Sabouraud Dextrose Agar Medium Research Articles

Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction-based identification of dystrophic onychomycosis

Background and Objective: Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nails; when caused by dermatophytes, it is called as Tinea unguium. The aim was to explicate the utility of arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) to augment the early and accurate clinical diagnosis of dystrophic onychomycosis. Materials and Methods: The collected nail samples were divided into three portions. The first portion was explored for direct microscopic examination, the second portion was used for culturing of the nail samples on sabouraud dextrose agar media, and the third portion was used for DNA extraction followed by AP-PCR identification of dermatophytes. Results: All 48 samples with dystrophic onychomycosis were diagnosed by three methods, namely, 20% Potassium hydroxide microscopy, culture growth, and AP-PCR. With all the methods, Trichophyton rubrum was found as major causative agents for dermatophyte nail infection (60%), followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes (23% cases). AP-PCR is a convenient method to achieve a higher dermatophyte identification rate with lesser time and shows complete concordance with conventional culture for two Trichophyton species. Conclusion: AP-PCR is a rapid, specific, and sensitive procedure for the diagnosis of nail fungal infection.

Isolation, Identification and Antifungal Susceptibility of Dermatophytes Isolated from Clinically Suspected Cases of Tinea Infections in Pakistan

Dermatophytosis or tinea is a type of cutaneous infection caused by keratinophilic fungi, infecting the skin, nails and hair. A correct diagnosis is important for epidemiological purposes and initiating appropriate treatment. An increase in the prevalence of fungal infection worldwide is due to abuse of antibiotics, immunosuppressive treatments and numerous medical conditions.
 Aim: To isolate, identify, and examine the in-vitro antifungal susceptibility of dermatophytes in clinically suspected cases of tinea infections.
 Methodology: After taking informed consent, we took 65 patients suspected of tinea infection and obtained samples from skin, hair and nail, under aseptic precautions, at Department of Microbiology, University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore, Pakistan. The identification of dermatophytes was performed using potassium hydroxide (KOH) mounts and culture on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and Dermatophyte Test Medium (DTM). The cultures were incubated at 30ºC for up to 4 weeks in case of SDA and 2 weeks in case of DTM. Lactophenol cotton blue (LCB) stain was used to identify the species morphologically. Susceptibility test was done by agar diffusion method using antifungal disks and zones of inhibition were measured.
 Results: More females (55.38%) than males (44.61%) were observed in the study. Most of the cases belonged to the age categories of 1-10 years and 21-30 years. Tinea corporis was the most common clinical type found (27.69%) followed by Tinea capitis (21.53%) and Tinea cruris (12.30%).Trichophyton mentagrophytes was the commonest species isolated (32%) followed by Trichophyton violaceum (28%) and Trichophyton rubrum (12%). Terbinafine was seen to be the most effective drug against the isolates, followed by clotrimazole. Fluconazole showed least activity.
 Conclusion: Fungal culture remains the gold standard in identifying the causative species. Terbinafine promises to be a potent antifungal, whereas fluconazole has low efficacy against such organisms. Disk diffusion method adopted for antifungal susceptibility is cost effective and easily performable in small laboratories not having an established mycology bench.

Prevalence, diagnosis and experimental challenge of Dermocystidium sp. infection in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Egypt

This study confirms the systemic position of Dermocystidium sp. in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) internal organs (liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach and intestine). Our work reveals an entire approach for Dermocystidium sp. including prevalence, diagnosis, spores multiplication, experimental infection and histopathological examination. A total of 1388 Nile tilapia (766 cultured fish and 622 wild fish) were collected from May 2012 to May 2014 and screened for Dermocystidium infection. The total prevalence of infection was 35.5% and was higher in wild (45%) than cultured fish (27.8%). The highest rates of infection were recorded in the largest fish and in winter. Several different techniques were employed to detect and identify Dermocystidium sp. from the internal organs of infected hosts including macroscopic examination, microscopic observation of tissue squashes, histological examination and in vitro culture. Infected fish were sluggish and suffered from severe ulceration and black discoloration of the skin. The post-mortem lesion included dark-grayish nodules on internal organs, particularly the liver. Squash preparations from the internal organs revealed spherical spores (signet-ring shape), which is characteristic for Dermocystidium sp. The spores showed multiplication in the freshly dead host tissue. Our study demonstrated new successful attempts for in vitro culture of Dermocystidium either on Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium after adjusting pH of media to 3.5 or on Sabouraud's dextrose agar media enriched with duck decoction 10%. Experimental infection revealed that intra-gastric route was more pathogenic than the immersion route. In histopathological sections from infected fish tissue following natural and experimental infection, spherical spores of Dermocystidium were embedded in the affected tissue. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report of Dermocystidium infection in wild Nile tilapia in Egypt.

