Hair Baiting Technique Research Articles

Culturable keratinophilic fungi isolated from house dust by hair-baiting technique

This study isolated 38 species of fungi on potato-dextrose agar medium by a new procedure, incubating sterilized human hair on humid house dust for one month or more. The growth of keratinophilic fungi from the in-house dust was promoted by hair. In particular, Scopulariopsis, Arthrographis, Chrysosporium, and Fusarium were predominantly detected after cultivation. These fungi have been reported to cause dermatologic diseases and are considered opportunistic pathogens. Fungal flora in house dust detected by the hair-baiting technique reflects the pathogenic keratinophilic fungi more accurately than the fungi isolated on mycosel medium containing cycloheximide. Therefore, during diagnosis, the hair-baiting technique helps identify keratinophilic dermatologic fungi infected from the indoor environment. Moreover, this study discussed the nutritional and ecological characteristics of the other isolated fungi.

Drug Discovery – A New Bioactive Compounds Isolated from Natural Sources

"A rise in mortality due to fungal infections in an immunocompromised population has been observed lately. Nowadays, due to increased fungal infections, the limitations encountered in their treatment like resistance, side-effects, and high toxicity, the rising prescription and overuse of conventional antifungals all stimulate a search for alternative natural drugs therefore we are in dire need of natural newer strategies that involve reliable agents for the treatment of fungal diseases such as essential oils are known for their anti-microbial properties and are multi-component. Materials & Methods: Soil samples (66 samples) were collected from different agricultural fields and animals habitat of Saharanpur (U.P.) Isolation of keratinophilic fungi was carried out by the hair-baiting technique. Extraction of Mentha piperita & Cinnamonum vernum essential oil was carried out by hydrodistillation method and the chemical composition of both extracted essential oils was determined by Gas ChromatographyMass Spectrophotometry. Antimycotic studies of essential oils were done by the standard disc diffusion method. Results & Discussion: In the present study, the antifungal potential of Mentha piperita & Cinnamonum vernum essential oils were evaluated against three human pathogenic fungi isolated from the soil of agricultural field and animals habitat of Saharanpur (U.P.) i.e Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T.tonsurans, and T.equinum. The chemical composition of Mentha piperita & Cinnamonum vernum EO was analyzed by GC-MS. Menthol (53.28%) was the major compound of the Mentha piperita EO followed by Menthyl acetate (15.1%) and Menthofuran (11.18%). Major constituents of Cinnamonum vernum EO were linalool (8%), (E)- cinnamaldehyde (7.2%), β-caryophyllene (7.4%), eucalyptol (6.4%), and eugenol (5.6%). Conclusion: Essential oils of Mentha piperita & Cinnamonum vernum have been found to have remarkable & excellent antifungal activity against these pathogenic fungi. Present findings conclude that natural products like plant-derived EOs instead of chemotherapy and the emergence of resistance to antifungal drugs can be regarded as an environmental safety mode of disease control against pathogens. "

Predominance of Keratinophilic Fungi and Dermatohytes Species in Dumpsite Locations in Ogun State, Nigeria

This study determined the predominance of keratinophilic fungi and dermatophytes species in dumpsites located within four geopolitical zones of Ogun State, Nigeria using the traditional hair baiting technique. The physiological condition of the soil samples was analyzed to understand the role of ecophysiological parameters on the growth and survival of the inherent organisms of the studied sites while the identification of isolated organisms was carried out based on both micro and macro morphological parameters. A total of ninety four (94) strains of filamentous fungi belonging to thirteen(13) different species namely Lichtheimia corymbifera 6.3 (3.19%), Aspergillus carbonarius 1 (1.06%), Aspergillus flavus 1 (1.06%), Aspergillus fumigatus 21(22.34%), Aspergillus niger 11(11.70%), Aspergillus terreus 9(9.58%), Aspergillus versicolori 1(1.06%), Epidermophyton floccosum 6(6.38%), Microsporum gypseum 15(15.96%), Penicillium chrysogenum 4(4.26%), Trichoderma longibrachiatum1(1.06%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes 16(17.02%) and Trichophyton rubrum 5(5.33%) were identified from the sampled dumpsites. All the isolated organisms grew in pH value ranging between 5.8 and 9.1. The Shannon index of diversity was found to be approximately 1.98 while both specie’s richness and percentage of specie dominance were 13 and 22.3%, respectively. In conclusion, the dumpsites sampled showed evidence of keratinphilic fungi prone environment and should be given appropriate health attention to avoid this public health nuisance being a vehicle for the transmission of infectious diseases.

