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Biomedical subjects

J Guarro

Publications and source records attributed to J Guarro.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

A preliminary study of the occurrence of actidione-resistant fungi in sediments of Catalonian river mouths (Spain). I. Keratinolytic fungi and related Onygenales.

Sediments from eight river mouths along the Catalonian coast (Spain) were surveyed for keratinolytic fungi and related Onygenales. The actidione plating technique was employed. Of 532 actidione-treated sediment samples, 268 (50.3%) were positive for the fungi. Altogether, 384 fungal strains from 35 species were isolated from the samples. Narasimhella marginospora, Aphanoascus fulvescens, Neoarachnotheca keratinophila with its anamorph Myriodontium keratinophilum, Narasimhella hyalinospora, Beauveria alba, Sporothrix schenckii, Chrysosporium lobatum and Gymnoascus littoralis were the predominant species in sediments. Abundance of N. marginospora was clearly correlated with the degree of water pollution with sewage.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Endogenous endophthalmitis by Fusarium solani: an animal experimental model.

An experimental model of endophthalmitis by Fusarium solani in immunocompetent mice that could be useful for evaluating the efficacy of different treatments and the pathogenicity of the fungus in ocular structures was established. Five clinical isolates of F. solani were injected into the lateral tail vein of groups of 20 mice, in order to produce systemic infection with ocular infection. Inocula of 5 x 10(6) conidia per mouse were used. The eyes of the animals that died were enucleated for histopathological study to determine the degree of ocular infection. We found fungal infections in 34% of the mice studied. Panophthalmitis was detected in 16 animals, four with bilateral infections. Fungal endophthalmitis can become a severe complication of systemic mycoses by F. solani.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Inoculum preparation for in-vitro susceptibility testing of filamentous fungi.

The percent transmission (T) and the equivalence in cfu/mL of two suspensions of 125 isolates of clinically important filamentous fungi containing 1-5 x 10(5) and 1-5 x 10(4) conidia/mL, adjusted with a haemocytometer, were determined. A wide variation of T values was observed, especially with the first inoculum. A good agreement was obtained between the counted and the viable propagules. The haemocytometric method is considered a useful technique for standardizing inocula.

Acremonium↗
PubMed1998

Antifungal susceptibilities of Paecilomyces species.

The MICs and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of amphotericin B, miconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, and flucytosine for 52 isolates of Paecilomyces species were evaluated by the broth microdilution method, largely based on the recommendations of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (document M27-A). The fungal isolates tested included 16 P. variotii, 11 P. lilacinus, 9 P. marquandii, 6 P. fumosoroseus, 4 P. javanicus, and 2 P. viridis isolates and 1 isolate of each of the following species: P. carneus, P. farinosus, P. fulvus, and P. niveus. The MFCs and the MICs at which 90% of isolates were inhibited (MIC90s) for the six antifungal agents were remarkably high; the MIC50s indicated that amphotericin B, miconazole, itraconazole, and ketoconazole had good activities, while fluconazole and flucytosine demonstrated poor efficacy. The ranges of the MICs were generally wider and lower than those of the MFCs. There were significant susceptibility differences among the species. All species with the exception of P. variotii were highly resistant to fluconazole and flucytosine; P. variotii was susceptible to flucytosine. Amphotericin B and the rest of the azoles showed good activity against P. variotii, while all the antifungal agents assayed showed low efficacy against P. lilacinus.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed1998

Subcutaneous hyalohyphomycosis caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

The coelomycete Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was isolated in pure culture from subcutaneous nodules of the left forearm and elbow of a farmer after traumatic injury. To our knowledge, we report the first case involving this fungus as an etiological agent of subcutaneous infection. The in vitro inhibitory activities of amphotericin B, itraconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, flucytosine, and fluconazole were studied.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1998

Evaluation of the oxolinic acid--esculin--azide medium for the isolation and enumeration of faecal streptococci in a routine monitoring programme for bathing waters.

m-Enterococcus agar (m-Ent) has been generally considered the reference medium for faecal streptococci in bathing waters. However, it shows several shortcomings, and therefore it is important to test newly developed media that can guarantee more precise results. In this sense, the recently described oxolinic acid--esculin--azide agar medium (OAA) and m-enterococcus agar (m-Ent) were comparatively evaluated for the detection of faecal streptococci from seawater and fresh water. The OAA medium showed a significantly higher relative recovery percentage and specificity for both types of water than m-Ent. A similar spectrum of species was recorded from both media, Enterococcus faecium being predominant in fresh water and Enterococcus faecalis, in seawater. The superior performance of the OAA medium in both types of bathing waters, added to the fact that it does not require the use of complementary confirmative tests, makes this medium an excellent candidate to be employed for monitoring programmes.

