Etiological Analysis of Fungal Keratitis and Rapid Identification of Predominant Fungal Pathogens

2015 ◽  
Vol 181 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 75-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan He ◽  
Jilong Hao ◽  
Song Gao ◽  
Xue Wan ◽  
Wanting Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Fungal Keratitis

scholarly journals Case Report: Molecular Diagnosis of Fungal Keratitis Associated With Contact Lenses Caused by Fusarium solani

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Trovato ◽  
Antonio Marino ◽  
Giovanni Pizzo ◽  
Salvatore Oliveri
Keyword(s):  
Fusarium Solani ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Contact Lenses ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Fungal Keratitis ◽  
Antifungal Treatment ◽  
Delay In Diagnosis ◽  
Soft Contact Lenses

Fusarium 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 Fusarium solani 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. The use of the real-time quantitative PCR assay confirmed keratitis from F. solani providing a result in <48 h and therefore giving the possibility of quickly starting targeted antifungal therapy. The patient had an improvement in eye condition after the diagnosis of keratitis by F. solani and the rapid change to targeted antifungal treatment. For the rapid identification of corneal fungal pathogens, we believe that PCR may be added for the diagnosis of mycotic keratitis pending the isolation in culture that is necessary for in vitro susceptibility testing.

scholarly journals Epidemiology, Clinical Profile and Treatment Outcomes of Bacterial and Fungal Keratitis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabila Mabrouk ◽  
Mohamed Abdelkader ◽  
Mohamed Abdelhakeem ◽  
Khaled Mourad ◽  
Ahmed Abdelghany
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Fungal Growth ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Fungal Keratitis ◽  
Clinical Profile ◽  
Clinical Series ◽  
Vegetative Matter ◽  
Department Faculty

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine the microbiological aetiology, epidemiological factors, and clinical profile and treatment outcomes of infective keratitis in Ophthalmology department, Minia University. EgyptMethods:Prospective, non-randomized, observational clinical series of cases, including 150 patients with mean age 30 (range 12 to 85 years), 90 patients (60 %) were males and 60 (40%) were females, clinically diagnosed as infective corneal ulcer, attending the Ophthalmology Department – Faculty of Medicine. Minia University, Minia, Egypt. From 2018 to 2020.Detailed history taking and all clinical findings were collected. Corneal scrapings were obtained from patients and subjected to staining and culture for bacterial and fungal pathogens; Bacterial and fungal growth were identified by standard laboratory procedures.Results:Corneal trauma by a vegetative matter was the commesnest risk factor associated with infective keratitis in 92 cases (61.3%). Smear and Culture was positive in 83 cases (58.4%) of 142 corneal scrapings obtained, of which 60 cases were fungal (72.3%), 21 cases were bacterial (25.3%) and 2 cases were mixed bacterial and fungal (2.4%), Aspergillus species was the commonest fungal species isolated in fungal keratitis. 142 cases (94.67 %) healed completely with scar. Only 6 cases (4%) required evisceration due to aggressive presentation from the start and keratoplasty was performed for 2 cases (1.33%).Conclusions:Fungal keratitis was the commonest type in cases attending to our department. Adequate diagnosis, management and follow up helped in achieving high successful curative outcomes. Clinical Trials.gov ID: NCT04894630. Time of registration 1 December 2018

Identification of hypocrealean reptile pathogenic isolates with MALDI-TOF MS

2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 694-702
Author(s):  
Juliane Schneider ◽  
Tilo Heydel ◽  
Michael Pees ◽  
Wieland Schrödl ◽  
Volker Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Ribosomal Dna ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Large Subunit ◽  
Fungal Keratitis ◽  
Internal Transcribed Spacer Region ◽  
Maldi Tof Ms ◽  
Maldi Tof ◽  
Purpureocillium Lilacinum ◽  
Tof Ms