Onychomycosis: Correlation between the dermoscopic patterns and fungal culture.

Onychomycosis is a dermatophyte fungal infection of the nail plate, bed, and the matrix, leading to the gradual damage which often considered a cosmetic problem. Several presentations of onychomycosis: distolateral subungual (DLSOM), superficial white, proximal subungual, endonyx, and total dystrophic (TDOM). Although the diagnosis relies on mycological results, there are three specific dermoscopic findings for onychomycosis: a jagged edge of the onycholytic area, with spikes directed to the proximal fold, white-yellow longitudinal striae in the onycholytic nail plate, and colored parallel bands. The objective of this diagnostic cross-sectional study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dermoscopy as a low-cost tool compared with fungal culture in patients with onychomycosis. This study was carried out on 40 patients with a clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis collected from dermatology outpatient clinic of Alzahraa University Hospital after approval from the research ethics committee of Al-Azhar University. For each patient, dermoscopic imaging of nail was done. And nail scrapings, culture on sabouraud's dextrose agar medium, and dermatophyte test agar medium. Informed written consent was taken from all patients, and the data collected from dermoscopic and laboratory results were statistically evaluated. Concerning the dermoscopic features, longitudinal white striae, jagged proximal edge with spikes, were the most commonly detected in DLSOM and TDOM. Linear edge was exclusive to traumatic onycholysis. Laboratory results: Aspergillus specieswas the most common detected fungus (45%) followed by Candida (32.5%). Dermoscopy could facilitate the diagnosis of onychomycosis and differentiate it from mycologically negative onycholysis.

Molecular and morphological identification of fungi isolated from sour cherry, plum and apple fruit leather in Iran

IntroductionDried fruits such as sour cherry, plum, and apple are produced in the Semnan region. Since these products are processed and produced exposed to the air in the traditional way, the risk of their emergence is very high for microbial agents, especially those in the air. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine the contamination and its level. Materials and methodsThe specimens were fruit leather of sour cherry, plums, and apple. They were randomly collected from Semnan, Shahmirzad and Mahdishahr markets and transferred to the laboratory. In order to study macroscopic and microscopic morphological studies, the specimens were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar medium under sterile conditions. Four fungi that were important for their toxin productions, such as Penicillium, Sporothrix, Alternaria, and Rhizopus, were tested for molecular characterization. The primers used were based on the ribosomal region of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, ITS2, and ITS4). DNA extraction was performed using the phenol-chloroform method. Finally, the samples were sequenced. ResultsAfter obtaining single colonies and studying them by microscopic methods and slide cultures, nine species of fungi were identified. The results showed that a total of 48 isolates, the genera Alternaria, Penicillium, and Rhizopus were the most frequent. The sequences were a BLAST. Species of Rhizopus stolonifer, Alternaria alternata, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Sporothrix cyanescens were identified. ConclusionConsidering the toxicity of known species, the food to be studied before being consumed by the buyer should be investigated for the presence of fungal contaminations, especially toxicogenic fungi, and their mycotoxins.