Azides↗
PubMed1998

Phenotypic identification of Aeromonas genomospecies from clinical and environmental sources.

A collection of 983 Aeromonas isolates from environmental and clinical sources have been identified to the genomospecies level. A phenotypic method identified 93% of the strains. The use of citrate and the production of acid from sorbitol enabled the members of the Aeromonas hydrophila complex to be separated. The most common genomospecies from intestinal sources were Aeromonas veronii biotype sobria and Aeromonas caviae. The former, together with A. hydrophila, was the most frequently isolated species of extraintestinal origin. Most pathogenic species were very prevalent in environmental samples, with A. veronii biotype sobria being the most common in lakes and reservoirs (41.5%) and in treated drinking water (25.0%), and A. caviae was the most common in sea water (26.0%) and milk products (35.5%). Aeromonas hydrophila (18.1%) was the second most prevalent species isolated in untreated drinking water. Since Aeromonas infections are generally regarded as a water- and food-borne diseases, the high environmental prevalence of these pathogenic genomospecies should be regarded as an important threat to public health.

Aeromonas↗
PubMed1997

Studies on keratinophilic fungi. IX: Neoarachnotheca gen. nov. and a new species of Nannizziopsis.

Neoarachnotheca is proposed as a new genus of Onygenales. The outstanding generic characteristics are white, spherical ascomata with a wall formed by a network of hyphae and spherical, subhyaline ascospores with an irregular sheath. Nt. keratinophila, the type species, characterized by wavy peridial hyphae has been isolated from marine and river sediments and Myriodontium keratinophilum is its anamorph. Nannizziopsis tropicalis is proposed as a new species based on a strain isolated from soil in Burundi. RFLPs analysis of ITS and 5.8S rDNA support these proposals. The differences with related genera are discussed.

Ascomycota↗
PubMed1997

X-ray microanalysis of black piedra.

The elements present in the fungal structures produced by Piedraia hortae in vivo and in vitro have been investigated using electron microscopy X-ray microanalysis. Phosphorus, sulphur and calcium were detected in the nodules which developed on hair and on colonies on culture. These elements belong to the extracellular material that compacts the pseudoparenchymatous organization of the fungus. They may be present due to the capacity of melanin-like pigments to sequester ions and/or they may form part of the sulphates and phosphates of the polyanionic mucopolysaccharides that constitute the extracellular material. Environmental contaminants such as aluminium, silicon and iron were detected exclusively on the surface of the nodule. They were deposited or linked to the residual molecules produced during the breakdown of the cuticular keratin. The advantages of these techniques for elucidating the chemical nature of fungal structures are discussed.

Ascomycota↗
PubMed1997

Acremonium species: new emerging fungal opportunists--in vitro antifungal susceptibilities and review.

We provide an overview of opportunistic fungal infections caused by Acremonium (Cephalosporium) species and discuss the classification of these species as well as the diagnosis and treatment of acremonium infections. We used a microdilution broth method to compare in vitro susceptibilities and minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum fungicidal concentrations of amphotericin B, miconazole, itraconazole, 5-fluorocytosine, fluconazole, and ketoconazole for 33 clinical and environmental isolates of Acremonium. In general, the isolates tested displayed little susceptibility to the antifungals tested. Fluconazole and 5-fluorocytosine were ineffective in all cases. The efficacy of the remaining drugs was dependent on the strain. Amphotericin B showed the best results.

Acremonium↗
PubMed1997

In-vitro antifungal susceptibility of clinical and environmental Fusarium spp. strains.

The MICs of amphotericin B, miconazole, ketoconazole, flucytosine, itraconazole and fluconazole for 19 isolates of Fusarium oxysporum, 16 Fusarium solani, seven Fusarium verticilliodes, four Fusarium proliferatum, four Fusarium dimerum, three Fusarium equiseti, and one each of the following species: Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium chlamydosporum, Fusarium semitectum, Fusarium avenaceum and Fusarium subglutinans were determined by a broth microdilution method. Thirty-eight of these isolates were of clinical origin and 20 from environmental sources. In general, Fusarium spp. strains showed resistance to all the antifungals tested. However, the most active agent was amphotericin B. Fluconazole and flucytosine were not active against any of the isolates tested. A correlation study of in-vitro testing with in-vivo outcome of amphotericin B of the cases of disseminated fusarium infections published is reported.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed1997

Comparison of in vitro antifungal susceptibilities of conidia and hyphae of filamentous fungi.

The MICs and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of amphotericin B, fluconazole, ketoconazole, flucytosine, miconazole, and itraconazole for 12 isolates of filamentous opportunistic fungi (Scopulariopsis sp., Paecilomyces sp., Cladosporium spp., and Cladophialophora sp.) were determined by a broth microdilution method with hyphal and conidial inocula. With hyphal inocula MICs and MFCs were practically always substantially higher. Only 25% of the 60 MIC comparisons showed discrepancies of twofold or less, while the remaining comparisons showed much larger differences.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed1997

Effects of incubation temperature, inoculum size, and time of reading on broth microdilution susceptibility test results for amphotericin B fgainst Fusarium.

