scholarly journals Epidemiology of Superficial Fungal Infections in Hospital Settings in Togo and Senegal from 2019 to 2020

Author(s):  
Doudou Sow

Background: Superficial fungal diseases are cosmopolitan affections caused by yeast and filamentous microscopic fungi (dermatophytes and moulds). Their very high prevalence and worldwide distribution make them one of the most common dermatological diseases. Our study aims to describe the profile of superficial fungal diseases diagnosed in Senegal and Togo and to identify the causative agents circulating in both countries. Material and Methods: This is a descriptive study carried out in Senegal and Togo, involving 602 and 135 patients respectively. The patients presenting clinical signs were screened in the Parasitology-Mycology laboratories of the Fann University Hospital in Dakar (from February 2019 to February 2020) and Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé (from October 2019 to March 2020). Samples collected were examined using routine mycological techniques (Direct examination and culture). Results: In Senegal 293 (48.67%) out of 602 patients enrolled were diagnosed with superficial fungal diseases. Patients under 10 old years and female, most affected, represented 23.42% and 61.39% of cases respectively. The patients were seen mostly in September with 27 positives cases out of 42. Trichophyton soudanense and Candida albicans complex were the most common species, with a prevalence rate of 30.37% and 26.96% respectively. In Togo, 67.41% (91) of the 135 patients presented superficial mycosis. The female (58.76%) and the patients aged 31-40 year old (21.65%) were the most affected. Highest prevalence is recorded in October with 11 positive cases out of 13. Malassezia furfur was the most common species with a prevalence of 28.57%. The same species of fungi were found in both countries with the exception of three fungi Trichophyton violaceum, Aspergillus candidus (respectively 3 cases and 1 case in Senegal) and Trichophyton tonsurans (3 cases in Togo). Conclusion: Superficial mycoses are a frequent reason for consultation in Senegal and Togo. Dermatophytes and yeasts of the genus Candida and Malassezia are the most common agents involved. The use of innovative diagnostic techniques could allow a more precise identification of species for a better therapeutic management.

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Vieira Amorim da Costa ◽  
Andreia Spanamberg ◽  
Ricardo Araujo ◽  
Juliana Werner ◽  
Laerte Ferreiro

Background: Deep fungal infections of the orbit and nasal passages causing rhinitis and ulcerative keratomycosis are uncommonly reported in cats. Hyalohyphomycetes and phaeohyphomycetes have rarely been associated with this disorder. Sino-orbital fungal diseases are emerging and more invasive than sino-nasal fungal diseases with poor response to therapy and a worse prognosis. Brachycephalic feline breeds seem to be at increased risk for development of upper respiratory fungal diseases. Diagnosis is based on the demonstration of fungal hyphae by cytology or histology and definitive confirmation by fungal culture and molecular methods. This is the first case report of a cat with clinical mixed fungal ball with Aspergillus and Scopulariopsis in Brazil.Case: A 3-year-old male Persian cat, in São José city, Santa Catarina, Brazil, was presented with exophthalmos and corneal ulcer of the left eye and protrusion, hyperemia, quemosis and fibroses of the left third eyelid. The retropulsion of the globe was negative in this eyeball and a presumptive diagnosis of a retrobulbar mass was made. The patient underwent a surgical procedure for inspection and collection of samples for bacterial and mycological culture. Culture revealed no bacterial growth, however, unique and abundant growth of Aspergillus spp. was present. A subconjunctival enucleation of the left eye was made and the mass was sent for histopathology examination. Histology showed inflammatory proliferative necrotizing pyogranulomatous reaction; with the presence of severe fungal infection evidenced by large number of hyaline septated regular and irregular mold hyphae. Molecular identification was performed using panfungal primers (ITS3-F / ITS4-R). Patient was treated with systemic itraconazole associated with amphotericin B and topical clotrimazole. A mass started to grow rapidly in the left pterygopalatine fossa and was surgically removed, but recurrence occurred seven days after. After 22 days of treatment, the animal died suddenly with a history of acute inspiratory dyspnea and cyanosis at the time prior to death. The diagnosis of sino-orbital fungal disease in the feline was based on clinical signs, mycological culture, histopathology and molecular methods.Discussion: Sino-orbital fungal diseases rare in cats and can result in significant injuries to the upper respiratory tract and eyes, sometimes resulting in enucleation and death. It seems feasible that a brachycephalic facial conformation may be an important risk factor for the development of sino-nasal fungal diseases in cats. Despite using selected drugs and eye enucleation to treat the disease, the cat developed a rapid growing oral mass that probably caused acute inspiratory dyspnea and death. Since no controlled studies exist on the treatment of feline fungal diseases, these cases are a challenge to the feline practitioner and this type of clinical manifestation should be included in the differential diagnosis of upper respiratory and ocular diseases. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Casadevall

