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Biomedical subjects

L Ajello

Publications and source records attributed to L Ajello.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Fungal colonization of synthetic substrates for use in space craft.

Materials being used or considered for use in space flights were examined for their susceptibility to fungal colonization. The materials included soft goods (clothing) and insulation and fabrication products such as Velcro attachments and elastic cord binders. Materials were exposed for at least 28 days in a high-humidity chamber colonized with over 50 species of fungi, including those species recommended for determining recalcitrance of materials to fungal biodegradation. At least nine of 25 products demonstrated extensive microscopic colonization by fungi, mostly by Acremonium obclavatum. Challenge procedures that rely on observations with the unaided eye, or 40 x magnification of growth by a restricted number of fungal species with a cellulosic substrate as a positive control, are insufficient for determining the resistance of synthetic substrates to fungal colonization.

Construction Materials↗
PubMed1994

Survey of mycotic and bacterial keratitis in Sri Lanka.

Over a two-year period (1976-1977 and 1980-1981), 66 cases of bacterial and mycotic cases of keratitis were diagnosed in the Eye Clinic of the General Hospital in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The clinical and microbiologic aspects of these cases are described. Noteworthy was the first known human case caused by Paecilomyces farinosus, a geophilic species, commonly encountered as an insect parasite throughout the world. The bacterial and the other fungal etiologic agents isolated and identified were: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Fusarium oxysporum, and Lasiodiplodia theobromae. In vitro the fungi showed sensitivity in decreasing order to flucytosine, nystatin, amphotericin B and econazole. Due to the out-patient status of the patients, their in-vivo response to treatment was not assessable.

Corneal Ulcer↗
PubMed1994

Dematiaceous--a mycologic misnomer?

The term dematiaceous has been used to describe dark fungi. However, the historic and etymologic derivation suggest that the concept of dark coloration attached to the root demat... is epistemologically incorrect.

Color↗
PubMed1992

Disseminated Nocardia transvalensis infection: an unusual opportunistic pathogen in severely immunocompromised patients.

Nocardia infections are infrequently recognized in humans. Nocardia species may cause severe life-threatening infections among immunocompromised patients and have been reported to cause actinomycotic mycetomas, primarily in tropical areas. Two severely immunocompromised patients had disseminated N. transvalensis infections. One had underlying X-linked variant chronic granulomatous disease and died of disseminated N. transvalensis infection, which was diagnosed only at postmortem examination. The second patient developed N. transvalensis pneumonia within 3 months of undergoing renal transplantation and died of disseminated mixed Pseudallescheria boydii and N. transvalensis infections. Thus, N. transvalensis may cause invasive and potentially fatal pulmonary and disseminated infections. Accordingly, clinical microbiology laboratories should become proficient in identifying this uncommon aerobic actinomycete.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Fungal melanonychia: ungual phaeohyphomycosis caused by Wangiella dermatitidis.

A 51-year-old female Japanese patient developed black pigmentation affecting both big toe-nails. Direct potassium hydroxide examination of the nail tissue demonstrated clusters of spherical dematiaceous cells, toruloid hyphae, and septate hyphae. Wangiella dermatitidis was repeatedly isolated from the affected toe-nail lesions. This case represents the first documented case of ungual phaeohyphomycosis, 'fungal melanonychia,' caused by the dematiaceous fungus W. dermatitidis. The patient was successfully treated with a topical solution of bifonazole.

Exophiala↗
PubMed1992

Rhinocerebral and nasal zygomycosis in sheep caused by Conidiobolus incongruus.

The clinical findings, pathology and mycology of a cluster of 5 ovine cases of rhinocerebral and nasal zygomycosis caused by Conidiobolus incongruus are described. All cases were in Border Leicester or Merino x Border Leicester ewes from a flock pastured in a low-lying paddock adjoining a small tidal river in subtropical Queensland (latitude 28 degrees S). These cases of zygomycosis are believed to be the first infections due to C incongruus recorded in animals other than humans. The disease was subacute in 4 animals with a course of up to several weeks. In these, the primary site of infection was the posterior nasal cavity. The lesions extended to the dorsum of the face between the eyes, to the orbital cavity and to the anterior brain and meninges in the cranial cavity. In one animal, where the anterior nasal cavity was affected and iodine treatment used, the course was longer. The fungal granulomas had numerous foreign body giant cells, neutrophils and eosinophils. Fungal hyphae were thin walled, 6 to 8 microns in diameter, with occasional septa and irregular branching. They were cuffed with a wide zone of necrotic cell coagulum, or with homogeneous eosinophilic Splendore-Hoeppli granules.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Immunodiffusion test for diagnosis and monitoring of human pythiosis insidiosi.

To facilitate the laboratory diagnosis of human cases of pythiosis insidiosi, an immunological test was evaluated. A soluble antigen was prepared from a human isolate of Pythium insidiosum, an aquatic, thermotolerant oomycete that causes infections in cattle, dogs, horses, and humans. Sera from seven proven cases of disseminated human pythiosis insidiosi were tested in an immunodiffusion test along with appropriate control sera from patients with a variety of actinomycotic, bacterial, and mycotic diseases as well as sera from uninfected individuals. Titers ranged from 1:1 to 1:32 in the seven serum samples from the disseminated cases of pythiosis insidiosi of varying severity. The heterologous sera gave negative reactions. The rapidity and specificity of the immunodiffusion test makes it a useful diagnostic tool for the serodiagnosis of P. insidiosum infections.

Antibodies, Fungal↗
PubMed1990

Neosartorya fischeri var fischeri (Wehmer) Malloch and Cain 1972 (anamorph: Aspergillus fischerianus Samson and Gams 1985) as a cause of mycotic keratitis.

