Electrophoretic karyotypes of C. neoformans serotype A recovered from Thai patients with AIDS.

Thirty-seven clinical isolates of C. neoformans were recovered from AIDS patients and all were serotype A according to standard typing tests. They were further analyzed using RAPD, PCR fingerprinting, and PFGE along with 2 additional reference isolates ATCC 34871 (serotype A) and RV 45981 (serotype D).

Modified antimicrobial disc susceptibility testing for nutritionally-variant streptococci.

Streptococci that were dependent for their growth upon staphylococci were isolated from a patient with sub-acute bacterial endocarditis and subsequently identified as nutritionally-variant streptococci (NVS). Failure of the isolate to grow on agar media supplemented with pyridoxal hydrochloride or L-cysteine, the known supporting growth factors for NVS, made conventional antimicrobial disc diffusion assay impossible. We modified the assay by co-inoculating Staphylococcus aureus resistant to the drugs being tested as a helper to support the growth of the NVS.

Phenotypic switching and genetic diversity of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Niger seed agar was used as a primary plating medium for the isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans from cerebrospinal fluid specimens from AIDS patients with untreated primary cryptococcosis. The medium was used as the primary means to detect variations in the colony morphology of the yeast. To search for phenotypic and genetic variations, nine patients individually harboring two or three types of colony morphology were studied.

Molecular typing of global isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans by polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-a pilot study to standardize techniques on which to base a detailed epidemiological survey.

A total of 356 clinical isolates of the encapsulated basidiomycetous fungus Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans, obtained from Australia, Argentina, Brazil, India, Italy, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Thailand and the USA, were analyzed to lay the basis for a comprehensive evaluation of the global genetic structure of C. neoformans.

Recovery of Cryptococcus neoformans from the nasopharynx of AIDS patients.

Nasopharyngeal swabbings, obtained from AIDS patients, were plated onto Niger seed agar containing antibiotics Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from 35 out of 84 patients (41.7%) diagnosed as primary cryptococcal cases before antifungal administration, and 8 out of 86 (9.3%) cryptococcosis patients on antifungal therapy.

Pathogenicity of basidiospores of Filobasidiella neoformans var. neoformans.

Basidiospores of Filobasidiella neoformans var. neoformans (progeny of Cryptococcus neoformans MT 100.1 x VR 45980) were able to induce cryptococcosis in Swiss albino mice if inoculated by intraperitoneal injection, nasal instillation or nasal spraying.

Serotypes of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from patients prior to and during the AIDS era in Thailand.

One hundred and eighty-seven strains of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from patients in Thailand were characterized by biochemical varieties relating to serogroups. Canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue (CGB) agar was used for differentiating the varieties of C. neoformans.

Occurrence of Penicillium marneffei infections among wild bamboo rats in Thailand.

Penicilliosis marneffei has emerged as an endemic systemic mycosis in Southeast Asia among humans and wild bamboo rats. To gain an insight into the epidemiology of this life-threatening disease, a survey of bamboo rats for natural infections by Penicillium marneffei was carried out in the central plains of Thailand during June-September, 1987. Thirty-one lesser bamboo rats (Cannomys badius) and eight hoary bamboo rats (Rhizomys pruinosus) were trapped.

Itraconazole in the treatment of acute vaginal candidosis.

An open non-comparative multicenter study of Itraconazole (Sporal) 400 mg as a single day therapy for vaginal candidosis was carried out at Siriraj Hospital and Chulalongkorn Hospital from 1st November 1988 to 31st August, 1989. Fifty-nine female out patients with vaginal candidosis were included in the study after excluding pregnancy, lactation, mixed vaginal infection and prior antimycotic therapy. Two capsules of 100 mg Itraconazole were given b.

Persistent bacterial endocarditis caused by three isolates of satellite streptococci.

Three isolates of satellite streptococci were cultivated from the blood of a patient affected persistent bacterial endocarditis. They had distinguishable ultrastructural abnormalities. Their cell wall architecture changed from a fuzzy coat (first isolate) to a thick electron transparent layer covered with a rough fuzzy coat (second isolate), and to electron dense globular material which detached from the wall in small patches (third isolate).

Abnormal form of Aspergillus terreus isolated from mycotic abscesses.

A remarkable outer cell-wall thickening (up to 1.5 muM) was observed on septate hyphae obtained from pus collected from multiple abscesses of a 25-year-old female patient. Ultrastructural examination of the hyphae showed a thick electron dense layer of microfibrillar material surrounding the electron transparent cell wall.

Survey of sensitivity of twelve yeast genera toward T-2 toxin.

A survey was made to detect the sensitivity of 12 yeast genera to T-2 toxin. Seventy-five yeasts isolated from various sources were tested for their susceptibility to T-2 toxin. The MIC of T-2 for these yeasts varied from 1.

Cholecystitis associated with Enterobacter agglomerans.

A case report of chronic cholecystitis due to Enterobacter agglomerans, occurred in a 54-year old female with homozygous beta-thalassemia. The patient responded successfully to cholecystectomy and sulfamethoxazole + trimetroprim therapy. The source of the infection was not known, however, cystic duct obstruction and immune deficit were thought to be the predisposing causes.

Distribution of IMVC biogroups of Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas sobria isolated from human, fish and water.

Aeromonas sobria and A.hydrophila were isolated from infected fish in ratio of 3.5:1 during the outbreak of fish infections from December 1982 to February 1983, while isolates from human diarrheic stool was 1 :2.