Fungal diseases became a major medical problem in the second half of the 20th century when advances in modern medicine together with the HIV epidemic resulted in large numbers of individuals with impaired immunity. Fungal diseases are difficult to manage because they tend to be chronic, hard to diagnose, and difficult to eradicate with antifungal drugs. This essay considers the future of medical mycology in the 21st century, extrapolating from current trends. In the near horizon, the prevalence of fungal diseases is likely to increase, as there will be more hosts with impaired immunity and drug resistance will inevitably increase after selection by antifungal drug use. We can expect progress in the development of new drugs, diagnostics, vaccines, and immunotherapies. In the far horizon, humanity may face new fungal diseases in association with climate change. Some current associations between chronic diseases and fungal infections could lead to the establishment of fungi as causative agents, which will greatly enhance their medical importance. All trends suggest that the importance of fungal diseases will increase in the 21st century, and enhanced human preparedness for this scourge will require more research investment in this group of infectious diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1101
Author(s):  
Iris Azami-Conesa ◽  
María Teresa Gómez-Muñoz ◽  
Rafael Alberto Martínez-Díaz

Leishmaniasis are neglected diseases caused by several species of Leishmania that affect humans and many domestic and wild animals with a worldwide distribution. The objectives of this review are to identify wild animals naturally infected with zoonotic Leishmania species as well as the organs infected, methods employed for detection and percentage of infection. A literature search starting from 1990 was performed following the PRISMA methodology and 161 reports were included. One hundred and eighty-nine species from ten orders (i.e., Carnivora, Chiroptera, Cingulata, Didelphimorphia, Diprotodontia, Lagomorpha, Eulipotyphla, Pilosa, Primates and Rodentia) were reported to be infected, and a few animals were classified only at the genus level. An exhaustive list of species; diagnostic techniques, including PCR targets; infected organs; number of animals explored and percentage of positives are presented. L. infantum infection was described in 98 wild species and L. (Viania) spp. in 52 wild animals, while L. mexicana, L. amazonensis, L. major and L. tropica were described in fewer than 32 animals each. During the last decade, intense research revealed new hosts within Chiroptera and Lagomorpha. Carnivores and rodents were the most relevant hosts for L. infantum and L. (Viannia) spp., with some species showing lesions, although in most of the studies clinical signs were not reported.


Author(s):  
W.L. Steffens ◽  
M.B. Ard ◽  
C.E. Greene ◽  
A. Jaggy

Canine distemper is a multisystemic contagious viral disease having a worldwide distribution, a high mortality rate, and significant central neurologic system (CNS) complications. In its systemic manifestations, it is often presumptively diagnosed on the basis of clinical signs and history. Few definitive antemortem diagnostic tests exist, and most are limited to the detection of viral antigen by immunofluorescence techniques on tissues or cytologic specimens or high immunoglobulin levels in CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). Diagnosis of CNS distemper is often unreliable due to the relatively low cell count in CSF (<50 cells/μl) and the binding of blocking immunoglobulins in CSF to cell surfaces. A more reliable and definitive test might be possible utilizing direct morphologic detection of the etiologic agent. Distemper is the canine equivalent of human measles, in that both involve a closely related member of the Paramyxoviridae, both produce mucosal inflammation, and may produce CNS complications. In humans, diagnosis of measles-induced subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is through negative stain identification of whole or incomplete viral particles in patient CSF.


