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Biomedical subjects

L Ajello

Publications and source records attributed to L Ajello.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

A winter outbreak of acute histoplasmosis in northern Michigan.

In January 1980, an outbreak of 138 cases of acute pulmonary disease occurred among employees of a Michigan limestone quarry. The source of exposure was a vessel repair building (relative risk = 5.8) and the time of exposure was January 10 (relative risk = 2.4). Work activities associated with the specific place and time suggested exposure to a pulley which had been stored in a ring-billed gull nesting area as the cause of illness. Histoplasma capsulatum was recovered from the nesting area, the pulley, and the sputum of several patients. Early serologic testing confirmed the diagnosis of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis.

Animals↗

Phaeohyphomycosis in El Salvador caused by Exophiala spinifera.

We identified Exophiala spinifera as the causal agent in a case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis in El Salvador. Identification was based on the morphology of the fungus in tissue and the microscopic features of the culture obtained from the biopsy material. This case is the first of this type to be documented from Central America.

Child↗

Microsporum equinum in North America.

Microsporum equinum was isolated in Ontario, Canada, from five human and two equine cases of ringworm infection. This dermatophyte was previously recovered from North American horses on several occasions, but was considered to be M. canis. We regard M. equinum as distinct from M. canis. It can be differentiated from M. canis by the smaller size of its macroconidia, its failure to perforate hair in vitro, its poor growth and sporulation on bromocresol purple casein dextrose agar, and its incompatibility with Nannizzia otae, the telemorph of M. canis.

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Correspondence.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Animals↗

A Samoan case of chromoblastomycosis caused by Cladophialophora ajelloi.

A case of chromoblastomycosis from American Samoa was studied. Histopathological examination of the biopsy material from the lesion revealed the presence of thick-walled, dematiaceous, muriform cells characteristic of chromoblastomycosis. Detailed mycological study of the dematiaceous mould isolated from the biopsy material disclosed that the fungus not only produced long, branched chains of holoblastic conidia similar to those of Cladosporium carrionii, but that many of the terminal and intercalary catenulate, holoblastic conidia had been converted into flask-shaped phialides with flaring collarettes that produced ovate to fusiform phialoconidia. These phialides were morphologically similar to those formed by members of the genus Phialorphora. The Samoan case is the second known case of chromoblastomycosis caused by Cladophialophora ajelloi Borelli.

Adult↗

Outbreak of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis in members of a wagon train.

In August 1980, an outbreak of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis occurred among participants in a wagon train as it traveled through eastern Tennessee. Of the 85 people on the train 69 (81 percent) had evidence of infection with Histoplasma capsulatum. Fifty-four people had symptomatic disease. The source of infection was traced to the site of a former winter blackbird roost in Charleston, Tennessee, that had been partially cleared five years earlier to make a park. Fourteen of 25 soil samples from this site were culture-positive for H. capsulatum. This is the first reported outbreak to involve a large migrant group. The outbreak is unusual in that exposure occurred without excavation, construction or tree-cutting at the site.

Adult↗

Experimental cerebral zygomycosis in alloxan-diabetic rabbits: variation in virulence among zygomycetes.

We investigated the potential of 33 different zygomycete isolates to cause cerebral disease following the intranasal instillation of their spores into ketotic rabbits with alloxan induced diabetes. The isolates represented six thermotolerant species of Rhizopus (R. arrhizus, R. chinensis, R. microsporus, R. oligosporus, R. oryzae, and R. rhizopodiformis), Absidia corymbifera, Cunninghamella bertholletiae, and Rhizomucor pusillus. All 13 isolates of the thermotolerant Rhizopus species proved to be cerebral pathogens as confirmed by culture and histopathology. One isolate of R. oligosporus and one isolate of R. rhizopodiformis, however, were less pathogenic than isolates of other Rhizopus species tested. Cerebral pathogenicity was noted with 2 of 5 isolates of Rh. pusillus and only 1 of 13 A. corymbifera isolates. Two thermotolerant C. bertholletiae cultures, recovered from human lesions, did not cause either cerebral or pulmonary disease in ketotic rabbits. The incidence of pulmonary zygomycosis caused by the isolates of the species of the four genera under study was as follows: Rhizomucor 24%, Rhizopus 22%, Absidia 9%, and Cunninghamella 0%. This study confirms the pathogenic potential of the thermotolerant species of Rhizopus to cause cerebral zygomycosis in ketotic diabetic rabbits and also revealed the potential of Rh. pusillus and A. corymbifera occasionally to cause the same disease in animals and humans.

Alloxan↗

Acute histoplasmosis. Description of an outbreak in northern Louisiana.

An outbreak of acute histoplasmosis occurred in northern Louisiana in September 1977. All six men who cleared a field of bamboo cane known to be a blackbird roosting site were affected. All had clinical and roentgenographic findings of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis, and all recovered. Seroconversion or fourfold rise in antibody to Histoplasma capsulatum yeast--or mycelial-form antigens were demonstrated in five. Immunodiffusion testing showed that all six patients developed H capsulatum M bands, and two developed H bands specific for active infection. The H capsulatum was isolated from the soil in the cane field. This is the first report of an outbreak of histoplasmosis in Louisiana and the first known isolation of H capsulatum from Louisiana soil.

Adult↗

Aspergillosis and other systemic mycoses. The growing problem.

To measure the incidence in the United States of systemic mycoses necessitating hospitalization, we reviewed discharge records of 1,875 hospitals participating in the Professional Activity Study of the Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities. Projected incidence rates in 1976 ranged from 23.0 per million for histoplasmosis to 0.2 per million for blastomycosis. High prevalences of leukemia or lymphoma (5.9% to 10.2%) or of other malignancies (9.9% to 13.2%) were recorded in patients with aspergillosis, candidasis, or cryptococcosis. High prevalences of chronic obstructive lung disease (9.6% to 9.9%) were recorded in those with aspergillosis or histoplasmosis. Marked increases from 1970 to 1976 were found in the incidence of aspergillosis (158%), actinomycosis (92%), cryptococcosis (78%), and coccidioidomycosis (74%). Increasing numbers of persons with immunosuppressive conditions, migration of susceptible persons into hyperendemic areas, and aging of the population contributed to the increases.

Adolescent↗

Evaluation of industrial yeasts for pathogenicity.

Eleven yeasts representative of species of industrial interest were compared with Candida albicans for their potential pathogenicity for untreated and cortisone-treated mice. Only C. tropicalis produced a progressive infection similar to that produced by C. albicans. Candida lipolytica, Torulopsis spp., and Hansenula polymorpha were not recovered from mice 6 days after inoculation. Kluyveromyces fragilis, C. pseudotropicalis, C. utilis, C. guilliermondii and C. maltosa were recovered from mice but did not produce evidence of infection.

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