Abstract Biotyper analysis of Nannizziopsis guarroi, a fatal fungal pathogen in lizards, was described recently. Hypocrealean fungal infections in captive reptiles appear with an increasing frequency during the last decade. Therefore, the aim of this study was to proof Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as diagnostic tool for the identification of reptile pathogenic hypocrealean fungi. Ten fungal isolates obtained from nine reptiles with fungal glossitis, disseminated visceral mycosis, pneumomycosis, and fungal keratitis were analyzed. Phylogeny consisted of fragments of the large subunit of nuclear encoded ribosomal DNA (D1/D2, LSU) and the internal transcribed spacer region 1 of nuclear encoded ribosomal DNA (ITS1) as well as the protein coding gene translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF). Results revealed unanimously two Metarhizium granulomatis genotypes in a total of three isolates, various M. viride genotypes (n = 3), two different Purpureocillium lilacinum isolates as well as one isolate of each P. lavendulum and Beauveria bassiana. Purpureocillium lilacinum and B. bassiana are likewise frequently employed as a mycoinsecticide and mycoacaricide in agriculture on a worldwide scale and have occasionally been reported in man, causing fungal keratitis, sclerokeratitis, nosocomial infections in immunosuppressed patients, as well as cavitary pulmonary disease and cutaneous hyalohyphomycosis in immunocompetent patients. According to the results establishment of Biotyper analysis for faster differentiation of reptile-associated fungal pathogens is entirely justified.

scholarly journals Endothelial Plaques as Sign of Hyphae Infiltration of Descemet’s Membrane in Fungal Keratitis

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Xiaolin Qi ◽  
Ting Liu ◽  
Man Du ◽  
Hua Gao
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Fungal Keratitis ◽  
Calcofluor White ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Fungal Hyphae ◽  
Descemet's Membrane ◽  
Descemet’S Membrane ◽  
Grade 3

Background. To evaluate the relationship between corneal endothelial plaques and fungal hyphae infiltration in fungal keratitis. Methods. Retrospective cross-sectional study of 60 fungal keratitis patients who underwent keratoplasty between January 2013 and March 2017. The endothelial plaques were graded as follows: grade 1, 1–3 endothelial plaques; grade 2, 4–8 endothelial plaques; and grade 3, more than 8 endothelial plaques or dense, merging endothelial plaques. The fungal pathogen culture and histopathology of diseased Descemet’s membrane were evaluated. Results. According to endothelial plaque grading, 3 patients were grade 1, 29 patients were grade 2, and 28 patients were grade 3. The PK surgery was performed in 57 patients with endothelial plaques of grade 2 and grade 3 and DALK surgery in 3 patients of grade 1. The predominating fungal pathogens were Aspergillus species (63.2%). All 57 patients with grade 2 and grade 3 had fungal hyphae in Descemet’s membrane based on calcofluor white staining or PAS staining. In patients with grade 3, more hyphae and inflammatory cells were found in Descemet’s membrane. The immunohistochemical staining of endothelial plaques revealed that CD15 and CD68 were positive in most cells. During the follow-up, 2 out of 3 patients who underwent DALK had recurrent fungal keratitis. Conclusions. Endothelial plaques are considered as a sign of hyphae infiltrating Descemet’s membrane. PK should be performed once plaques are detected in endothelium during the surgery.

scholarly journals Comparison of qPCR and Metabarcoding Methods as Tools for the Detection of Airborne Inoculum of Forest Fungal Pathogens

2021 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 570-581
Author(s):  
Anne Chandelier ◽  
Julie Hulin ◽  
Gilles San Martin ◽  
Frédéric Debode ◽  
Sébastien Massart
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Reference Database ◽  
Airborne Inoculum ◽  
Important Pathway ◽  
Spore Trapping ◽  
The Impact

Forest diseases caused by invasive fungal pathogens are becoming more common, sometimes with dramatic consequences to forest ecosystems. The development of early detection systems is necessary for efficient surveillance and to mitigate the impact of invasive pathogens. Windborne spores are an important pathway for introduction of fungal pathogens into new areas; the design of spore trapping devices adapted to forests, capable of collecting different types of spores, and aligned with development of efficient molecular methods for detection of the pathogen, should help forest managers anticipate new disease outbreaks. Two types of Rotorod samplers were evaluated for the collection of airborne inoculum of forest fungal pathogens with a range of spore sizes in five forest types. Detection was by specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) and by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of amplified internal transcribed spacer sequences using a new bioinformatic pipeline, FungiSearch, developed for diagnostic purposes. Validation of the pipeline was conducted on mock communities of 10 fungal species belonging to different taxa. Although the sensitivity of the new HTS pipeline was lower than the specific qPCR, it was able to detect a wide variety of fungal pathogens. FungiSearch is easy to use, and the reference database is updatable, making the tool suitable for rapid identification of new pathogens. This new approach combining spore trapping and HTS detection is promising as a diagnostic tool for invasive fungal pathogens.