2020 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 131-135

Introduction: Abdominal emergencies occur in pregnant women with the rate of 1:500−635 pregnancies. Such conditions usually develop from full health and worsen rapidly. Symptoms are often similar to those in physiological pregnancy (abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation). The diagnostic process is thus difficult and both the mother and her child are at risk. Our aim was to evaluate the frequency of abdominal emergencies in the Department of Surgery, University Hospital in Pilsen and to consider their impact on pregnancy and on the newborn. Methods: We acquired a set of patients by retrograde collection of data. We searched for pregnant patients suspected of developing an abdominal emergency admitted to the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Pilsen between 2004 and 2015. We evaluated a number of clinical signs to statistically describe the set. Results: The set included 121 patients; 42 of the patients underwent a surgical procedure and 79 received conservative treatment. 38 patients underwent appendectomy; 6 appendixes were with no pathologies. McBurney’s incision was an approach of choice in most cases. The most frequent symptom was pain in the right lower abdominal quadrant. The foetus has been lost in none of the cases. Conclusion: Acute appendicitis was the most frequent abdominal emergency in our set and also the most frequent reason for surgical intervention. The most specific sign was pain in the right lower abdominal quadrant. No impact of appendicitis or appendectomy on the health of the newborn has been observed. Even though abdominal emergencies in pregnancy are relatively rare, the results of the department are very good.


2012 ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Thi Kieu Nhi Nguyen

Objectives: 1. Estimating the ratios of clinical and paraclinical signs of post-term newborns hospitalized at Pediatric Department of Hue University Hospital. 2. Identifying the relation between clinical signs and paraclinical signs. Materials and Method: 72 post- term babies < 7 days of life hospitalized at NICU from 2010/5 to 2011/4. Classification of post - term newborn was based on WHO 2003: gestational age ≥ 42 weeks with clinical manifestations: desquamation on press with fingers or natural desquamation, withered or meconial umbilicus, meconial long finger nails (*) or geatational age still < 42 weeks with theses clinical manifestations (*). Data were recorded on a clinical record form. Per-protocol analysis of clinical outcomes was performed by using Medcalc 11.5 and Excell 2007. Analyses used the χ2 test or Fisher's exact test for categorical data; Student's t test was used for continuous data and the Mann-Whitney U test for nonparametric data. Data were presented as means or proportions with 95% CIs. Results: Clinical characteristics: Tachypnea and grasp were main reasons of hospitalisation (48.61%). Poor feeding, vomitting (16.67%). Asphyxia (8.34%). Jawndice (6.94%). Hypothermia < 36.50C (13.89%), fever (13.89%). Tachypnea (59.72%). Bradycardia (1.39%). Poor feeding (11.11%). Hypertonia (9.72%). Paraclinical characteristics: Erythrocytes < 4.5.1012/l (51.39%), Leucocytes 5 – 25.103/mm3 (81.94%), Thrombocytes 100- 400.103/mm3 (94.44%). Hemoglobinemia < 10mg/l (67.61%). Maternal characteristics: Menstrual cycles regular (75%). Primiparity (75%). Amniotic volume average (70.42%), little (29.58%). Aminiotic liquid clair (62.5%), aminiotic liquid yellow (4.17%), aminiotic meconial liquid (33.33%). Maternal manifestation of one of many risk factors consist of genital infection; urinary infection; fever before, during, after 3 days of birth; prolonged delivery; medical diseases influence the foetus (75%). The relation between clinical signs and paraclinical signs: There was significantly statistical difference: between gestationnal age based on obstetrical criteria and amniotic volume on ultrasound (p < 0.05); between birth weight and glucosemia p < 0.02). There was conversional correlation of average level between erythroctes number and respiratory rate (r = - 0.5158; p < 0,0001), concordance correlation of weak level betwwen leucocytes number and respiratory rate r = 0.3045; p = 0.0093). Conclusion: It should made diagnosis of postterm baby based on degree of desquamation. The mother who has menstrual cycles regular is still delivered of a postterm baby. A postterm baby has the individual clinical and paraclinical signs.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 2063
Author(s):  
Awad A. Shehata ◽  
Shereen Basiouni ◽  
Reinhard Sting ◽  
Valerij Akimkin ◽  
Marc Hoferer ◽  
...  