Changing face of Candida colonization pattern in pediatric patients with hematological malignancy during repeated hospitalizations, results of a prospective observational study (2016\u20132017) in shiraz, Iran

BackgroundSurveillance of current changes in the epidemiology of Invasive Fungal Diseases (IFDs) as an important component of the antifungal stewardship programs (ASP), requires careful regular monitoring, especially in high-risk settings such as oncology centers. This study aimed to examine Candida colonization status and corresponding current changes in children with malignancy during repeated admissions and also investigate the possible epidemiological shifts after the implementation of ASP.MethodsIn this prospective observational study, all eligible patients younger than 18 years were recruited during 2016–2017 at Amir Medical Oncology Center (AMOC) in Shiraz, Iran. Totally, 136 patients were enrolled and 482 samples were collected from different sites (oral/nasal discharges, urine and stool). Weekly regular sampling was carried out during hospitalization. Candida colonization status and epidemiological changes were monitored during repeated admissions. Samples were cultivated on Sabouraud Dextrose agar medium and identified by Polymerase Chain Reaction -Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).ResultsEstimated Candida colonization incidence was 59.9% (82/136) in our patients. Candida colonization was found to be higher in oral cavity and rectum than that in nasal cavity. Among those long-term follow ups and repetitive hospitalizations, a significant number of patients exhibited changes in their colonization patterns (37.7%). Candida colonization did not reveal any significant relationship with age, sex, oncologic diseases and degree of neutropenia. C. albicans (72.0%) was found as the most common Candida species in colonized patients, followed by C. krusei, C. kefyr, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis.ConclusionGiven the high incidence of Candida infections in children with cancers, close monitoring of epidemiologic changes is essential for judicious management, based on local surveillance data and improvement of overall quality of care in high risk patients.

Inhibitory Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Olive Leaf (Olea europaea) on Growth of Candida albicans

Introduction and Aim: Candida albicans is the most common and pathogenic species of Candida genus, known to be the fourth most common cause of blood infections. The present study investigates the inhibitory effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Olive leaf on growth of this yeast in vitro.
 Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, fresh Olive leaf were collected from its natural habitat in Gotvand city and after washing the leaves were dried in a sterile environment. After verifying the plant species and receiving the herbarium code, the leaf of the plant was completely ground and the 80% hydroalcoholic extract of the plant was prepared by maceration method. Serial dilutions of extract were then prepared in RPMI 1640 medium from 256 to 1 mg/mL. Afterwards, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of this extract for fungus was achieved after 48 hours exposure of the extract to the yeast Suspension using micro broth dilution method and re-culturing on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) medium and colony counting.
 Results: After counting the yeast colonies grown on Sabouraud dextrose agar and performing one-way ANOVA statistical analysis at the significance level less than 0.05, Although all concentrations of equal to or greater than 4 mg / mL of extract had a significant difference from positive control colonies count, according to the concepts of MIC and MFC, concentrations of 8 and 32 mg / mL were considered as them, respectively.
 Conclusion: Olive seems to be a proper complementary drug in the treatment of Candida albicans. Needless to say, this requires extensive pharmacological studies and the evaluation of the possible toxicity of the derivatives and compounds of this plant.

Survey of fungi found in books on the shelves of the libraries of the University of Qadisiyah – Iraq

The study included a survey of the fungal pollutants prevalent in the libraries of the University of Qadisiyah. The study included the Central Library and the Library of the Faculty of Science, Education, Literature, Veterinary Medicine, Law, Administration and Economics. For the purpose of study swabs were taking from Books on the library shelves. Wipes were cultured on the Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) medium and incubated at 25 ° C for one week to observe and diagnose growth. The results showed that there was contamination in the books in the libraries mentioned above. The Faculty of Science library was the most polluted, followed by the Central Library. The dominant fungi were Aspergillus, followed by Pnicillium, Rhizopus, Alternara and Fusarium. The effect of antiseptics on this isolated exhibited in the libraries mentioned above was examined by using Formalin, Dettol, Hydrex, Povidon and Povidon-Iodine. The results shows that there is a danger to the workers and those who return to the libraries, which confirms the existence of an urgent need to prevent the danger of these fungi and find effective solutions.

EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF EUCALYPTUS SP., NERIUM OLEANDER AND ALLIUM SATIVUM ON THE GROWTH OF DERMATOPHYTES

The surface mycosis of skin, hair and nails are common infections in the world. They are due to the several molds and yeasts. The main agent responsible for these affections is the dermatophytes: filamentous fungi which live in depending on the keratin of the cornea layer, the skin and the superficial growths of human and animal. Their distributions vary from one country to another and area to another in the same country, according to the climate of each area and favors factors development of these fungi. The dermatophytes pose serious problems of health. The thhhThe aim of the present study is to evaluate the inhibitory effect of aqueous extracts of three plants against three dermatophytic species induce dermatophytosis in the area of Annaba "East of Algeria", isolated from patients reached of the dermatophytosis. We have isolated three species (Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton verrucosum and Microsporum ferrugeneum) using Sabouraud Dextrose Agar medium (SDA), that were tested with crude extracts of three plants; Allium sativum (garlic), Nerium oleander (oleander), and Eucalyptus sp. (eucalyptus). The method applied was the solid state dilutions. The obtained results showed that all extracts examined reduced growth of mycelium compared to the controls. It was found that garlic crude extracts proved the highest growth inhibition against the three species (38, 59% to 100%), followed by eucalyptus with 60% to 80%, whereas, oleander reduces the growth with 50% to 60%.

The beneficial effect of Indonesian propolis wax from Tetragonula sp. as a therapy in limited vaginal candidiasis patients.

Vaginal candidiasis characterized by abnormal vaginal discharge and itching usually treated by azole’s drug or nystatin; however, some results of treatment are unsatisfied and become recurrent. Propolis containing polyphenols and flavonoids is known to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. This study investigated the effect of Indonesian propolis wax from Tetragonula sp. as a therapy in limited vaginal candidiasis patients. The subjects were women who came to the Tasik Community Health Centre met the inclusion criteria such as clinical complaint and laboratory evaluation (positive hyphae/pseudohyphae and culture on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) medium) from a vaginal swab. Evaluation of anti-candida effect of propolis was determined by clinical remission and the absence of Candida’s growth on SDA medium. Forty subjects were randomly assigned to those receiving treatment by ovule propolis (n = 20) and that treatment by nystatin (n = 20) as a control, once daily, for seven days, respectively. All methods have been approved by the Ethics Commission of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia. Our results indicated no significant difference in the laboratory evaluation of patients who have treated ovule propolis compared to standard therapy. This study suggests that propolis wax has a beneficial effect to develop as an anti-candida agent for vaginal candidiasis therapy.

Oral Candidal carriage and associated risk indicators among adults in Sakaka, Saudi Arabia

BackgroundCandida is a ubiquitous organism in nature which inhabits the oral cavity as part of the normal microbial flora. The oral carriage of Candida is perpetuated by several predisposing factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the carriage rate of Candida among 104 voluntary adults at the college of medicine - Jouf University. The concentrated oral rinse technique using Sabouraud Dextrose agar medium supplemented with 0.05% Chloramphenicol was used to isolate Candida. The relative factors affecting the colonization of Candida and the concentration of each type were also determined.ResultsCandida species were isolated from the oral cavity of 45 (43.4%) subjects. Of these 55.6% were identifies as C. albicans as determined by the Vitek 2 compact system. Other Candida species were represented by C. glabrata (11.1%), C. krusei (11.1%), C. dubliniensis (8.9%), C. parapsilosis (6.7%), C. tropicalis (4.4%), and C. famata (2.2%). Subjects with very poor plaque status, severe gingivitis and diabetes had significantly (P = 0.001) high concentration of Candida spp.ConclusionPlague, severe gingivitis, and diabetes were found to be significantly associated with higher Candida colonization.

Epidemiological characterization of dermatophytes at a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India.