Diversity of Geophilic Dermatophytes Species in the Soils of Iran; The Significant Preponderance of Nannizzia fulva.

A molecular epidemiology study was conducted between 2016 and 2017 by a network of collaborators from 12 provinces in the Islamic Republic of Iran. A total of 1484 soil samples from different habitats were screened for the presence of dermatophytes by using the hair baiting technique. The primary identification of isolates was carried out by amplification and MvaI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the internal transcribed spacers regions of ribosomal DNA (ITS-rDNA). The identifications, especially in the cases of isolates with unknown RFLP patterns, were confirmed by sequencing of the ITS-rDNA region. As a result, 256 isolates were recovered. The isolation rate was higher in soils with pH range 7.1–8.0, collected from animal habitats (n = 78; 34%) and parks and gardens (n = 75; 32%), geographically from Mazandaran Province (n = 115; 49.5%) and seasonally in the spring (n = 129; 50.4%), all of which were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The dermatophytes comprising five species of the two genera, viz., Nannizzia fulva (n = 214), N. gypsea (n = 34), Arthroderma quadrifidum (n = 5), A. gertleri (n = 2) and A. tuberculatum (n = 1), were isolated. The geophilic dermatophytes occurred in various soils from different parts of Iran; however, surprisingly, N. fulva emerged as the dominant species, outnumbering the common geophilic species of N. gypsea. For the definitive identification of soil inhabitant dermatophytes, DNA-based identification is strongly recommended.

Prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in the garden soil samples in Western India and study of its clinical impact

Dermatophytosis has been a common contagious disease and remain an important public health problem among people worldwide and particularly in developing countries. This study was done in order to know prevalence of keratinophilic fungi in the soil samples of Ajmer region and its clinical correlation. Five samples (5gm each) of garden soil were collected from each of the randomly selected 10 sites of Ajmer region in sterile polythene bags &amp; pH of soil was recorded. All samples were processed in the laboratory using hair bait technique and incubated at 28 + 2◦C for 3-4 weeks. Fungi grown were subcultured onto Sabourauds Dextrose Agar (SDA) with chloramphenicol &amp; SDA with cycloheximide and identified using standard mycological procedures. Out of 50 soil samples cultured 28 (56%) samples were positive for keratinophilic fungi. 64.28% were dermatophytes and 12.8% were non-dermatophytic fungi. The predominant isolate among dermatophytes was spp. (64.28%) where as spp. (12.8%) was the commonest non-dermatophyte. : In our hospital, dermatophytic infection including Tinea corporis is one of the most common clinical presentations of skin infection. is commonest causative agent of Tinea corporis. Interestingly was the most commonly isolated dermatophyte in our study suggesting soil as a source of dermatophytic infections.

Identification and Biotyping of Pythium insidiosum Isolated from Urban and Rural Areas of Thailand by Multiplex PCR, DNA Barcode, and Proteomic Analyses.

