714. Invasive Fungal Infection Caused by Curvularia Species in a Patient with Intranasal Drug Use: A Case Report

Background Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are uncommon infections that account for approximately 27.2/100,000 cases per year in the United States. One form of IFI is chronic invasive fungal sinusitis (CIFS). If untreated, invasion into neighboring structures may cause altered mental status, seizures, strokes, proptosis, and intracranial complications. Case Report An afebrile 43-year-old female with a history of polysubstance abuse presented to the ED due to altered mental status, left sided facial droop, right sided hemiparesis, and slurred speech. The patient was somnolent but arousable to stimuli and appeared acutely ill. The patient’s mother reported a history of cocaine abuse, which was confirmed on urine toxicology. A CT head and neck with contrast revealed subacute basal ganglia lacunar infarcts and a left sphenoid opacity with scattered hyperintensities and erosive changes [Figure 2]. One month prior, she had been diagnosed with a left superior pole kidney mass and a left-sided enlarged periaortic lymph node containing multiple noncaseating granulomas and GMS stains positive for fungal hyphae [Figure 1]. The patient underwent nasal endoscopy with tissue biopsy. Tissue showed necrotizing invasive fungal sinusitis with granuloma formation and foreign-body giant cell reaction. Fungal speciation of the tissue culture showed Curvularia species was placed on IV voriconazole. While the infection stabilized, her neurologic deficits did not significantly improve. She was discharged to inpatient rehabilitation. Figure 1. Coronal and axial view of left upper pole kidney mass with perinephric fat stranding. Figure 2. MRI brain CTA Head and Neck with contrast in axial plane showing multifocal infarcts likely represent complications of fungal basilar meningitis secondary to the left sphenoid sinus disease. Imaging also shows irregular erosive change at the anterior aspect of the sella turcica, through the planum sphenoidale, and bony defect of the sphenoid sinus. Methods Results Conclusion Intranasal use of cocaine causes vasoconstriction to elicit sinonasal tissue ischemia. With extended use, chronic mucosal inflammation can occur that can result in sinonasal osteocartilaginous necrosis and potential for infection. CIFS is infrequently diagnosed and its indolent nature with progression over weeks or months can make diagnosis and treatment difficult. The most frequent fungal species identified are the Aspergillus species, but Curvularia species have been found as well. CT and MRI scanning can be suggestive, but are not sufficiently specific or sensitive. The main forms of interventional modalities include surgical debridement and antifungal therapy to maximize survival Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Comparative Analysis on the Antimycotic Effect of Azadiracta indica and Jatropha curcas on Curvularia Species

This study was carried out to determine the phytochemical properties and the antimycotic effect of Jatropha curcas and Azadiracta indica leaves on Curvularia species. Isolation and identification of the fungal isolates were carried out using standard conventional method. Maceration technique was employed for crude extraction from the plant. The phytochemical tests were carried out using standard conventional methods. Agar well diffusion method was used to determine the susceptibility of the isolates. Phytochemical tests of A. indica revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, saponins, tannins, phenols, and glycosides. Jatropha curcas showed the presence of glycoside, tannins, saponin steroids and phenols. The antifungal activity of Azadiracta indica and Jatropha curcas on Curvularia species, the ethanol extract of Azadiracta indica showed more antifungal activity with highest percentage inhibition of 50.56±0.84c at 20% extract concentration, and Aqueous extract was 40.00±0.55b at 20%. The aqueous extract of Jatropha curcas showed more antifungal activity of 50.55±0.05c at 20% while that of ethanol extract was 35.55±0.54a at 20% extract concentration. The synergestic antifungal activity of the plants revealed that ethanolic extract had more antifungal effect of 57.54±0.56c at 20% concentration and that of the aqeous extract showed more activity of 45.89±0.50b at 20%. There was significant difference (P<0.05) between the ethanoic and aqueous extracts of the plants. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of Jatropha curcas on Curvularia Species showed the MIC at 250 mg/ml extract concentration for both ethanol and aqueous extracts against Curvularia Species. The ethanol and aqueous extract of Jatropha curcas occurred has no fungicidal effect against Curvularia Species.

Mol ecular phylogeny and morphology differentiate several new records and novel hosts for Curvularia species in Iran

In this study, the diversity of Curvularia species from Iran was explored by integration of morphology and molecular data. Seventy-nine Curvularia isolates were recovered from plant species with leaf spot symptoms. A phylogeny based on sequences of the ITS-rDNA region and the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene clustered our isolates in 16 species clades within the genus Curvularia, viz., C. americana, C. coatesiae, C. coicis, C. ellisii, C. eragrostidicola, C. geniculata, C. hawaiiensis, C. heteropogonicola, C. inaequalis, C. intermedia, C. mebaldsii, C. nicotiae, C. prasadii, C. spicifera , C. subpapendorfii, and C. tuberculata. Of those, C. coatesiae, C. eragrostidicola, C. geniculata, C. mebaldsii, C. nicotiae, C. prasadii and C. subpapendorfii represent new records for the mycobiota of Iran. New hosts species are reported for C. americana, C. coatesiae, C. eragrostidicola, C. nicotiae, C. prasadii and C. subpapendorfii.