Background and Purpose:Superficial mycosis is more prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries, such as India. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to determine the epidemiology of superficial mycosis and identify the most common dermatophytic species in this region.Materials and Methods:For the purpose of the study, a total of 220 skin scraping, nail, and hair root specimens were collected. Direct microscopic examination was performed using potassium hydroxide mount. Additionally, the samples were inoculated onto Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) and dermatophyte test medium (DTM). The fungal colony of each isolates was stained with lactophenol cotton blue mount, and observed under microscope for species identification.Results:Out of 220 isolates, 172 samples, obtained from 108 males 64 females, were positive for skin fungal infections by either KOH mount or culture. Furthermore, 113 isolates were identified as dermatophytes, while 59 samples were found to be non-dermatophytes. Among the dermatophytes isolated from different clinical samples, Trichophyton verrucosum (42/113, 38%) was the most common species, and Tinea corporis was the most common infection (36.2%).Conclusion:As the findings indicated, dermatophytes had an isolation rate of 78%, which is higher than normal. This can be due to the fact that the majority of the patients were from a rural background (71.7%) with a low socioeconomic status and poor personal hygiene who were exposed to climatic changes.

Aspergillus Diversity Associated with Fungal Diseases on Fish with Molecular Based

Fungal diseases are frequently occur in fish culture. The aim of this research was to find out the diversity of Aspergillusassociated with fungal diseases in catfish and Tilapia based on 16S rDNA gene sequences in central Java Indonesia. The combination between exploratory in the field and experiment, method were applied. In order to find out the Aspergillus prevalence, 48 fish were collected from fish pond of Demak, Klaten and Semarang Regency. Based on the clinical sign, 24 moribund fish were chosen for fungus isolation. As a result, 21 fungi isolates (FTD01–FTD05; FTK01-FTK08; FCB01-FCB08) were gained from external wounds of fish with Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) medium. Based on the Postulate Koch result showed that three isolates (FTD03, FTK07 and FCB01) that were caused 20 – 80% of fish get sick and mortal. On the basis of sequence 16S rDNA analysis, the result showed that FTK01, FTK07, and FCB01 were closely related toAspergillus flavus (100%); Aspergillus niger (71%)and Aspergillus fumigatus (77%) respectively.

Clinico-mycological study and comparison of efficacy of three different techniques of sample collection from skin lesions for potassium hydroxide mount preparation in dermatophytoses

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Dermatophytoses are superficial fungal infections which invade and multiply within keratinized tissue. The KOH mount is one of the useful procedures and believed to be more reliable than culture for demonstrating dermatophytes. A few studies in the past have demonstrated the usefulness of alternative methods of sample collection for KOH preparation, but data on sensitivity and specificity of these methods is lacking. The aim of the study was to study the clinic-mycological aspects of dermatophytoses and to compare the efficacy of three different sampling techniques from skin lesions and correlating KOH mount with culture results.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> 210 clinically diagnosed patients with dermatophytic infection attending outpatient department of Dermatology of a tertiary care hospital for duration of 2 years (September 2015 to October 2017) were included. The samples were collected from skin, hair and nail. These samples were used for direct microscopy by KOH mount and fungal cultures by Sabouraud dextrose agar media.<strong></strong></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Of the total of 210 patients, maximum were in age group of <10 years (74 cases), male: female - 1.2:1. Tinea corporis was commonest presentation (40.5%). Overall direct microscopy positivity was 81% while three different techniques from the glabrous skin and groins lesions was scraping method (97%), cellophane tape method (96%), skin surface biopsy (SSB) (98%) and culture in (89%). <em>T. rubrum</em> was commonest species isolate (37.7%).</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Tinea corporis was the commonest clinical type followed tinea capitis. <em>T. rubrum</em> were commonest dermatophytes isolated. All three methods of sampling were suitable for routine sample collection. The KOH mount helped rapid confirmation of clinical diagnosis.</p>

The homeobox gene MaH1 governs microcycle conidiation for increased conidial yield by mediating transcription of conidiation pattern shift-related genes in Metarhizium acridum.