The first case of mycotic keratitis caused by Neosartorya fischeri var. fischeri the teleomorph of Aspergillus fischerianus, is described. The patient, a 62-year-old man, had no history of trauma to his infected left eye. The infection progressed despite treatment with ketoconazole and the eye had to be eviscerated. Histological studies revealed the presence of hyaline, septate mycelium in the eye tissue. Cultures gave rise to a thermotolerant mould that developed both its asexual and sexual forms. The isolate was identified on the basis of the morphologic features of its anamorphic and teleomorphic states. In the literature only seven other species of Aspergillus have been unequivocally reported as causing mycotic keratitis.

Aspergillosis↗
PubMed1990

Skin sensitivity to histolyn, spherulin, and PPD in the People's Republic of China.

One hundred one subjects living in northwest Hunan Province, People's Republic of China (PRC) were tested with histolyn, (Berkeley Biological Laboratories), spherulin (Berkeley Biological Laboratories), and tubersol (PPD 5 tuberculin units, Connaught Laboratories). Age of the tested subjects ranged from 16 to 58 years; 93 subjects were 22 years old or younger. Nine subjects reacted to histolyn with 5.0 mm or more induration, two subjects reacted to spherulin, and 34 subjects reacted to tubersol. One of the spherulin reactors also reacted to both histolyn and tubersol. The feasibility and advisability of doing a large-scale survey throughout the PRC seem clearly supported by this pilot project.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Antigenic relationship of Dactylaria gallopava to Scolecobasidium constrictum.

Dactylaria gallopava and Scolecobasidium constrictum were reduced to varietal status under the new combination of Dactylaria constricta (Abbott) Dixon et Salkin var. gallopava (Cooke) Salkin & Dixon, and D. constricta (Abbott) Dixon et Salkin var. constricta, primarily on the basis of the morphologic similarity of their two-celled, dematiaceous, blastic conidia. To appraise this taxonomic change, we studied the antigenic relationship of D. gallopava to S. constrictum using the exoantigen procedure. Exoantigens were prepared from 20 isolates of D. gallopava, seven isolates of S. constrictum and two isolates of S colecobasidium tschawytschae and were tested against reference rabbit anti-D. gallopava and anti-S. constrictum antisera in the presence of their homologous antigens using the micro-immunodiffusion technique. All D. gallopava isolates produced two to three distinct, identical exoantigens. The seven isolates of S. constrictum also produced two to three distinct exoantigens. None of the seven isolates of S. constrictum was reactive against the D. gallopava reference system. Three of the 20 D. gallopava culture filtrate antigens produced one or two precipitin bands of nonidentity with the S. constrictum reference reagents. Both isolates of S. tschawytschae were nonreactive with the D. gallopava and S. constrictum reference reagents. In addition, D. gallopava differed from S. constrictum in the production of a reddish-brown diffusible pigment, growth up to 45 degrees C, and sensitivity to cycloheximide. Based on these physiologic differences and little or no antigenic relatedness between D. gallopava and S. constrictum, we conclude that these two species should be retained as separate entities rather than be considered as varieties of a single species.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Avian penicilliosis caused by Penicillium griseofulvum in a captive toucanet.

A sudden fatal illness developed in a group of New World toucanets held captive in Finland. Necropsy studies on one of the birds revealed the presence of invasive, hyaline, septate, branched mycelium in the lungs, air sacs, liver and other tissues. In addition, conidiophores and conidial chains, typical of members of the genus Penicillium were present in the lungs and air sacs. Cultures yielded a mould which was subsequently identified as Penicillium griseofulvum. A critical review of the literature revealed that only seven other species of Penicillium have been convincingly documented as agents of penicilliosis on the basis of histologic and cultural findings.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Phaeohyphomycotic cyst caused by Tetraploa aristata.

A case of phaeohyphomycotic cyst on the left knee of a 54-year-old man caused by Tetraploa aristata is described. Identification was based on the coloration and morphology of the fungus in tissue and the macro- and micro-morphologic characteristics of the mould isolated from the cyst fluid. T. aristata is a dematiaceous hyphomycete found on the leaves and stems of a variety of plants. Previously, it has been known as an etiologic agent of two human cases of keratomycosis. Here we describe the first known subcutaneous phaeohyphomycotic infection caused by T. aristata.

Dermatomycoses↗
PubMed1990

Occurrence of Arthroderma gloriae, a geophilic, keratinophilic ascomycete, in Italy.

The first European isolate of Arthroderma gloriae was recovered from one of 81 soil samples taken from a wheat field in the Lombardy region of Italy. A mixture of human and horse hair, as well as chicken feathers, were used as bait. The isolate was identified on the basis of its gross and microscopic features and successful mating with a "-" tester strain of A. gloriae. The geographic distribution of this apparently rare keratinophilic fungus is reviewed.

Ascomycota↗
PubMed1989

Sporothrix schenckii var luriei as the cause of sporotrichosis in Italy.

The second known case of sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix schenckii var. luriei in a patient living in Piacenza, Italy is described. In the absence of cultures, the diagnosis was based on histologic studies. Stained tissue sections (Hematoxylin and eosin, & Gomori methenamine silver) revealed hyaline, large, thick walled tissue form cells that had divided by septation or a budding process. These forms, along with the striking "eyeglass" configuration of incompletely separated cells that were also present, are the diagnostic features of this apparently rare variety. The use of a fluorescent antibody reagent, specific for S. schenckii, confirmed the identity of the etiologic agent.

Aged↗