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Biomedical subjects

L Ajello

Publications and source records attributed to L Ajello.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Exoantigen tests for the rapid and specific identification of Apophysomyces elegans and Saksenaea vasiformis.

Apophysomyces elegans and Saksenaea vasiformis frequently fail to sporulate on routine media used in clinical laboratories, thus delaying or preventing their specific identification. We have developed exoantigen test reagents capable of identifying non-sporulating isolates of A. elegans and S. vasiformis. A reagent containing three specific A. elegans precipitins was produced when A. elegans antiserum was absorbed with S. vasiformis. Antigenic analyses showed that at least two serotypes of S. vasiformis exist. Only six of 10 S. vasiformis isolates studied produced bands of identity with S. vasiformis (B-2190) (serotype 1) antiserum absorbed with S. vasiformis (B-2189) (serotype 2) antigens. The remaining four isolates, however, produced bands of identity with S. vasiformis B-2189 antiserum absorbed with B-2190 antigens. Antigenic differences among the isolates of the two groups could be correlated to some extent with the morphologic differences observed, especially with respect to the size of the sporangia and sporangiospores.

Antigenic Variation↗
PubMed1989

Tinea capitis caused by Microsporum praecox in a patient with sickle cell anaemia.

Microsporum praecox Rivalier ex Padhye, Ajello et McGinnis is the validated name for the taxon originally published as Sabouraudites praecox Rivalier. We describe here the first case of small-conidial, ectothrix type hair invasion caused by M. praecox in an adult woman from Oklahoma, U.S.A., suffering from sickle cell anaemia. This fungus is now being encountered with greater frequency as an etiologic agent of ringworm infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Dermatophytes and keratinophilic fungi in cats and dogs.

During an 11 month period from January to November 1987, dermatophytes and keratinophilic fungi were isolated from 70 (75%) of 93 cats and 62 (36.9%) of 168 dogs. The most common isolate was Microsporum canis from 54 (58%) cats and 33 (19.6%) dogs, followed by Trichophyton mentagrophytes from 5 (5.4%) cats and 9 (5.3%) dogs, Aphanoascus fulvescens (4 cats and 9 dogs), M. gypseum (5 dogs), Tr. terrestre (3 dogs) Myceliophthora vellerea (2 dogs) and Chrysosporium indicum, Chr. merdarium and Chr. tropicum from cats. Alternaria, Scopulariopsis, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Acremoniumspp., in descending frequency, were the most commonly found fungi in cats and dogs. The frequent infestation by the mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae on M. canis cultures suggest that mites may play a part in the carriage of fungi among animals. This mycophagous mite could disperse the fungi in animal hair by way of their fecal pellets during a transitory infestation. In this instance, the female mite can lay eggs and these could hatch on the animal's hair or in Petri dishes in which hair samples are cultured. In this event the future prospects of animal prophylaxis against dermatophytes could be made more effective by the regular use of acaricide agents on animal hair.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria alternata in a cat.

Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria alternata was diagnosed in a 6-year-old cat. A lesion in the nose resulted in enlargement of the dorsum of the nose. Similar appearing lesions had been removed from the dorsum of the nose 1 and 4 years earlier. The lesion recurred 3 months after surgical excision and irregular administration of ketoconazole. A second cytoreductive operation followed by 5 months' treatment with ketoconazole resolved the infection. Nasal trauma occurring at 8 months and at 5 years before initial examination may have predisposed the cat to development of the Alternaria infection.

Alternaria↗
PubMed1988

Rhizopus arrhizus in Italy as the causative agent of primary cerebral zygomycosis in a drug addict.

A rare case of primary cerebral zygomycosis in an Italian drug addict is described. The diagnosis was based on the histologic detection of broad, aseptate, hyaline mycelium in fluid aspirated from a brain mass detected by computerized axial tomography. The zygomycete isolated from the clinical specimen was identified as Rhizopus arrhizus var arrhizus. The patient had no known predisposing condition that would have suppressed his immunological defenses. Once the diagnosis was established, treatment with amphotericin B was initiated, but the patient died during the first day of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Scolecobasidium humicola in a cat.

Scolecobasidium humicola was isolated from granulomatous lesions on the tail and foot of a cat. The paw lesion, of 2 years duration, had recurred after surgical debridement and antibiotic therapy. In tissue sections of the biopsy, S. humicola was observed in the form of broad, septate, dematiaceous hyphal elements and thick-walled, chlamydoconidium-like cells. The cat was successfully treated with ketoconazole and has since shown no signs of recurrence. This is the first record of S. humicola being an etiologic agent of phaeohyphomycosis in a mammalian host.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

First case of subcutaneous zygomycosis caused by Saksenaea vasiformis in India.

