CACO-2 cells: A continuous cell line with sensitive and broad-spectrum utility for respiratory virus culture.

Background: Primary rhesus monkey kidney cells (RhMK) can be used for the detection of respiratory viruses, including influenza and parainfluenza. The human colon adeno-carcinoma cell line, CACO-2, has been previously used for the growth of multiple influenza viruses, including seasonal, novel and avian lineages.

Objective: We compared CACO-2, Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK), and RhMK cells for the isolation of viruses from patients presenting with influenza like-illness (ILI).

An unusual case of influenza-like illness after yellow fever vaccination.

Yellow fever (YF) is an important public health concern in areas where the disease is endemic. For more than 60 years a highly effective live attenuated vaccine has been available, its widespread use resulting in a dramatic decrease in the number of cases. On rare occasions, YF vaccine can cause mild to severe disease and rare adverse vaccine-associated events have been reported.

Evaluations of shorter exposures of contact lens cleaning solutions against Fusarium oxysporum species complex and Fusarium solani species complex to simulate inappropriate usage.

An outbreak of Fusarium keratitis in contact lens users resulted in withdrawal of ReNu with MoistureLoc solution, although the exact cause of the outbreak remains enigmatic. We evaluated current and discontinued multipurpose cleaning solutions (MPSs; MoistureLoc, Equate, MultiPlus, and OptiFree Express) against plankton- and biofilm-derived cells of Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) and F. solani species complex (FSSC).

Multilaboratory testing of two-drug combinations of antifungals against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis.

There are few multilaboratory studies of antifungal combination testing to suggest a format for use in clinical laboratories. In the present study, eight laboratories tested quality control (QC) strain Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019 and clinical isolates Candida albicans 20533.043, C.

Morphological and molecular characterizations of psychrophilic fungus Geomyces destructans from New York bats with White Nose Syndrome (WNS).

Background: Massive die-offs of little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) have been occurring since 2006 in hibernation sites around Albany, New York, and this problem has spread to other States in the Northeastern United States. White cottony fungal growth is seen on the snouts of affected animals, a prominent sign of White Nose Syndrome (WNS). A previous report described the involvement of the fungus Geomyces destructans in WNS, but an identical fungus was recently isolated in France from a bat that was evidently healthy.

Rhizomucor variabilis var. regularior and Hormographiella aspergillata infections in a leukemic bone marrow transplant recipient with refractory neutropenia.

Rhizomucor variabilis and Hormographiella aspergillata rarely cause human infections. This report details a fatal case of a 14-year-old female with leukemia posthematopoietic cell transplant and relapse with refractory pancytopenia. The patient first developed an R.

Multilaboratory testing of antifungal combinations against a quality control isolate of Candida krusei.

Candida krusei ATCC 6258 was tested by eight laboratories using 96-well plates containing checkerboard pairwise combinations of amphotericin B (AMB), posaconazole (PSC), caspofungin (CSP), and voriconazole (VRC). The methodology led to reproducible results across the laboratories. All drug combinations yielded MICs lower than the MICs of any two drugs tested singly, and combinations of AMB, PSC, CSP, and VRC were indifferent (no antagonism) by summations of fractional inhibitory concentration.

Antifungal susceptibility profiles of Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii from endemic and non-endemic areas.

Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic fungal infection endemic in Southwestern United States, Mexico, Central and South America. The causal agents are Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii.

Molecular characterization, biofilm analysis and experimental biofouling study of Fusarium isolates from recent cases of fungal keratitis in New York State.

Background: To characterize Fusarium isolates from recent cases of fungal keratitis in contact lens wearers, and to investigate fungal association with MoistureLoc solution.

Methods: We studied six fungal isolates from recent cases of keratitis in New York State. The isolates were characterized by nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of multiple genes, and then typed using minisatellite and microsatellite probes.

Application of fluorescent probes to study structural changes in Aspergillus fumigatus exposed to amphotericin B, itraconazole, and voriconazole.

The broad objective of this study was to document patterns of structural changes following antifungal treatment, and to determine any relationship with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of an antifungal. Three clinical isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus, with high, intermediate, and low amphotericin B (AB), itraconazole (IZ), and voriconazole (VZ) MICs were studied in 24-well plates with cover slips. The fluorescent probes used were Calcofluor White (cell wall), propidium iodide (nucleus), and MitoTracker Green FM (mitochondria).

Collaborative study of antibiotic medium 3 and flow cytometry for identification of amphotericin B-resistant Candida isolates.

Center 1 used the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards M27-A2 method and antibiotic medium 3 (AM3) test to determine amphotericin B resistance in 5 of 30 Candida isolates. These isolates were tested at center 2 by AM3 test and flow cytometry (FC). The agreements (C1-C2) were 90% for AM3 test and FC and 73% for the AM3 tests.

Collaborative study of the NCCLS and flow cytometry methods for antifungal susceptibility testing of Candida albicans.

One hundred clinical isolates of Candida albicans were tested for amphotericin B and fluconazole susceptibilities by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) broth microdilution test at center 1 (C1). The same isolates were tested blinded at center 2 (C2) by NCCLS and flow cytometry (FC) methods. The agreement between NCCLS and FC methods ranged from 96 to 99%.

Flow cytometry antifungal susceptibility testing of Aspergillus fumigatus and comparison of mode of action of voriconazole vis-à-vis amphotericin B and itraconazole.

Aspergillus fumigatus isolates were tested with three antifungals by flow cytometry (FC) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. FC results after 4 h correlated well with MICs obtained by the NCCLS M38-A method; voriconazole exhibited fungicidal activity, albeit to a lesser extent than amphotericin B, but to a greater extent than itraconazole.

Proficiency testing program for clinical laboratories performing antifungal susceptibility testing of pathogenic yeast species.

Antifungal susceptibility testing is expected to facilitate the selection of adequate therapy for fungal infections. The general availability of antifungal susceptibility testing in clinical laboratories is low, even though a number of standard methods are now available. The objective of the present study was to develop and evaluate a proficiency testing program (PTP) for the antifungal susceptibility testing of pathogenic yeasts in laboratories licensed by the New York State Department of Health.

Evaluation of new medium for identification of dermatophytes and primary dimorphic pathogens.

Only 25 of 77 dermatophytic isolates caused dermatophyte identification medium (DIM) to turn purple after incubation at the recommended temperature (37 degrees C); the accuracy of the results was improved at 30 degrees C (71 of 77 isolates yielded positive results). Many dimorphic pathogenic fungi also tested positive at both incubation temperatures. Thus, DIM has limited usefulness for presumptive identification of dermatophytes.