Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Candida species are opportunistic yeasts that are capable of causing different infections and diseases among immunocompromised patients. Since Candida infections are major causes and frequent of septicemia in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), and they are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, so obtaining adequate treatment seems necessary. Low birth weight preterm infants are especially vulnerable to these devastating infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the drug susceptibility of Candida species colonized on the skin and mucous membrane of neonates to fluconazole, amphotericin B and caspofungin.
Methods: This study was carried out in the laboratory of medical mycology and serology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences for the period of 7 months from June 2016 to December 2016. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 23 isolates of Candida species including Candida parapsilosis, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida guilliermondii and Candida krusei were studied. These under study isolates were previously isolated from skin and mucous membranes of neonates in NICU of Imam Khomeini Hospital and Children's Medical Center were identified by PCR-RFLP (Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism). Evaluation of antifungal drug susceptibility including fluconazole, amphotericin B and caspofungin was carried out. Antifungal susceptibility test was done according to the standard protocol Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI M27-A3) that is specific to the yeast fungi. Statistical analysis was done by using T-test in SPSS version 22 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Conclusion: According to the results, all isolated Candida species were more sensitive to amphotericin B and caspofungin than other antifungal drugs. In final conclusion, Finally, it is emphasized that antifungal susceptibility testing is necessary to prevent treatment failure or recurrence of disease.

Background: Fungi have a worldwide distribution which can cause a broad spectrum of disease ranging from allergic to systemic infections, particularly in immuno-compromised individuals. Fungal spores are an important group of bioaerosols in hospital environment which are an emerging cause of hospital-acquired infection. Nosocomial infections cause significant morbidity and mortality as well as large financial burden on the healthcare system. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and species distribution of airborne fungi in selected wards of two tertiary hospitals in Tehran, Iran.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, samples were collected during six months from July 2016 to December 2016 by using of settle plate method. Samples were collected from selected wards of Imam Khomeini Hospital and Children's Medical Center and then incubated at 28 °C for 8-10 days. Fungal isolates were identified using the macroscopic features of colony and microscopic characteristics in slide cultures. Yeast isolates were identified by CHROMagar candida medium. PCR-sequencing of ITS1-5.8 S-ITS2 region of ribosomal DNA was used for identification of unknown isolates.
Results: A total of 202 colonies including 133 colonies from the Imam Khomeini Hospital and 69 colonies from the Children's Medical Center were isolated. Cladosporium spp. were the most common obtained fungi accounted for 30.1% and 47.8% of all isolates in the Imam Khomeini Hospital and the Children's Medical Center, respectively. Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp. were other frequent species in two hospitals. Infectious diseases ward in Imam Khomeini hospital and emergency and urology wards in Children's Medical Center had the highest rate of contamination.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the frequency and diversity of fungal spores in hospital wards were different. In addition, since the fungal contamination in the hospital environment are affected by various environmental factors and the efficiency of ventilation systems, some of these wards require better ventilation system as well as regular monitoring to remove these fungal bioaerosols in order to maintain the health of patients and health care workers.

Background: Dermatophyte is a group of keratinophilic fungi that cause various skin lesions depending on the affected area. Dermatophytosis is usually diagnosed by clinical manifestation and confirmed by direct microscopy or fungal culture. There might be diagnostic difficulty with the presence of atypical dermatophytosis. Atypical dermatophytosis presents with clinical appearances ranging from eczematous, psoriasiform, pustular lesions, and others, that interferes with early diagnosis and disturbs patient’s life quality. Genital dermatophytosis is an uncommon presentation of cutaneous fungal infection; moreover, its manifestation without the involvement of the inguinal area, and simulating wart is a rare sign. In this study, we introduce a rare case of dermatophytosis with a wart-like appearance that was restricted to the skin of the genitalia.

Background: Trichosporon species are commonly known as causative agents of skin infections and also responsive in some other systemic and disseminated diseases, especially in immunocompromised patients and those with leukemia or lymphoma. Chronic cutaneous infections with Trichosporon have been reported in non-immunocompromised patients, too.
Case Presentation: This study is a case report of tinea pedis caused by Trichosporon asahii in an immunocompetent 39-year-old man who was a member of the military force with continuous wearing of army boots during his daytime work. In April of 2019, after visiting a dermatologist, he was referred to the Ghaem medical mycology laboratory of the Department of Health, Rescue and Treatment of Iran Police Force in Tehran. Clinical symptoms were scaling and erythematous patches on his left foot with intensive itching for four-months. In the laboratory, macroscopic and microscopic examination using direct 15% KOH wet mount was carried out as well as culture methods on fungal media (Sabouraud's dextrose agar with and without cycloheximide and chloramphenicol). According to microscopic observation and appearance of culture media colonies, the diagnosis was Trichosporon genus as the fungal agent of disorder. Molecular method analysis (PCR) using amplification of ITS region with universal primers (ITS1 and ITS4) and sequencing identified Trichosporon asahii as a causative species of the disease. The patient was treated with topical clotrimazole (twice/day) and oral fluconazole (150 mg/day) for four weeks, and recovered.