scholarly journals Resisting resistance: new applications for molecular diagnostics in crop protection

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 6-12
Author(s):  
Robert Edwards ◽  
Nawaporn Onkokesung
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Diagnostics ◽  
Herbicide Resistance ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Crop Protection ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Global Food Security ◽  
Alopecurus Myosuroides ◽  
Steady Growth ◽  
The Uk

While there is universal recognition of the dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to human health, far less attention has been directed towards the steady growth of resistance to the pesticides and herbicides that safeguard global food security. As a major constraint on crop productivity, weed competition causes greater losses than invertebrate pests and fungal pathogens combined, with the development of herbicide resistance now a primary agronomic threat to arable agriculture and horticulture. Here in the UK, our dominant crop, winter wheat, is now subject to annual losses of 1 million tons of grain equating to an estimated £0.5 billion, primarily due to the mass evolution of herbicide resistance in the highly competitive weed blackgrass (Alopecurus myosuroides). Informed by strategies being developed in healthcare to combat AMR through its rapid identification, we now look to new tools to combat herbicide and pesticide resistance informed by molecular diagnostics.

Rapid identification of bacterial and fungal pathogens from positive blood cultures by MALDI-TOF MS

2013 ◽  
Vol 303 (4) ◽  
pp. 205-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Leli ◽  
Elio Cenci ◽  
Angela Cardaccia ◽  
Amedeo Moretti ◽  
Francesco D’Alò ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Blood Cultures ◽  
Maldi Tof Ms ◽  
Maldi Tof ◽  
Tof Ms

scholarly journals Duplex DNA-Invading γ-Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids Enable Rapid Identification of Bloodstream Infections in Whole Blood

mBio ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörk Nölling ◽  
Srinivas Rapireddy ◽  
Joel I. Amburg ◽  
Elizabeth M. Crawford ◽  
Ranjit A. Prakash ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Culture ◽  
Nucleic Acids ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Peptide Nucleic Acids ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Duplex Dna ◽  
Diagnostic Approaches ◽  
Antimicrobial Intervention

ABSTRACT Bloodstream infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Early and targeted antimicrobial intervention is lifesaving, yet current diagnostic approaches fail to provide actionable information within a clinically viable time frame due to their reliance on blood culturing. Here, we present a novel pathogen identification (PID) platform that features the use of duplex DNA-invading γ-modified peptide nucleic acids (γPNAs) for the rapid identification of bacterial and fungal pathogens directly from blood, without culturing. The PID platform provides species-level information in under 2.5 hours while reaching single-CFU-per-milliliter sensitivity across the entire 21-pathogen panel. The clinical utility of the PID platform was demonstrated through assessment of 61 clinical specimens, which showed >95% sensitivity and >90% overall correlation to blood culture findings. This rapid γPNA-based platform promises to improve patient care by enabling the administration of a targeted first-line antimicrobial intervention. IMPORTANCE Bloodstream infections continue to be a major cause of death for hospitalized patients, despite significant improvements in both the availability of treatment options as well their application. Since early and targeted antimicrobial intervention is one of the prime determinants of patient outcome, the rapid identification of the pathogen can be lifesaving. Unfortunately, current diagnostic approaches for identifying these infections all rely on time-consuming blood culture, which precludes immediate intervention with a targeted antimicrobial. To address this, we have developed and characterized a new and comprehensive methodology, from patient specimen to result, for the rapid identification of both bacterial and fungal pathogens without the need for culturing. We anticipate broad interest in our work, given the novelty of our technical approach combined with an immense unmet need.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document