Background: Contaminants from various sources are curious findings in cervicovaginal smears and pose diagnostic challenges especially when they need to be distinguished from pathogens. Candidiasis is the most frequently encountered fungal infection but fungal contaminants are relatively common. Detection of fruiting bodies and spores of Aspergillus species is uncommon and may represent either a true infection or contamination. This study was undertaken to evaluate the presence of fungal spores, hyphae, and fruiting bodies in routine cervical smears and distinguish a true infection from contamination.
Methods: Conventional cervicovaginal smears collected from women were incidentally found to have fungal fruiting bodies and spores. All smears received in the Cytology Department during that one month were reviewed for the presence of these elements.
Results: Five out of the 120 smears, received from the outpatient department over a period of three consecutive days, showed evidence of fungal organisms. The patients were 28-59 years of age. While four patients were asymptomatic, only one patient complained of minimal vaginal discharge. All were immunocompetent. Cervicovaginal smears were prepared as part of routine screening. Fungal fruiting bodies, branching hyphae and numerous spores were seen in otherwise normal smears. Culture of scrapings from the surface of the wooden spatulas grew Aspergillus niger.
Conclusions: Contamination of Pap smears by fungus must be distinguished from true infection, the latter being supported by positive clinical findings and the presence of significant inflammation in the smears. Literature review was done to see the range of contaminants detected in Pap smears. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:191-194. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dc.23658 | DOI Listing |
In our study, four species of wood-decaying fungi with perennial fruiting bodies were used as the source of biologically active compounds (BACs) - Inonotus obliquus (chaga), Fomitopsis pinicola, Fomes fomentarius, and Ganoderma applanatum. Fungi have a wide range of secondary metabolites but are used much less frequently than plants in both folk and official medicine. Fungotherapy could be considered a promising trend in the development of modern natural therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Med Mushrooms
December 2024
College of Arts & Sciences, University of Pikeville, Pikeville, KY 41501, USA.
Int J Med Mushrooms
December 2024
Laboratory for Immunopharmacology of Microbial Products, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
The traditional use of Cordyceps militaris, an entomopathogenic fungus, in East Asian medicine has been well documented. Our previous study revealed that the fruiting body powder of C. militaris, referred to as Ryukyu-kaso, contains 1,3-β-glucan and stimulates bone marrow-derived dendritic cells via a dectin-1-dependent pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeerJ
December 2024
Mudanjiang Branch, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China.
Heilongjiang Province has the third largest bee population in China, producing over 2,000 tons of beeswax waste (BW) each year. Most of this BW is discarded or burned. Therefore, we urgently need to find sustainable applications of BW.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Microbiol
December 2024
College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agriculture University, Taigu, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, China.
Background: Casing soil is critical for the cultivation process of and promotes the formation of mushroom fruiting bodies. Therefore, reliable casing soil indicators are crucial for obtaining high yields of high-quality mushrooms.
Methods: In this study, soil enzyme activity, physicochemical properties, and microorganisms at five cultivation stages [namely casing (A1), mycelial (A2), primordial (A3), fruiting (A4), and harvesting (A5)] of cultivation were evaluated in casing soils.
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