In vitro antifungal susceptibility testing for filamentous fungi remains unstandardized and is unreliable for determining adequate therapy. A study was performed to evaluate the effect of inoculum size (10(2), 10(3), 10(4), and 10(5) conidia/ml), incubation time (48 and 72 h), and temperature (25, 30, and 35 degrees C) on MICs of amphotericin B for Fusarium spp. (20 strains). The inoculum size showed the clearest effect: when the inoculum was varied from 10(2) to 10(5) conidia/ml, the geometric mean MICs showed increases of between 10- and 19-fold in all the combined conditions of temperature and incubation time assayed. Time of incubation had less effect (increases of between two- and threefold in approximately half of the geometric mean MICs), and temperature especially had little effect (the increases were no higher than twofold). The effects of interaction between inoculum size and temperature on MICs were not statistically significant, while the combined effects of inoculum size and time of reading and of time of reading and temperature produced systematic variation in MICs.

Amphotericin B↗
PubMed1997

Characterization of Scedosporium prolificans clinical isolates by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis.

Fingerprinting by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to differentiate Scedosporium prolificans isolates. A total of 59 arbitrary primers were screened with six unrelated S. prolificans isolates, and a panel of 12 primers was selected. The 12 primers were then used to detect DNA polymorphisms among 17 S. prolificans isolates from 11 patients with systemic S. prolificans infections diagnosed in three hospitals located in geographically different areas of Spain. Eight patients were diagnosed with S. prolificans infection in a single institution over a 6-year period, and two other patients were diagnosed with S. prolificans infection in a different hospital over a 1-year period. No single primer allowed for the discrimination of all the isolates from different patients, but this was possible by combining the RAPD patterns from three primers (UBC 701, AB1.08, and AB1.11 or UBC 701, AB1.08, and UBC 707). However, multiple isolates from the same patient were identical. In this study, we also compared a visual method and a computerized method for the analysis of the RAPD patterns. Both methods were satisfactory and gave few discordances, but given the advantages and disadvantages of each method, both systems should be used together. RAPD analysis provided a fast and economical means of typing S. prolificans isolates, with a high level of discrimination among unrelated isolates. Typing by RAPD analysis confirmed that the S. prolificans infections were epidemiologically unrelated.

DNA Primers↗
PubMed1996

Molecular characterization, relatedness and antifungal susceptibility of the basidiomycetous Hormographiella species and Coprinus cinereus from clinical and environmental sources.

Hormographiella-like strains, isolated from different natural substrates and producing sclerotia and occasionally basidiomata of Coprinus cinereus, were compared morphologically and using molecular techniques with clinical strains of Hormographiella aspergillata and H. verticillata. Analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms of ribosomal and mitochondrial-like DNA confirmed interspecific differences between H. aspergillata and H. verticillata, supporting the morphological data, and helped demonstrate that H. aspergillata is the anamorph of C. cinereus. The latter was confirmed also by crossing tests. The analysis of the mtDNA restriction profiles revealed intraspecific variability in C. cinereus, which allowed differentiation of clinical and environmental strains. Due to the implication of C. cinereus and Hormographiella in human opportunistic infections, the antifungal susceptibility test is included. Results show that all strains were susceptible to miconazole, itraconazole and ketoconazole but not to flucytosine and fluconazol. Susceptibility against amphotericin B was variable; while H. verticillata was susceptible, four out of seven C. cinereus strains tested were resistant.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed1996

Stationary phase development of Trimmatostroma abietis.

Processes of anamorph cell replication in Trimmatostroma abietis are described. Growth and conidiation are delimited on the basis of morphological, ultrastructural and ecological criteria. Cellular expansion shifts from bidirectional intercalary in exponential phase cells to isodiametric in late stationary phase cells, in the latter case with endogenous asexual reproduction. Ultrastructural similarities to dothideaceous black yeasts are discussed.

Cell Division↗
PubMed1996

Molecular differentiation of Keratinomyces (Trichophyton) species.

The taxonomy of the form-genus Keratinomyces (Trichophyton) within the group of the dermatophytes is based on morphological features which remain insufficient for the distinction of these anamorphic species. The three species included in the genus Keratinomyces, namely K. ajelloi, K. ceretanicus and K. longifusus were examined by means of their mitochondrial-like DNA diversity and compared to few other dermatophytes. The analysis of the mtDNA restriction fragments confirmed that the three species are different and well separate from the other dermatophytes.

Classification↗