Pythium insidiosum causes pythiosis, a fatal infectious disease of humans and animals worldwide. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to improve the clinical outcome of pythiosis. Diagnosis of P. insidiosum relies on immunological, molecular, and proteomic assays. The main treatment of pythiosis aims to surgically remove all affected tissue to prevent recurrent infection. Due to the marked increase in case reports, pythiosis has become a public health concern. Thailand is an endemic area of human pythiosis. To obtain a complete picture of how the pathogen circulates in the environment, we surveyed the presence of P. insidiosum in urban (Bangkok) and rural areas of Thailand. We employed the hair-baiting technique to screen for P. insidiosum in 500 water samples. Twenty-seven culture-positive samples were identified as P. insidiosum by multiplex PCR, multi-DNA barcode (rDNA, cox1, cox2), and mass spectrometric analyses. These environmental strains of P. insidiosum fell into Clade-II and -III genotypes and exhibited a close phylogenetic/proteomic relationship with Thai clinical strains. Biodiversity of the environmental strains also existed in a local habitat. In conclusion, P. insidiosum is widespread in Thailand. A better understanding of the ecological niche of P. insidiosum could lead to the effective prevention and control of this pathogen.

DNA sequence analysis of keratinophilic fungi isolated from livestock stables in the East of Iran.

Background and Purpose: Keratinophilic fungi play an important role in the decomposition of keratinous substances in nature. This capacity induces dermatomycosis in both humans and livestock. The soil of livestock stables can be a reservoir of keratinophilic fungi. Therefore, the present study was conducted to isolate and identify keratinophilic fungi in the soil of the livestock stables located in Qayen, South Khorasan Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 62 soil samples collected from livestock stables. The samples were cultured by means of hair bait technique (HBT). The identification of the isolates was performed based on their morphological characteristics and then confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of the ITS regions of ribosomal DNA.Results: A total of 118 isolates of 7 species from 5 genera were identified. Aphanoascus verrucosu (n=70, 59.36%) was detected as the dominant keratinophilic fungus, followed by Arthroderma quadrifidum (n=13, 11.01%), A. terreus (n=12, 10.16%), Acremonium (n=12, 10.16%), A. gertleri (n=5, 4.23%), Fusarium equiseti (n=3, 2.54%), and Uncinocarpus reesii (n=3, 2.54%).Conclusion: Different keratinophilic fungi were isolated from the soil of livestock stables; however, A. verrucosu was found to be the dominant species.

Dermatophytes and Other Keratinophiic Fungi in Soils of Anguilla, British West Indies (BWI)

Aims: Keratinophilic fungi include dermatophytes and a variety of other fungi. Information on their occurrence in several Caribbean countries is scarce. This study investigates occurrence of dermatophytes and other keratinophiic fungi in soils of Anguilla, British West Indies (BWI) and emphasizes its public health significance.&#x0D; Study design: Place and Duration of Study: The study was done in the Department of Microbiology, Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla (BWI). One hundred and ten samples of soils from habitats in several localities in Anguilla were examined.&#x0D; Methodology: The samples were processed by Vanbreuseghem’s hair-bait technique. Bits of fungal growth on hair-bates were cultured on Mycobiotic agar to get pure cultures. Identification of the isolates was accomplished by a detailed study of colonial characters and microscopical features of the isolates.&#x0D; Results: Eighty-five isolates of keratinophilic fungi were recovered. The identified species included two geophilic dermatophytes, Micrsporum fulvum and M. gypseum and two species of Chrysosporium, namely Chrysosporium keratinophilum and C. indicum, M. fulvum was the predominant species being recovered from 35 (31.8%) of the soil samples followed by C. keratinophilum being isolated from 15.5% of the samples. M. gypseum was present in 8 (7.3%) of the samples. The prevalence of other species was as follows: C. indicum (13.6%), Chrysosporium spp. (4.5%) and Sepedonium spp. (4.5%).&#x0D; Conclusion: The preponderance occurrence of M. fulvum over M. gypseum and that of C. keratinophilum over C. indicum in soils of Anguilla is a remarkable observation. The farmers, other workers, school children who come in contact with soil are likely to be infected with a dermatophytes and also the visitors to the beaches and the local population nearby.