Conidiation capacity and conidial quality are very important for the production and application of mycopesticides. Most filamentous ascomycetous fungi have two distinct patterns of conidiation. Conidiation through microcycle conidiation proceeds to more rapidly achieve a maximum of conidial yield than normal conidiation and hence is of greater merit for exploitation in mass production of fungal insect pathogens, such as Metarhizium acridum. In this study, the mechanism underlying the conidiation pattern shift in M. acridum was explored by characterization of the fungal homeobox gene MaH1. MaH1 was evidently localized to the nuclei of hyphae and transcriptionally expressed at a maximal level when conidiation began. Intriguingly, deletion of MaH1 in M. acridum resulted in a shift of normal conidiation to microcycle conidiation on one-quarter strength Sabouraud's dextrose agar medium, and hence accelerated conidiation and increased conidial yield. In the deletion mutant, moreover, conidia became larger in size and hyphae cells were shorter in length while conidial virulence and stress tolerance were not altered. As revealed by digital gene expression profiling, MaH1 controlled the shift of conidiation patterns by mediating transcription of a set of genes related to hyphal growth, cell differentiation, conidiation, and some important signaling pathways. These findings indicate that MaH1 and its downstream genes can be exploited to increase the conidial yield for more efficient production of mycopesticides.

Evaluation of candidal species among individuals with oral potentially malignant disorders and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Context:Cancer afflicts almost all communities worldwide. Although it arises de novo in many instances, a significant proportion of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) develops from potentially malignant disorders (PMDs). Further, the association of Candida with various potentially malignant and malignant lesions has been reported as a causative agent.Aims:The aim of the study is to evaluate and intercompare the predominant candidal species among individuals with PMD and OSCC.Subjects and Methods:The swab samples were collected for the microbiological culture followed by incisional biopsy for histopathological confirmation. The swab samples were streaked and incubated on Sabouraud-dextrose agar medium and positive candidal colonies were incubated on CHROM agar for speciation.Settings and Design:A total of clinically diagnosed 95 subjects of which 25 as normal controls, 30 as PMDs and 40 as OSCC were included. The collected swab samples were initially streaked and incubated on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) medium, and later, only positive candidal colonies were incubated on CHROM agar for speciation.Statistical Analysis:Chi-square test was utilized.Results:Positive candidal growth on SDA medium was seen in 24%, 43% and 82% and negative in 76%, 57% and 18% individuals of normal controls, PMDs and OSCC, respectively. On evaluation on Chromagar medium, Candida species was present in 20%, 40% and 77% and absent in 80%, 60% and 23% individuals among controls, PMDs and OSCC group, respectively. On speciation of Candida in CHROMagar among the controls, PMDs and OSCC, Candida albicans species was present in 4 (16%), 7 (23%) and 4 (10%); Candida krusei in 1 (4%), 5 (17%) and 10 (25%); Candida glabrata in nil, nil and 6 (20%) and Candida tropicalis in nil, nil, and 2 (5%) cases, respectively.Conclusion:There was predominant carriage of candidal species in PMDs and OSCC, but whether Candida has specific establishment in PMDs or in malignancy is still a matter of debate.

Characterization of oral yeasts isolated from healthy individuals attended in different Colombian dental clinics

The aim of this study was to identify the most frequent yeasts in the oral cavity of adult individuals without immune disorders and to associate the presence of these oral yeasts with different characteristics of each individual. Oral rinse samples were obtained from 96 healthy adults and cultured in Sabouraud dextrose agar media and CHROMagar. Yeasts were identified by sequencing the D1/D2 region of the 28S <i>rRNA</i> gene. Probable association among the socio-demographic characteristics, body mass index, family and personal medical history, oral hygiene, tobacco and/or alcohol consumption habits and presence of oral fungi was analyzed. Contingency tables and logistic regression were employed to evaluate possible relationships between the presence of oral fungi and mixed colonization with these variables. 57.3% of the healthy individuals had oral yeasts and 21.8% had mixed colonization. The most prevalent yeasts were <i>Candida albicans</i> (52%), <i>C. parapsilosis</i> (17.9%), and <i>C. dubliniensis</i> (7.57%). Yeasts with most frequently mixed colonization were <i>C. albicans</i> and <i>C. parapsilosis</i>. No relationships were found among the variables analyzed. However, the presence of mixed colonization was related to the presence of dental prostheses (<i>P</i>&lt;0.006), dental apparatuses (<i>P</i>=0.016) and O'Leary index (<i>P</i>=0.012). This is the first study that characterized oral yeasts in Colombian healthy individuals, determined the most prevalent oral yeasts <i>C. albicans</i>, <i>C. parapsilosis</i> and <i>C. dublinensis</i> and an association of mixed colonization with the use of dental prostheses and aparatology and poor hygiene.