Identification of Carbofuran and Paraquat Degrading Microorganisms from Soil

Introduction: Increased rates of pesticide misapplication and follow-on concerns on public health have become subjects of countless distress. The occurrence of pesticides in soils could result in modifications in soil physical, chemical as well as biological properties hence the need for ways to reduce such impacts. Research Gap: Insufficient literatures on extensive identification of pesticides’ degraders from non-impacted soils. Existing literatures are restricted to a particular microbial group (bacteria or fungi). Aim: The study aimed at isolating, characterizing and testing bacteria, moulds, yeasts and actinomyces from soil for the biodegradation of pesticides. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun and Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria/ four months. Methodology: Carbofuran and Paraquat degrading microorganisms were isolated from a non-pesticides impacted soil using mineral salt medium (MSM). The MSM composed in grams per liter: K2HPO4, 4.8; KH2PO4, 1.2; NH4NO3, 1.0; MgSO4 7H2O, 0.2; Ca(NO3)2 .4H20, 0.4, and Fe(SO4)3, 0.001 supplemented with 2 mM Carbofuran or Paraquat as the only carbon source. The ability of the microbial isolates to utilize Carbofuran and Paraquat was screened on MSM containing 150 part per million of the pesticides as the only carbon source. The isolates were identified using the analytical profile index (API), microscopic and macroscopic characteristics. Results: Bacterial species identified were Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Kocuria, Enterobacter, Chryseobacterium, Corynebacterium, Acinetobacter, Paenibacillus, Lerclercia and Proteus. Actinomyces were Actinomyces isrealii, Actinomyces naeslundi, Actinomyces viscosus 1, Actinomyces meyeri and Actinomyces viscosus 2. Yeast isolates were Candida stellatoidea, Candida krusei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae while moulds were Talaromyces, Cladosporium carionii and Curvularia species. Conclusion: These findings indicated that Carbofuran and Paraquat degrading organisms are readily extant in soils and can be used to facilitate the removal of these pesticides from such polluted environments.

Three new Curvularia species from clinical and environmental sources

Curvularia is a Pleosporalean monophyletic genus with a great diversity of species, including relevant phytopathogenic, animal and human pathogenic fungi. However, their microscopic identification is difficult due to overlapping morphological features amongst species. In recent years, multi-locus sequence analysis using the ITS region of the rDNA and fragments of the genes gapdh and tef1 revealed numerous cryptic species, especially in isolates that commonly produced 3-septate conidia. Therefore, based on sequence analysis of the above-mentioned DNA barcodes recommended for species delineation in Curvularia, we propose three novel species, C. paraverruculosa, C. suttoniae and C. vietnamensis, isolated from soil, human clinical specimens and plant material, respectively, collected in different countries. These new species are morphologically characterised and illustrated in the present study. Curvularia paraverruculosa differs from its counterparts, C. americana and C. verruculosa, mainly by its narrower conidia. Curvularia suttoniae and C. vietnamensis are closely related to C. petersonii, but the former two have larger conidia.

New Species of the Genus Curvularia: C. tamilnaduensis and C. coimbatorensis from Fungal Keratitis Cases in South India

Members of the genus Curvularia are melanin-producing dematiaceous fungi of increasing clinical importance as causal agents of both local and invasive infections. This study contributes to the taxonomical and clinical knowledge of this genus by describing two new Curvularia species based on isolates from corneal scrapings of South Indian fungal keratitis patients. The phylogeny of the genus was updated based on three phylogenetic markers: the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA gene cluster as well as fragments of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpdh) and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1α) genes. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree constructed from the alignment of the three concatenated loci revealed that the examined isolates are representing two new, yet undescribed, Curvularia species. Examination of colony and microscopic morphology revealed differences between the two species as well as between the new species and their close relatives. The new species were formally described as Curvularia tamilnaduensis N. Kiss & S. Kocsubé sp. nov. and Curvularia coimbatorensis N. Kiss & S. Kocsubé sp. nov. Antifungal susceptibility testing by the broth microdilution method of CLSI (Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute) revealed that the type strain of C. coimbatorensis is less susceptible to a series of antifungals than the C. tamilnaduensis strains.