Diversity of Onygenalean Fungi in Keratin-Rich Habitats of Maharashtra (India) and Description of Three Novel Taxa.

Extensive survey was carried out in the state of Maharashtra, India, as part of a 3-year project to explore keratinophilic fungal diversity for conservation and biotechnological potential. A total of 578 soil samples were collected from keratin-rich habitats across 24 districts of Maharashtra State. Hair-baiting technique and micro-dilution drop-trail method were employed for isolation and purification of keratinophilic fungi from soil. A total of 66 species belonging to 17 genera of order Onygenales were recorded in hair baits. Eleven taxa were found to be new to science, most of which were rare as they were recorded in only one sample out of the > 500 samples analyzed. Three novel taxa have been characterized at morphological and molecular level and described here as new to science. These taxa include Currahmyces indicus gen. et sp. nov., Canomyces reticulatus gen. et sp. nov., Ctenomyces indicus sp. nov. All these novel taxa are morphologically and phylogenetically distinct from known taxa of order Onygenales. The study indicates that systematic sampling of a larger area is needed to uncover the hidden (unknown) diversity of keratinophilic fungi which is overlooked in sporadic samplings as evident from previous studies.

Prevalence of keratinophiic fungi and other dermatophytes from soils of Nnewi in Anambra state, Nigeria

This study was carried out to isolate and identify the keratinophilic fungi and other dermatophytes present in soils of Otolo Nnewi, Nnewi north local government area, Anambra state, Nigeria. Eighty soil samples were collected from four habitats (playgrounds, abattoir, public parks, and poultry farms) of Otolo Nnewi; and were screened for the presence of keratinophilic fungi and dermatophytes, using hair baiting techniques for isolation of these fungi. Of which, 69 soil samples (86%) were positive for fungal growth. Fungal growth appearing on the baits after 2-4 weeks of incubation at 37°C were macroscopically and microscopically examined, and were also cultured on Sabroaud dextrose agar (SDA). These fungal isolates were identified on the basis of colony and microscopic features. A total of 150 isolates of keratinophiic fungi were detected. The isolated fungi were classified into 19 species belonging to 11 genera mainly; Chrysosporium indicum, C. tropicum, Aspergillus flavus, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton terrestre were isolated frequently. C. indicum (13%) was the most predominant isolated species; C. tropicum (12%) was the second, followed by A. flavus (11%). In the current study; M. gypseum (9.3%) was the most common isolated dermatophyte, followed by T. terrestre (6%) and T. rubrum (6%). M. canis was isolated only from soils of abattoir and public parks. Moreover, C. zonatum, T. mentagrophytes, Alternaria alternata and Fusarium oxysporum were also isolated. There was significant statistical difference (p < 0.05) between the keratinophilic fungi and dermatophytes isolated from soil samples of these different habitats. Results obtained from this study indicated the wide occurrence of keratinophilic fungi in the studied area, which were potential agents of human and animals fungal diseases.

Frequency Distribution of Keratinophilic Dermatophyte Fungi from the Soil of Different Zones in Isfahan Using Morphological and Molecular Methods.

Background:Dermatophytes are one of the most important etiologic agents of cutaneous infections in humans and animals. The present study aimed to study the frequency distribution of keratinophilic dermatophyte fungi using conventional and molecular methods in soil of Isfahan city.Materials and Methods:In this study, 200 soil samples were randomly selected in three northern, southern, and central parts of Isfahan using hair-baiting technique. The fungi were identified by morphology based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of fungi. Furthermore, the sequencing of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of the ribosomal DNA of the 60 randomly isolated fungi was investigated.Results:The results of conventional method showed that from a total of 371 fungal colonies, the highest amount of detected colonies was in the central zone (151, 40.26%). Furthermore, in all three areas, the most common detected dermatophyte was Microsporum gypseum (38.3%). The results of the molecular analysis showed that M. gypseum identified by the morphology method was Nannizzia fulva, and also, Chrysosporium sp. with the frequency of 30% in morphology method was the second dominated fungus including Chrysosporium keratinophilum (42.6%) and Chrysosporium shanxiense (21.4%) which confirmed by sequencing method.Conclusion:The results showed that keratinophilic dermatophyte fungi including Nannizzia fulva, Chrysosporium sp., and Trichophyton mentagrophytes are found in the children playgrounds in Isfahan. Therefore, health-care officials should pay more attention to these hygienic issues. C. shanxiense, which is found here for the first time in Iran, has been reported only from China.