The first case of subcutaneous zygomycotic infection caused by Saksenaea vasiformis in a rice mill worker from India is described. The infection, confined to the man's left foot, showed multiple draining sinuses, inflammation, and intermittent low-grade fever following a crushing injury when a log fell on his foot. Histopathologic examination of two biopsy specimens, taken at 3-wk intervals, revealed the presence of broad, sparsely septate, branched, hyaline hyphae characteristic of a zygomycete. When they were grown on a nutritionally deficient medium, two cultures isolated from the biopsied tissues formed numerous, vase-shaped sporangia typical of S. vasiformis. Necrosis of the affected area led to amputation of the fore part of the foot. A split thickness graft was well accepted, and treatment with potassium iodide, following the graft, cured the infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Xylohypha emmonsii sp. nov., a new agent of phaeohyphomycosis.

Xylohypha emmonsii Padhye, McGinnis et Ajello is described as a new dematiaceous opportunistic pathogen of humans and lower animals. This hyphomycete differs from X. bantiana (Saccardo) McGinnis, Padhye, Borelli et Ajello by its inability to grow at 40 degrees C and by the development of short chains of asymmetrically bent to ellipsoid blastoconidia. In brain tissue of mice, experimentally infected with X. emmonsii, the host response to the invading fungus was similar to that observed in mice infected with X. bantiana. In tissues X. bantiana occurred predominantly as long, septate hyphae, in contrast to X. emmonsii, which was more polymorphic.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Xylohypha emmonsii.

The first human phaeohyphomycotic infection caused by Xylohypha emmonsii is described. The patient, an 83-year-old woman, developed a purpuric lesion on her left arm. The pale brown fungal elements observed in biopsy tissue consisted of thin- to thick-walled, oval to spherical, yeastlike cells with single and, occasionally, multiple buds; chains of budding cells; cells with internal septations in one and, rarely, two planes; and septate hyphae. In culture, X. emmonsii grew moderately fast at 25 degrees C, showed minimal growth at 37 degrees C, and failed to grow at 40 degrees C. It produced acropetal chains of one-celled (rarely two-celled) conidia laterally and terminally directly from vegetative hyphal cells.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Simple method of inducing sporulation by Apophysomyces elegans and Saksenaea vasiformis.

Apophysomyces elegans and Saksenaea vasiformis are notorious for their failure to sporulate on routine media. Agar blocks, permeated with the mycelia of A. elegans and S. vasiformis, were cut aseptically from 7-day-old colonies grown on Sabouraud dextrose agar and transferred to plates containing 20 ml of sterile distilled water supplemented with 0.2 ml of 10% filter-sterilized yeast extract solution. When the plates were incubated at 37 degrees C, all 5 isolates of A. elegans and all 10 isolates of S. vasiformis produced abundant, characteristic sporangia within 7 to 10 days. The method is simple to use and yields consistent results.

Culture Media↗
PubMed1988

Case of disseminated African histoplasmosis in a baboon.

An adult red baboon (Papio cynocephalus papio) had a severe disseminated case of African histoplasmosis (Histoplasma capsulatum var. duboisii) with skin lesions from small pustules to ulcerative granulomas. Osteolytic lesions were seen radiographically. Treatment with ketoconazole for 6 months was unsuccessful.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Corneal ulcer caused by Bipolaris hawaiiensis.

Following an injury to the right eye, a corneal ulcer with hypopyon developed in a leprosy patient. Direct examination of the corneal scrapings on three occasions showed septate, branched, dematiaceous hyphal elements. When scrapings were cultured on Sabouraud's glucose and brain heart infusion agars. Bipolaris hawaiiensis was isolated repeatedly. The patient responded successfully to treatment with nystatin ointment, although the central opacity of the cornea remained and visual acuity did not improve.

Corneal Injuries↗
PubMed1987

Medical significance of the so-called black yeasts.

Infections caused by the black yeasts (leveduras pretas) are reviewed with respect to their clinical manifestations, classification under the umbrella term, phaeohyphomycosis, and differentiation from chromoblastomycosis. Data on the prevalence of black yeasts submitted to a national reference diagnostic center are provided. Cases of phaeohyphomycosis caused by Aureobasidium pullulans, Exophiala jeanselmei, E. moniliae, E. spinifera, Phaeoannelomyces werneckii, Phaeosclera dematioides, Sarcinomyces phaeomuriformis, and Wangiella dermatitidis are described.

Humans↗