Evaluation of the Storage Quality of Coconut Seed Using Extracts of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Mangifera indica&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Against &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Ceratocysis paradoxa,&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; the Bole Rot Fungus

The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera Linn) is undoubtedly the most economically important species in the palm family of Areacacea. Coconut meal is solely prepared from the coconut seed which, has been found to be attacked by several disease causing microorganisms especially <i>Ceratocysis paradoxa</i>, a fungus that causes the devastating Bole rot disease. The study is designed to assess the storage stability of coconut seed by applying bioorganic extracts of <i>Mangifera indica</i> on the bole rot pathogen, <i>Ceratocysis paradoxa</i>. Four different concentrations (3, 6, 9 and 12 %) of the stem and root extracts of <i>M. indica</i> were obtained using a fair-fold sterile cheese cloth and tested on the fungus cultured on plates of Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) medium. Data obtained was analysed using the two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The result showed significant fungal mycelial growth inhibition with the 9% root extract concentration than the stem extracts concentrations. The antifungal properties of M. indica root extract can be further harnessed, processed and packaged as one of the natural bioorganic alternatives to chemical fungicides.

The investigation of type and concentration of bio-aerosols in the air of surgical rooms: A case study in Shariati hospital, Karaj

The presence of bio-aerosols is one of the main causes of hospital infections that can be dangerous especially for immunocompromised patients. This research aimed to determine the relationship between hospital infections and surgical incision size in addition to determining the concentration and bacterial and fungal bioaerosols found in the operating rooms. This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was carried out in the operating rooms of Shariati Hospital in Karaj, Iran during the years 2016 and 2017. A total of 198 bacterial samples and 198 fungal samples were collected and analyzed using a passive sampling standard method (1/1/1) for 180 days. Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) medium were used for bacterial and fungal samples, respectively. Relevant differential tests were used to determine the genus and species of bacteria and fungi such as DNase test, Bile-esculin, motility test urease test. In general, this work presents:•The present evaluated the relationship between bioaerosols concentration and surgical incision size.•The intraoperative concentration of bacterial and fungal bioaerosols in indoor air of the orthopedic, internal and cesarean operating rooms was significantly higher than their preoperative concentration (p-value<0.05).•Also, there was not significant difference between the bacterial and fungal concentrations in various operating rooms) p-value<0.05).

Evaluation of Factors that may Cause False Positive Growth Signals in Blood Cultures-As the Word 'Factors' will Include Both Microbial and Patients as well as Others

Background: In the present study, it was aimed to identify the microorganism and the factors due to the patients which may cause false positive results in automated blood culture systems, and to evaluate the parameters to be used in interpreting the results correctly. Materials and methods: The study was carried out between 2016-2017. Fully automated Bact/Alert 3D (BioMerieux, France) system was used as the blood culture method. Blood cell counting was evaluated by fluorescence flow cytometry method. When the signal was received from the blood culture system, the presence of microorganism was first investigated using Gram staining. In spite of the presence of a growth signal, the absence of microorganisms in the acridine oranges, gram preparations and the absence of growth in the inoculated plates was accepted as false positivity. These bottles were also subcultured onto a chocolate agar and a Sabouraud Dextrose Agar media, and were incubated for 14 days. Mann Whitney U test and Chi-Square test were used for statistical analysis. Permission was taken with the number 10.03.20707. Results: A total of 9216 aerobic blood cultures were included in the study, 1839 (19.9%) of those indicated a positive growth signal. False positivity was detected in 69 (0.75%) of the blood culture bottles. The mean incubation time for positive growth signal was 20 hours in the bottles giving true positive growth signal, whereas the mean incubation time for positive growth signal was 3 hours in the bottles giving false positive growth signal (p