Isolation and Identification of Keratinophilic Fungi from Cattle House Soil in Khartoum City, Sudan

The present study was done to investigate the presence of keratinophilic fungi in soil, sixty soil samples were collected randomly from bovine farms in Khartoum state. Hair baiting technique was used for isolating the fungi. Plates which contain soil and children hair were then incubated at 28ºC for one month. Ten genera and fifteen species were isolated from cattle house soils. Aspergillus species represent the highest occurrence of isolates.

DIVERSITY OF ARTHRODERMATACEAE COMMUNITIES THAT CREATE HAVOC TO THE OVERALL HEALTH OF HUMAN AND ANIMALS

Keratinous substance rich soil is most conducive for keratinophilic fungi growth and occurrence. Dermatophytes and other related fungi are potential pathogens causing human and animal dermatomycoses. Herein, this study went for screening the presence of dermatophytes and related keratinophilic fungi in various soil samples collected from different locations of Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. A total of 80 soil samples from roadsides, fields and stables were subjected for mycological analysis using modified hair-bait technique with hair of horse, cattle and goat, sheep wool, and chicken feathers as a keratin source for keratinophilic fungi growth. Keratinophilic fungi were identified according to their phenotypical characterization in combination with PCR amplification and sequencing for internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA. Keratinophilic fungi were recovered from 73.75% of soil samples (59/80). Field soils yielded a higher positivity rate for keratinophilic fungal isolates (90%) than roadsides (66.67%) and stables (58.82%). The majority of keratinophilic fungi belonged to dermatophytes (57.47%). Microsporum gypseum (50.85%) were detected in the majority of sites followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes (30.51%), Chrysosporium species (28.81%), C. keratinophilium (23.73%), C. tropicum, C. zonatum, Arthroderma multifidum, Arthroderma benhami, Arthroderma fulvum, Clonostachys species, Simplicillium obclavatum and Purpureocillium lilacinum (1.69%, each). It was found that horse and goat hair were more suitable for isolation of keratinophilic fungi with a percentage of 100% for each, followed by cattle hair (91.66%), sheep wool (87.5%) and chicken feathers (83.33%). This investigation demonstrated that the various soils of Sharkia Governorate might be critical suppliers of certain keratinophilic fungi that may constitute hazards to human and animal health. The genetic-based identification is strongly recommended for a high discriminatory identification of keratinophilic fungi.

Keratinophilic fungi from the vicinity of salt pan soils of Sambhar lake Rajasthan (India)

Forty soil samples were collected from seven sites in the vicinity of Sambhar lake Rajasthan, India and screened for the presence of keratinophilic fungi using hair baiting techniques for isolation. Seventeen isolates were recovered and identified. The cultures were identified by recognition of their macro- and micro- morphological features. Their identification was confirmed by BLAST using ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA region and sequences have been deposited in NCBI data base. A total of 34 species belonging to 29 genera were isolated. Among the dermatophytes and related keratinophilic fungi Chrysosporium indicum was predominant followed by Ctenomyces serratus, C. tropicum, Keratinophyton durus, Auxarthron conjugatum, Gymnascella dankaliensis, Gymnoascoideus petalosporus and Uncinocarpus reesii. Twenty-six species belonging to 22 genera represented other species. Our study indicates that keratinophilic fungi and species are found in the soils at the vicinity of the Sambhar Lake, and human activities can be the potential source of pathogenic fungi.

