Keratinophilic fungi from the duck nails in Egypt

Migratory birds as the potential source for the transmission of Aspergillus and other fungus to Bangladesh

Objectives

Migratory birds play a major role in the transmission of pathogens globally, but still their role in the transmission of fungi in Bangladesh is not known. The present study was carried out for the isolation and molecular detection of fungi including Aspergillus from migratory birds traveling to Bangladesh.

Materials and methods

A total of 50 fecal samples were collected from BaojaniBaor, Magura, and areas close to Jahangirnagar University, Savar. The isolation of fungus was based on culture on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), followed by staining, morphology, and molecular detection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

Among 50 samples, 40 showed positive for fungal growth on PDA, of which 30 yield only yeast-like colonies, five only molds, and five yielded both yeast and molds. The isolated molds produced various pigmented colonies, namely, black, whitish, grayish, olive green, and yellow. Among 10 molds, six were confirmed as fungi by PCR using genus-specific primers such as ITS1 and ITS4. Later, of these six fungi, five were confirmed as Aspergillus by PCR with primers such as ASAP1 and ASAP2 specific for Aspergillus genus. Therefore, the overall occurrence of Aspergillus was 10% (5/50). PCR specific for Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger failed to produce specific PCR amplicon, suggesting that the isolated Aspergillus belongs to other groups.

Conclusion

This is the first report describing the isolation and molecular detection of Aspergillus from fecal samples of migratory birds in Bangladesh. The present findings confirm that migratory birds are potential source for Aspergillus and other fungus in Bangladesh.

Generalized hyperkeratosis caused by Scopulariopsis brevicaulis in a Japanese Black calf

A 6-month-old Japanese Black female calf became gradually emaciated over a 40-day period and was humanely killed. At necropsy, hyperkeratotic nodules were seen to have spread over almost the entire body surface. Scopulariopsis brevicaulis was isolated from the skin and identified morphologically and by gene sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of large subunit ribosomal RNA. Numerous periodic acid-Schiff-positive, lemon-shaped conidia were detected histologically in the keratinized layer and the hair follicles. The distribution of the fungal elements in the skin corresponded to that of the hyperkeratotic lesions. This is the first report of a disease caused by S. brevicaulis in animals. Previously reported human infections have not included generalized hyperkeratosis.

Fungi isolated from skins and pens of healthy animals in Nigeria

The mycoflora of 220 skin scrapings, hair, nail samples and pens' materials of apparently healthy animals including cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, pigs and dogs were determined. Twenty eight species of fungi belonging to ten genera were recovered. Chrysosporium spp. were the most common and C. keratinophilum was recovered from all animals. Dermatophytes which are known causal agents of dermatophytosis were also isolated in different frequencies (Microsporum gypseum, M. canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T rubrum).

Keratinolysis and its morphological expression in hair digestion by airborne fungi

The morphological expression of keratinolysis in fungi isolated from the air of Torino (98 isolates belonging to 36 species) was studied. Light microscopy on whole material and on semithin sections, as well as scanning electron microscopy was used. There were 19 keratinolytically active species, with seven in the genus Chrysosporium (C. indicum, C. keratinophilum, C. pannicola, C. tropicum, C. an. Arthroderma cuniculi, C. an. Pectinotrichum llanense, C. an. Renispora flavissima), four in the genus Malbranchea (M. arcuata, M. fulva, M. sulphurea, M. st. Uncinocarpus reesii), and three in the genus Trichophyton (T. mentagrophytes, T. rubrum, T. terrestre). In addition there were Aphanoascus fulvescens, Beauveria bassiana, Geomyces pannorum v. pannorum, Gymnoascus umbrinus and Myceliophthora vellerea. Most of these species were capable of developing structures related to surface erosion and radial penetration contemporaneously. However Gymnoascus umbrinus, Myceliophthora vellerea, an isolate of C. indicum, C. tropicum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes demonstrated only surface erosion. Different isolates of one species can vary in their production of invasive structures and in degree of keratinolytic activity. Thus such activity, like many biochemical activities of fungi, does not appear to be a constant or rigorously species-specific character.

Keratinophilic and other fungi isolated from combine harvester wheat and sorghum dusts and from the atmosphere of winnow sites in Egypt

Three methods were used for the isolation of fungi in the present investigation: the dilution-plate method, hair-baiting technique with horse hairs and the "exposed plate" method. Sabouraud's glucose agar at 28 degrees C was also used as isolation medium. 102 species and 2 species varieties belonging to 36 genera were collected from combine harvester wheat and sorghum dusts and from the atmosphere of hay or winnow sites. Chrysosporium was represented by 6 species: C. asperatum, C. indicum, C. keratinophilum, C. merdarium, C. pannorum and C. tropicum. Several filamentous fungi tolerating high levels of cycloheximide and other moulds were frequently encountered in the two types of dusts and in the two atmospheres, such as members of Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Emericella, Eupenicillium, Fusarium, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Piedraia, Rhizopus, Scopulariopsis and others.