

Aspergilli in the air-spora at Cambridge

The air-spora was investigated using an Andersen sampler. During 1966 and 1967, 310 colonies of Aspergillus were recorded and 14 species were identified. The commonest species were A. amstelodami (Mangin) Thom & Church, A. fumigatus Fres., A. repens de Bary and A. versicolor (Vuill.) Tiraboschi. The genus as a whole showed a tendency to occur more frequently in the winter and spring.

A New Eurotium from Rough Rice Stored in Mexico

In 1963, samples of Oryza sativa L. cv. 'Bluebonnet,' grown in southern Mexico, were conditioned to various moisture contents between 13 and 18%, and stored so as to maintain the original moisture contents practically unchanged while still permitting some exchange of air. Periodically kernels were removed and tested for moisture content, germination percentage, and percentage of surface disinfected kernels yielding storage fungi. From kernels stored for 1 to 2 months at mois? ture contents just above and below 14%, then surface disinfected and cultured, colonies of Aspergillus grew out that appeared to be of an undescribed species. Some of the colonies were white, some (about sorghum brown of Ridgway (5) or slightly darker), some intermediate. Occasionally all 3 types or color phases grew from a single kernel. One sample of rice, for example, stored at a moisture content of 14% for 2 months, yielded white colonies from 30% of the surface disin? fected kernels cultured on MS-10, and or mixed color colonies from 80%. The purpose of the present paper is to describe this fungus and to summarize the information obtained from studies of it to date.

A SOLUTION FOR STAINING DIFFERENTIALLY THE SPORES AND VEGETATIVE CELLS OF MICRO-ORGANISMS

A solution for staining differentially the spores and vegetative cytoplasm of bacteria, yeasts, and certain fungi has been developed. The solution is a mixture of two phenyl methane dyes, malachite green and basic fuchsin; it can be used as a concentrated aqueous solution or as a dilute saline solution. It is not necessary to use heat, though heating is recommended for staining "ripe" spores of bacteria. Decolorization and counterstaining are not required. Bacterial and yeast spores are stained blue or greenish-blue, vegetative cytoplasm light violet or pink. Young bacterial cells stain a deep violet, older cells light violet; the solution can thus be used as a general stain. The acid-fast organism Mycobacterium berolinensis was stained greenish-blue with the granules violet. The saline solution is recommended as a differential stain with young colonies of Aspergillus and Penicillium; the terminal growing tips and young branches of hyphae are stained blue, older hyphae light violet, spores and conidiophores blue.