Molecular characterization of keratin degrading fungi isolated from semi-arid soil by PCR using ITS4 and ITS5 primers

This study was aimed to explore molecular characters of fungal isolates and analyze the phylogenic relationship between isolates. Soil samples collected from different habitats of Jaipur, were analyzed for the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi using the hair baiting technique. The physiological conditions of soil samples were analyzed to study the effect of environmental factors on the growth and occurrence of fungi. Keratinophilic fungi were isolated and then identified on the basis of their macro and micro morphological characteristics. The identification of fungi was confirmed by DNA sequencing by PCR amplification using ITS4 and ITS5 gene primers. The fungal species were identified by the nBLAST using fungal DNA sequences against the data available in NCBI/GenBank. The isolated keratinophilic fungal species were identified as Chaetomium seminis-citrulli and Penicillium guttulosum. These two fungi were reported first time from Rajasthan, India using hair baiting technique. Phylogenic trees were constructed using MEGA7 software with the help of keratinophilic fungi reference data retrieved from NCBI GenBank data, to study the phylogenic relationship between the isolated fungi.

Isolation of keratinophilic fungi from the soil of Greater Tunb, Abu-Musa, and Sirri islands in the Persian Gulf, Iran.

Background and Purpose:Keratinophilic fungi are among the important groups of fungi living in the soil. This study aimed to isolate and identify keratinophilic fungi from the soil of three Iranian islands, namely Greater Tunb, Abu Musa, and Sirri, located in the Persian Gulf using morphological and molecular (polymerase chain reaction) methods.Materials and Methods: In this study, a total of 60 soil samples were collected from the three islands of Greater Tunb, Abu Musa, and Sirri. The samples were analyzed for the presence of the keratinophilic fungi using a hair baiting technique. Furthermore, the identification of keratinophilic fungi was accomplished through the employment of molecular and sequencing techniques.Results:A total of 130 fungal isolates, including 11 genera with 24 species, were collected. Accordingly, Chrysosporium tropicum (24;18.5%), C. keratinophilum (17; 13.1%), Chrysosporium species (15; 11.5%), Aspergillus species ( 8;6.1%), Aspergillus flavus (8; 6.1%), Penicillium species (8;6.1%), Alternaria spp ( 6; 4.6%), Phoma species (5; 3.8%), Aphanoascus verrucosus (4;3.1%), Fusarium chlamydosporum (4; 3.1%), Aspergillus trreus (4;3.1%), Acremonium species (4; 3.1%), and other fungi( 23; 17.8 %) isolates were identified . All isolates of keratinophilic fungi were isolated from the soils with the pH range of 7-9.Conclusion:The results of this study contributed towards a better conceptualization of the incidence pattern of keratinophilic fungi in the regions of Iran. Given that no study has investigated this issue, the findings of the present study can be beneficial for the management of public health surveillance, physicians, and epidemiologists.

Morpho-Molecular Characterization of Soil Inhabitant Dermatophytes from Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran, a High Occurrence of Microsporum fulvum.

Occurrence and diversity of dermatophyte mycoflora in 298 soil samples from Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran was investigated by using the hair-baiting technique. The samples were collected during spring (n=210) and autumn (n=88) of 2015, and the fungal isolates were identified based on the macro- and micro-morphology of colonies and with further ITS-rDNA RFLP and sequencing. Totally, 60 soil samples (20.1%) were positive for dermatophyte growth whose pH varied from 7.0 to 7.9. The highest (26.6%) and the lowest (14.3%) recovery rates were from the animal resorts and the streets soils samples, respectively. Seasonally, 16.7% of the spring samples and 28.4% of the autumn samples were positive. Based on molecular identification, three species of two genera were identified viz. M. fulvum (n=57), M. canis (n=2) and zoophilic Trichophyton interdigitale (n=1). As a specific goal in the study, differentiation of the species in Microsporum gypseum complex was established by measuring the mean length and width of macroconidia in some strains of M. gypseum, M. fulvum and M. incurvatum. Mean size for macroconidia length and width in three species showed that M. gypseum and M. incurvatum can morphologically be differentiated from M. fulvum but not from each other. M. fulvum was the most abundant species isolated from the soils of Ahvaz; however, to comprehensively specify the distribution pattern of geophilic dermatophytes in the soils of this city further investigations are needed. Identification based on micro-morphometric is not effective for species distinction in M. gypseum complex, while molecular procedures based on sequencing of certain DNA regions are the most reliable and applicable strategies for this purpose.

