Comparison between PCR-RFLP and sequencing techniques in the analysis of Paracoccidioides spp. biodiversity: limitations and insights into species and variant differentiation.

Background: The study of Paracoccidioides spp. faces significant challenges due to limitations inherent in the molecular biology techniques employed. Recently, new species were described whose geographical and genetic distributions were investigated.

Predictive models-assisted diagnosis of AIDS-associated Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in the emergency room, based on clinical, laboratory, and radiological data.

We assessed predictive models (PMs) for diagnosing Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) in AIDS patients seen in the emergency room (ER), aiming to guide empirical treatment decisions. Data from suspected PCP cases among AIDS patients were gathered prospectively at a reference hospital's ER, with diagnoses later confirmed through sputum PCR analysis. We compared clinical, laboratory, and radiological data between PCP and non-PCP groups, using the Boruta algorithm to confirm significant differences.

First occurrence of feline sporotrichosis in a metropolitan area of Central-West Brazil.

Sporotrichosis is a neglected mycosis that affects human and animal hosts, including domestic cats. In Brazil, its most frequently diagnosed etiological agent is Sporothrix brasiliensis. Zoonotic transmission of S.

activity of sanitizers against mono- and polymicrobial biofilms of and .

The emergence of disinfectant-resistant microorganisms poses a significant threat to public health. These resilient pathogens can survive and thrive in hospital settings despite routine disinfection practices, leading to persistent infections and the potential for outbreaks. In this study, we investigated the impact of 11 different commercial sanitizers at various concentrations and exposure times on biofilms consisting of clinical and nosocomial environmental isolates of and .

Performance of a Real-Time PCR Assay for the Detection of Five Species in Blood Samples from ICU Patients at Risk of Candidemia.

The gold standard for diagnosing invasive candidiasis still relies on blood cultures, which are inefficient and time-consuming to analyze. We developed an in-house qPCR assay to identify the 5 major species in 78 peripheral blood (PB) samples from ICU patients at risk of candidemia. Blood cultures and (1,3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) testing were performed concurrently to evaluate the performance of the qPCR.

Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis caused by Rhizopus microsporus var. microsporus in a diabetic patient with COVID-19.

COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus causes a wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from mild to severe, with the main ones affecting the respiratory tract, such as pneumonia. In patients with greater severity, the high frequency of bacterial and fungal coinfection stands out, a situation related both to the patient's pre-existing comorbidities and due to the hospitalization itself. Cases of mucormycosis associated with COVID-19 were highlighted in the lay and scientific media, with the increase in mycosis cases being directly and indirectly attributed to the viral infection.

Performance of a Real Time PCR for Identification in Induced Sputum of AIDS Patients: Differentiation between Pneumonia and Colonization.

pneumonia (PcP) remains an important cause of morbimortality worldwide and a diagnostic challenge. Conventional methods have low accuracy, hardly discriminating colonization from infection, while some new high-cost or broncho-alveolar lavage-based methods have limited usefulness in developing countries. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) tests may overcome these limitations due to their high accuracy, possibility of automation, and decreasing cost.

A neglected disease. Human sporotrichosis in a densely populated urban area in São Paulo, Brazil: clinical-epidemiological and therapeutic aspects.

Human sporotrichosis is caused by different Sporothrix species; however, Sporothrix brasiliensis is the main species, usually related to cat transmission in urban areas. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Institute of Infectology Emílio Ribas from 2010 to 2018. Demography, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic data were obtained from medical records.

A Brazilian Inter-Hospital Candidemia Outbreak Caused by Fluconazole-Resistant in the COVID-19 Era.

Horizontal transmission of fluconazole-resistant (FRCP) through healthcare workers' hands has contributed to the occurrence of candidemia outbreaks worldwide. Since the first COVID-19 case in Brazil was detected in early 2020, hospitals have reinforced hand hygiene and disinfection practices to minimize SARS-CoV-2 contamination. However, a Brazilian cardiology center, which shares ICU patients with a cancer center under a FRCP outbreak since 2019, reported an increased FRCP candidemia incidence in May 2020.

Environmental Clonal Spread of Azole-Resistant with Erg11-Y132F Mutation Causing a Large Candidemia Outbreak in a Brazilian Cancer Referral Center.

Clonal outbreaks due to azole-resistant (ARCP) isolates have been reported in numerous studies, but the environmental niche of such isolates has yet to be defined. Herein, we aimed to identify the environmental niche of ARCP isolates causing unremitting clonal outbreaks in an adult ICU from a Brazilian cancer referral center. sensu stricto isolates recovered from blood cultures, pericatheter skins, healthcare workers (HCW), and nosocomial surfaces were genotyped by multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT).

A Real Time PCR strategy for the detection and quantification of Candida albicans in human blood.

Candidemia is a significant cause of bloodstream infections (BSI) in nosocomial settings. The identification of species can potentially improve the quality of care and decrease human mortality. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was evaluated for Candida albicans detection using culture suspensions containing C.

Lack of efficacy of echinocandins against high metabolic activity biofilms of Candida parapsilosis clinical isolates.

