Comparative evaluation of Trichosporon asahii susceptibility using ASTY colorimetric microdilution and CLSI M27-A2 broth microdilution reference methods.

The in vitro activity ofAMPH-B, 5-FC, FLCZ, MCZ, ITCZ, and VRCZ against 50 isolates of T. asahii was determined using CLSI M27-A2 microdilution and ASTY colorimetric methods. Observed agreement ranged from 96 to 100% according to the drug.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of the dermatophyte, Trichophyton mentagrophytes: an efficient tool for gene transfer.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) was used to facilitate gene transfer into the clinically important dermatophyte, Trichophyton mentagrophytes (teleomorph: Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii). A binary vector containing a hygromycin B resistance cassette was introduced into A. tumefaciens, and the resultant strain was co-cultivated with fungal small conidia.

Protective effects of farnesol against oral candidiasis in mice.

Farnesol is known as a quorum-sensing molecule for Candida albicans and is recognized to play pathogenic roles in Candida infection. To assess the possible role of farnesol in mucosal C. albicans infection, the effects of farnesol treatment against experimental oral candidiasis in mice were examined.

A new genotype of Arthroderma benhamiae.

Nucleotide sequence analysis of chitin synthase 1 (CHS1) indicated 90% sequence similarities among human and animal isolates of Arthroderma benhamiae. In particular, greater than 99% similarity was noted in the nucleotide sequence among Americano-European race isolates, African race isolates, and five isolates from four-toed hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the five isolates from hedgehogs were included in the same cluster and distinct from the Americano-European and the African race standard strains of A.

Prototheca zopfii genotypes isolated from cow barns and bovine mastitis in Japan.

This study is the first investigation on Japanese isolates of Prototheca zopfii from bovine mastitis and the cow-barn surroundings by molecular characterization to clarify routes of infection for bovine protothecal mastitis. We performed isolation of Prototheca from cow-barn surroundings (drinking water, sewage and feces) and milk samples from cases of bovine mastitis. Genotypes of the 32 isolates of P.

Exotic myiasis caused by 19 larvae of Cordylobia anthropophaga in Namibia and identified using molecular methods in Japan.

A case of exotic myiasis caused by tumbu fly (Cordylobia anthropophaga) parasitism acquired while travelling in the Republic of Namibia is reported. This is the fifth case reported in Japan, and is very unusual in that the patient was infected with 19 larvae. This is also the first case diagnosed using molecular methods in Japan.

Comparative study of ability for growth support and species differentiation by colony features on commercial chromogenic agar, Pourmedia Vi Candida and CHROMagar Candida.

Ability for growth support and species differentiation by colony features were compared on two commercial chromogenic agars, CHROMagar Candida and newly developed Pourmedia Vi Candida. Eleven strains (ten species) of standard strains and twenty-four isolates (five species) of clinical strains were tested. All isolates were grown on both agar plates in 48 hours at 35 degrees C, however, several species had not matured in 22 hours.

Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for diagnosing Pneumocystis pneumonia.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel, rapid nucleic acid amplification method with high specificity and sensitivity under isothermal conditions. In this study a LAMP assay for diagnosing Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) was developed. Oligonucleotide primers specific for Pneumocystis species were designed corresponding to 18S rRNA gene sequences.

Genetic transformation of the dermatophyte, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, based on the use of G418 resistance as a dominant selectable marker.

Background: Dermatophytes are closely related keratinophilic fungal pathogens and are the causative agents of a superficial cutaneous infection called dermatophytosis (ringworm). A lack of gene manipulation techniques has prevented detailed analyses of the mechanisms of host invasion by dermatophytes. We have introduced the tetracycline-regulatable (TR) gene expression system into dermatophytes to facilitate functional analyses of genes essential for growth and virulence.

Revised culture-based system for identification of Malassezia species.

Forty-six strains of Malassezia spp. with atypical biochemical features were isolated from 366 fresh clinical isolates from human subjects and dogs. Isolates obtained in this study included 2 (4.

The effect of dermatophytes on cytokine production by human keratinocytes.

Dermatophytosis (tinea) is a common disease in superficial mycoses and is generally confined to the stratum corneum in the epidermis and cutaneous appendages. The mechanisms by which dermatophytes cause dermatophytosis, however, are poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T.

Activation of prothrombin by two subtilisin-like serine proteases from Acremonium sp.

Two novel subtilisin-like serine proteases (AS-E1 and -E2) that activate prothrombin have been identified in a culture of the fungus Acremonium sp. The enzymes were purified through repeated hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The N-terminal sequences of AS-E1 (34.

Antifungal drug susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans from clinical sources in Nairobi, Kenya.

The serotypes and mating types of 80 clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans from Kenya were studied and subjected to broth microdilution susceptibility testing to amphotericin B (AMP), flucytosin, fluconazole (FLC), itraconazole (ITC) and miconazole (MCZ). The isolates included C. neoformans var.

[In vitro activities of antifungal drugs against clinical isolates of Trichophyton tonsurans].

To determine drug susceptibility of Trichophyton tonsurans endemic in Japan, in vitro MICs of antifungal drugs against a total of 10 clinical isolates of T. tonsurans collected from dermatophytosis patients were measured by the agar dilution method and the broth microdilution method. The agar dilution method was not appropriate as the growth of T.

Development of safety culture tube for molds and proposed procedure for collecting conidia or fixing strains to control fungal infection and allergy.

The conidia of filamentous fungi can be easily blown into the air and tend to be contaminants in the laboratory environment. We developed a new "safety culture tube for fungi" to prevent biohazards and a procedure for collecting conidia for passage or fixing strains was proposed.

A one-enzyme PCR-RFLP assay for identification of six medically important Candida species.

Early identification of Candida isolates to the species level is necessary for effective antifungal therapy, and can also facilitate control of hospital infections. Phenotype-based methods for identifying Candida species are often difficult and time-consuming. Molecular biological techniques provide a useful alternative approach.

A case of tinea corporis caused by Arthroderma benhamiae (teleomorph of Tinea mentagrophytes) in a pet shop employee.

We describe herein a case of tinea corporis caused by Arthroderma benhamiae that presented with atypical clinical symptoms. We suggest that this infection has already spread widely in Japan.

Isolation, characterization, and disruption of dnr1, the areA/nit-2-like nitrogen regulatory gene of the zoophilic dermatophyte, Microsporum canis.

A homolog of the major nitrogen regulatory genes areA from Aspergillus nidulans and nit-2 from Neurospora crassa was isolated from the zoophilic dermatophyte, Microsporum canis. This gene, dnr1, encodes a polypeptide of 761 amino acid residues containing a single zinc-finger DNA-binding domain, which is almost identical in amino acid sequence to the zinc-finger domains of AREA and NIT-2. The functional equivalence of dnr1 to areA was demonstrated by complementation of an areA loss-of-function mutant of A.

Tween 40-based precipitate production observed on modified chromogenic agar and development of biological identification kit for Malassezia species.

We developed a simple identification kit for nine species of Malassezia (M. furfur, M. slooffiae, M.

Rapid identification of Trichophyton tonsurans by specific PCR based on DNA sequences of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region.

Background: Trichophyton tonsurans, a dermatophyte implicated in an international epidemic of tinea capitis, was also found to be responsible for infecting wrestling and Judo athletes nationwide in Japan since 2001.

Objective: A rapid and highly accurate means of identifying this pathogen has been required to control the infection. We have developed a T.