A Distribution of Keratinophilic Fungi Isolated from the Soil of Haeundae Beach in Korea

Keratinophilic fungus (KPF), a type of dermatophytes, is usually present as normal flora on the skin of humans and animals but can produce ring worm-like dermatophytosis by invading the skin in infected individuals. They are distributed worldwide, but their occurrences vary distinctively in accordance with the geographical location and environmental change. Because these fungi grow by degrading keratin, they are abundantly found on the skin, hair, and nails, which are rich in keratin. To investigate the presence of keratinophilic fungi in the soil, we selected a popular beach in South Korea, Haeundae Beach, where numerous people gather each year during the summer holidays. Hundred soil samples were analyzed using the hair-baiting technique, among which, a total of 23 colonies of KPF were identified from 21 soil samples. The identified KPF were Microsporum gypseum (43%), Chrysosporium spp. (35%), Trichophyton ajelloi (13%), and Microsporum cookie (9%). This study confirmed that pathogenic fungi can be found in places crowded by many people. Further research and continuous data collection are needed to confirm the distribution of pathogenic KPF.

Incidence of Keratinophilic Fungi from the Selected Soils of Kaziranga National Park, Assam (India).

Seventy-eight soil samples were collected from the various locations in the vicinity of Kaziranga National Park (Assam), India, during April to October 2009 and screened for the presence of keratinophilic fungi using the hair baiting techniques for isolation. Thirty-nine isolates were recovered and identified by recognition of their macro- and micromorphological features. Their identification was also confirmed by the BLAST search of sequences of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA region against the NCBI/GenBank data and compared with deposited sequences for identification purpose. Eleven species related to seven genera were recorded viz. Aphanoascus durus (1.28%), Arthroderma tuberculatum (3.84%), Arthroderma corniculatum (1.28%), Chrysosporium indicum (16.66%), C. tropicum (3.84%), Ctenomyces serratus (5.12%), Keratinophyton punsolae (1.28%), Microsporum appendiculatum (1.28%), Microsporum gypseum complex (11.53%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (11.28%) and T. terrestre (2.56%).

Survey of Keratinophilic Fungi in the Tigris River in Baghdad

The present study includs the isolation and identification of Keratinophilic fungi in fresh water samples collected from Tigris river in Baghdad, Iraq. Samples were collected from different districts of Baghdad (Al-Rustumia, Madina Al-Teb, Al-Azamia, Al-Kadimia, Al-Dorha and Al-Kanah). The water samples were examined for keratinophilic fungi by the plating method culturing and Hair Baiting Technique. A total number of 18 genera are recorded, in which the Tigris water indicates an impressive diversity of fungi. A variety of fungal strains were isolated from river water, out of 814 fungal colonies, Aspergillus terrus (5.5%) was the most frequent species, followed by Aspergillus niger (5.2%) then Rhizopus stolonifer (3.3%). The results revealed that the highest number of fungal species are found in water surface near the margin (75%) followed by the fungi isolated from water surface in the middle of the river (25%), whereas the number of fungi in 50 cm depth from water surface near the margin and 50 cm depth from water surface in the middle of the river is 17.10% and 12.20% species respectively. The results suggest that the Tigris river is a potential transmission route of fungi and a healthily hazard mainly for the immune depressed individual.