Poult enteritis and mortality syndrome (PEMS) is one of the most significant problem affecting turkeys and continues to cause severe economic losses worldwide. Although the specific causes of PEMS remains unknown, this syndrome might involve an interaction between several causative agents such as enteropathogenic viruses (coronaviruses, rotavirus, astroviruses and adenoviruses) and bacteria and protozoa. Non-infectious causes such as feed and management are also interconnected factors. However, it is difficult to determine the specific cause of enteric disorders under field conditions. Additionally, similarities of clinical signs and lesions hamper the accurate diagnosis. The purpose of the present review is to discuss in detail the main viral possible causative agents of PEMS and challenges in diagnosis and control.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S19-S19
Author(s):  
Valentina Gutiérrez ◽  
Ximena Claverie

Abstract Background Fever during neutropenia is a common occurrence in children with cancer. In a systematic review of RCTs of pediatric febrile neutropenia, compared monotherapy with aminoglycoside-containing combination therapy found no significant differences in failure rates, infection-related mortality, or overall mortality. The updated pediatric-specific guidelines recommend initiation of empirical antibiotic monotherapy using an antipseudomonal β-lactam, a fourth-generation cephalosporin, or a carbapenem for pediatric high-risk febrile neutropenia. However, local epidemiology and resistance patterns should be evaluated regularly. Our local hospital epidemiology does not have Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, therefore, we used ceftriaxone as monotherapy in patients with high-risk febrile neutropenia without other risk factors. The goal of our investigation is to describe the experience of using third-generation cephalosporins in these patients. Methods Descriptive study of high-risk febrile neutropenia episodes in patients admitted to the Pediatric Oncology Unit of Hospital Dr. Sótero del Río, Santiago, Chile. We included patients ≤15 years from June 2016 until November 2019. Results We found a total of 133 high-risk febrile neutropenia episodes corresponding to 50 patients, 78% were leukemia and 22% were solid tumor patients. Of the 133 episodes, 92 (69%) had clinical signs at admission, mostly respiratory in 46 (50%) of the cases, 18 (29%) had mucositis and 13 (14%) had diarrhea. Of 133 episodes, 41 (31%) did not have any source at clinical examination. Eighty-six (65%) cases started ceftriaxone at admission, 28 (33%) maintained ceftriaxone for 7 days of treatment with good clinical response. Of this group 58 (67%) patients changed treatment: 32 (37%) cases started second-line antibiotics for clinical worsening, 19 (22%) cases required second- and third-line antibiotics for persistent fever and clinical worsening, and 7 (8%) received third-line antibiotics from the start for past microbiological history. Sixteen (12%) cases of total evolved with sepsis requiring intensive care unit management. We had 30 (23%) episodes with positive blood culture, 11 (37%) due to gram-positive bacteria, 16 (53%) gram-negative bacteria, and 3 (10%) cases of fungal infections. Of the gram-negative bacteria, 7 (44%) were ESBL producers, without P. aeruginosa isolates. One case died (0.7%) for refractory sepsis due to gram-negative bacteria. Conclusion Although we did not have P. aeruginosa isolates, due to the spread of ESBL strains, monotherapy with ceftriaxone is not a good option as initial therapy for high-risk febrile neutropenia patients. The empiric therapy has to be evaluated regularly and should always be based on local epidemiology.


2021 ◽  
pp. 29-30
Author(s):  
Venkatesh B. C. ◽  
Rajendra Rao K. M. ◽  
K. N. Mohan Rao

Corona virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is causing a major health crisis across the globe. With the increasing number of fungal infections associated with COVID-19 being reported, it is imperative to understand the spectrum of such infections. Most documented cases have been reported in patients with diabetes mellitus or treatment with immunomodulators. The most common causative agents are Aspergillus, Candida or Mucorales. This series aims to portray the spectrum of fungal infections associated with COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 720
Author(s):  
Maryam Roudbary ◽  
Sunil Kumar ◽  
Awanish Kumar ◽  
Lucia Černáková ◽  
Fatemeh Nikoomanesh ◽  
...  

Patients with severe COVID-19, such as individuals in intensive care units (ICU), are exceptionally susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections. The most prevalent fungal infections are aspergillosis and candidemia. Nonetheless, other fungal species (for instance, Histoplasma spp., Rhizopus spp., Mucor spp., Cryptococcus spp.) have recently been increasingly linked to opportunistic fungal diseases in COVID-19 patients. These fungal co-infections are described with rising incidence, severe illness, and death that is associated with host immune response. Awareness of the high risks of the occurrence of fungal co-infections is crucial to downgrade any arrear in diagnosis and treatment to support the prevention of severe illness and death directly related to these infections. This review analyses the fungal infections, treatments, outcome, and immune response, considering the possible role of the microbiome in these patients. The search was performed in Medline (PubMed), using the words “fungal infections COVID-19”, between 2020–2021.


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