Multiplex real-time PCR for skin fungal infections: The diagnostic reliability in a one-year non-interventional study.

The skin fungal infection diagnostic workflow currently includes microscopic and culture-based methods as the gold standard. Recent published data described the possible limitations of these conventional techniques documenting the possibility of reducing response time intervals. The present study reports an evaluation of the DermaGenius® (DG) multiplex kit (PathoNostics) for rapid C.

Comparison between EUCAST Broth Microdilution and MIC Strip Test in Defining Isavuconazole In Vitro Susceptibility against and Rare Yeast Clinical Isolates.

Isavuconazole is a new broad-spectrum triazole, with significant in vitro activity against yeasts. Isavuconazole in vitro susceptibility can be evaluated through broth microdilution as a reference method. Considering difficulties in equipping such methods in a laboratory routine, a commercial MIC Strip test has been designed.

Fungal diversity in lake and sea beaches of Italy: Relevance to human health.

Fungal diseases correlated to beach sand or water have not yet been demonstrated due to the lack of epidemiological studies. This study aims to illustrate the fungal population in beach sands of the two largest Italian lakes and in sands and waters of Mediterranean coasts of Southern Italy to contribute to the identification and assessment of causes of microbiological pollution that might impair bathers health. A great difference was observed between the two lakes, where the total of colony-forming units (CFU) ranged from 33.

Prevalence of Onychomycosis in Diabetic Patients: A Case-Control Study Performed at University Hospital Policlinico in Catania.

Diabetes is characterized by an increased rate of serum glucose due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both conditions. Glucose excesses can lead to extended cellular damage, with the consequence of several infectious and non-infectious skin disorders. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the toenail onychomycosis incidence in diabetic patients and healthy ones.

Use of real time multiplex PCR for the diagnosis of dermatophytes onychomycosis in patients with empirical antifungal treatments.

Background: Onychomycosis is a nail fungal infection mainly caused by dermatophytes. Diagnostic confirmation is conventionally made by direct microscopy and culture, which suffer from low or moderate sensitivity. Several molecular methods have been used for dermatophytes detection and identification directly from nail samples.

Resistance to Echinocandins Complicates a Case of Bloodstream Infection: A Case Report.

Invasive candidiasis is known to be one of the most common healthcare-associated complications and is caused by several species. First-line drugs, particularly echinocandins, are effective, but there are increasing reports of resistance to these molecules, though rarely related to . Even though the rate of echinocandins resistance remains low (<3%), sporadic cases are emerging.

Case Report: Molecular Diagnosis of Fungal Keratitis Associated With Contact Lenses Caused by .

is a filamentous fungus commonly found in the environment and is the major cause of fungal keratitis. We report a case of keratomycosis caused by in a patient using disposable soft contact lenses. A delay in diagnosis led to the initiation of an empirical antifungal treatment with the subsequent deterioration of the patient's clinical condition.

Fatal VAP-related pulmonary aspergillosis by in a positive COVID-19 patient.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, known as a complication in patients with severe respiratory syndromes, recently showed a correlation with COVID-19 pneumonia, and the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) have been described. Unfortunately, infections by the genus are often diagnosed in time, because of diagnostic delays and a rapid worsening of respiratory conditions. Literature data document, in fact, only few cases of COVID-19 coinfection.

Potential Associations Among Alteration of Salivary miRNAs, Saliva Microbiome Structure, and Cognitive Impairments in Autistic Children.

Recent evidence has demonstrated that salivary molecules, as well as bacterial populations, can be perturbed by several pathological conditions, including neuro-psychiatric diseases. This relationship between brain functionality and saliva composition could be exploited to unveil new pathological mechanisms of elusive diseases, such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We performed a combined approach of miRNA expression profiling by NanoString technology, followed by validation experiments in qPCR, and 16S rRNA microbiome analysis on saliva from 53 ASD and 27 neurologically unaffected control (NUC) children.

inhibitory activity of BB536 and HN001 alone or in combination against bacterial and reference strains and clinical isolates.

BB536 and HN001 are two strains frequently used as probiotic components in food supplements. The decrease of potentially pathogenic gastrointestinal microorganisms is one of their claimed mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate their ability, alone or in combination, to inhibit the growth of Gram-negative, Gram-positive and reference strains and clinical isolates, using different methods.

and Species Complex Isolates on the Slopes of Mount Etna, SICILY, Italy.