Candida parapsilosis produces biofilm, which colonizes catheters and other invasive medical devices that are manipulated by health care workers. In previous studies, C. parapsilosis in vitro biofilms have exhibited high resistance rates against conventional antifungals, but susceptibility to both echinocandins and lipid formulations of amphotericin B (lipid complex and liposomal).

An Azole-Resistant Outbreak: Clonal Persistence in the Intensive Care Unit of a Brazilian Teaching Hospital.

The incidence of candidemia by the complex has increased considerably in recent decades, frequently related to use of indwelling intravascular catheters. The ability of this pathogen to colonize healthcare workers (HCW)' hands, and to form biofilm on medical devices has been associated with the occurrence of nosocomial outbreaks and high mortality rates. Fluconazole has been the leading antifungal drug for the treatment of invasive candidiasis in developing countries.

Polymorphism in Mitochondrial Group I Introns among and Genotypes and Its Association with Drug Susceptibility.

Cryptococcosis, one of the most important systemic mycosis in the world, is caused by different genotypes of and , which differ in their ecology, epidemiology, and antifungal susceptibility. Therefore, the search for new molecular markers for genotyping, pathogenicity and drug susceptibility is necessary. Group I introns fulfill the requisites for such task because (i) they are polymorphic sequences; (ii) their self-splicing is inhibited by some drugs; and (iii) their correct splicing under parasitic conditions is indispensable for pathogen survival.

Case Report: Misleading Serological Diagnosis of Paracoccidioidomycosis in a Young Patient with the Acute Form Disease: or ?

Negative results in serological routine screening of patients with microbiologically proven Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) are occasionally reported. Failure in detecting anti- antibodies has been ascribed to factors either related to serological techniques or to the status of the host immune reactivity. Recently, this issue has been renewed by the recognition that the genera comprises two species, and , which have distinct antigenic profiles and, therefore, may elicit different host antibody responses.

Systemic and localized infection by Candida species in patients with rheumatic diseases receiving anti-TNF therapy.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of systemic and localized infection by Candida species and its possible association with demographic, clinical and laboratory manifestations and therapy in patients with rheumatic diseases taking TNF blockers.

Methods: Consecutive patients with rheumatic diseases receiving anti-TNF agents were included. The following risk factors up to four weeks prior to the study were analyzed: use of antibiotics, immunosuppressant drugs, hospitalization and invasive procedures.

Bartonella henselae AS A PUTATIVE CAUSE OF CONGENITAL CHOLESTASIS.

Severe anemia and cholestatic hepatitis are associated with bartonella infections. A putative vertical Bartonella henselae infection was defined on the basis of ultrastructural and molecular analyses in a three-year-old child with anemia, jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly since birth. Physicians should consider bartonellosis in patients with anemia and hepatitis of unknown origin.

Identification of Candida haemulonii Complex Species: Use of ClinProTools(TM) to Overcome Limitations of the Bruker Biotyper(TM), VITEK MS(TM) IVD, and VITEK MS(TM) RUO Databases.

Candida haemulonii is now considered a complex of two species and one variety: C. haemulonii sensu stricto, Candida duobushaemulonii and the variety C. haemulonii var.

Rapid identification of moulds and arthroconidial yeasts from positive blood cultures by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Moulds and arthroconidial yeasts are potential life-threatening agents of fungemia in immunocompromised patients. Fast and accurate identification (ID) of these pathogens hastens initiation of targeted antifungal therapy, thereby improving the patients' prognosis. We describe a new strategy that enabled the identification of moulds and arthroconidial yeasts directly from positive blood cultures by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS).

Candida duobushaemulonii: an emerging rare pathogenic yeast isolated from recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis in Brazil.

The aim of this study was to identify Candida species isolated from women diagnosed with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) and their partners; and to evaluate the fluconazole (FLZ) susceptibility of the isolates. In a period of six years, among 172 patients diagnosed with vulvovaginal candidiasis, 13 women that presented RVVC and their partners were selected for this investigation. The isolates were obtained using Chromagar Candida medium, the species identification was performed by phenotypic and molecular methods and FLZ susceptibility was evaluated by E-test.

Does the Capsule Interfere with Performance of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry for Identification of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii?

We described the impact of the capsule size for Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii identification at the species level by Bruker matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). After experimental capsule size modulation, we observed that reducing the capsule size resulted in improved identification by Bruker MALDI-TOF MS across all of the reference strains analyzed.

Rhizopus arrhizus and Fusarium solani Concomitant Infection in an Immunocompromised Host.

Neutropenic patients are at risk of the development of hyalohyphomycosis and mucormycosis. Correct identification is essential for the initiation of the specific treatment, but concomitant mold infections are rarely reported. We report one unprecedented case of concomitant mucormycosis and fusariosis in a neutropenic patient with acute myeloid leukemia.

[Systemic and localized infection by Candida species in patients with rheumatic diseases receiving anti-TNF therapy].

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of systemic and localized infection by Candida species and its possible association with demographic, clinical and laboratory manifestations and therapy in patients with rheumatic diseases taking TNF blockers.

Methods: Consecutive patients with rheumatic diseases receiving anti-TNF agents were included. The following risk factors up to four weeks prior to the study were analyzed: use of antibiotics, immunosuppressant drugs, hospitalization and invasive procedures.