This study investigated the presence of and species complex isolates on olive trees growing in the Eastern part of Sicily (Italy) characterized by the presence of the volcano Etna and the ability of these fungal pathogens to sexually reproduce on medium containing volcanic soil. Samples from 124 olive trees were collected from 14 different sites around Mount Etna. Eighteen trees (14.

Molecular diagnosis of kerion celsi caused by in a Italian child.

is an anthropophilic dermatophyte causing several clinical variants of tinea capitis including the Kerion celsi that can be often unrecognised or confused with other lesions. We report a case of Kerion celsi caused by in a child following an excoriation to the scalp caused by a fall in a public park. The use of multiplex PCR assay has enabled rapid diagnosis of tinea capitis from with a result in less than 48 hours and therefore the possibility of quickly starting antifungal therapy.

Diagnostic surveillance by Candida albicans germ tube antibody in intensive care unit patients.

Background: The diagnosis of Invasive Candidiasis (IC) presents serious problems, mainly associated with the absence of pathognomonic symptoms of the disease and the difficulty of isolating the fungus in blood culture. Candida albicans germ tube antibody (CAGTA) provides a rapid and simple test for diagnosis of IC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of the CAGTA in the monitoring of critically-ill patients at risk of developing IC.

Corrigendum: Azole-Resistance in and Related Species: An Emerging Problem or a Rare Phenomenon?

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.

Environmental Isolates of Multi-Azole-Resistant spp. in Southern Italy.

Azole resistance in spp. has been increasingly reported worldwide. Acquired azole resistance is probably linked to environmental exposure to fungicides used in agriculture.

pneumonia in a patient with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Several cases have been reported of infections in immunocompromised patients. Acute leukemia is the main predisposing factor. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is not usually associated with opportunistic infections.

Azole-Resistance in and Related Species: An Emerging Problem or a Rare Phenomenon?

Invasive mold infections associated with species are a significant cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients. The most frequently occurring aetiological pathogens are members of the section followed by members of the section . The frequency of and related (cryptic) species in clinical specimens, as well as the percentage of azole-resistant strains remains to be studied.

Influence of thread shape and inclination on the biomechanical behaviour of plateau implant systems.

Objective: To assess the influence of implant thread shape and inclination on the mechanical behaviour of bone-implant systems. The study assesses which factors influence the initial and full osseointegration stages.

Methods: Point clouds of the original implant were created using a non-contact reverse engineering technique.

Environmental distribution of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii around the Mediterranean basin.

In order to elucidate the distribution of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii in the Mediterranean basin, an extensive environmental survey was carried out during 2012-2015. A total of 302 sites located in 12 countries were sampled, 6436 samples from 3765 trees were collected and 5% of trees were found to be colonized by cryptococcal yeasts.

Synergy of molecular and serological methods in minimally invasive diagnosis of enteroviral cardiac infection.

Treatment of myocarditis and pericarditis can differ on the basis of aetiology: systemic or auto-immune disease can be positively influenced by corticoid therapy, whereas this kind of treatment can worsen the course of virus-induced disease. Therefore, the aetiological diagnosis is extremely important. The synergistic use of minimally invasive serological, IgG, IgM, IgA, and neutralizing titres, and RNA detection was evaluated on representative patients out of 238 suffering from cardiopathies.

Evaluation of the disk diffusion method compared to the microdilution method in susceptibility testing of anidulafungin against filamentous fungi.

Susceptibility testing of anidulafungin (AFG) against 32 mold isolates showed an excellent correlation between disk diffusion (DD) and broth microdilution methods. Based on our data, a 2-microg disk of AFG and a 24-h reading time might represent the best parameters for AFG DD testing against filamentous fungi.

Comparison between disk diffusion and microdilution methods for determining susceptibility of clinical fungal isolates to caspofungin.

We compared the caspofungin (CAS) susceptibility testing results generated by the disk diffusion (DD) assay with the results of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) broth microdilution (BD) reference method for 106 yeast isolates. The isolates represented 11 different fungal species, including Candida albicans (n = 50), C. parapsilosis (n = 10), C.