Candida auris detected in the oral cavity of a dog in Kansas.

Candida auris is an emerging human fungal pathogen, first described in Japan in 2009, and first detected in the United States in 2016. Here, we report the first-ever description of C. auris colonizing a human pet, the first identification of C. auris in a non-human mammal in the United States and the first C. auris isolate from the state of Kansas. While analyzing the oral mycobiome of dogs from a shelter in Kansas, the oral swab from one dog was found to contain C. auris as well as three other fungal species. The presence of C. auris in a dog suggests the possibility of zoonotic transmission to humans. The isolate is a member of Clade IV, which has been found in patients in Chicago and Florida, while Clades I and III are the most prevalent in the United States. The isolate is resistant to fluconazole, terbinafine, and amphotericin B but susceptible to caspofungin, consistent with the drug-resistant characteristics of many human C. auris isolates. The source of C. auris transient colonization in this dog is unknown, and there is no evidence that it was further transmitted to humans, other dogs in the shelter, or pets in its adopted household. Isolation of C. auris from a dog in Kansas has public health implications as a potential emerging source for the zoonotic spread of this pathogenic fungus, and for the development of antifungal resistance.IMPORTANCECandida auris is an emerging fungal infection of humans and is particularly problematic because it is multi-drug resistant and difficult to treat. It is also known to be spread from person to person by contact and can remain on surfaces for long periods of time. In this report, a dog in a shelter in Kansas is found to be colonized with Candida auris. This is the first study to document the presence of Candida auris on a pet, the first to document C. auris presence on a non-human mammal in the United States, and the first to report an isolate of C. auris within the state of Kansas. The presence of C. auris in a pet dog raises the possibility of zoonotic transmission from pets to human or vice versa.

The Effect of Magneto-Priming on the Physiological Quality of Soybean Seeds.

Microwaves have been applied to the drying of seeds of several species due to their maintenance of the quality of the seeds and reduction of time and costs. However, few is known about the effect of microwaves on the increase of the physiological quality of soybean seeds and especially their effects on longevity. Therefore, the use of microwaves as magneto-priming in soybean seeds was the object of study in this work. For this purpose, two soybean cultivars were selected and submitted to the ultra-high frequency (UHF) microwave exposure of 2.45 GHz, in the wavelength of 11 cm, and power of 0.2 W/g, for 15 min. The results showed that this condition of exposure to the microwave brought benefits in both cultivars after treatment. Incremental improvements were observed in the germinability indexes, the seedling length, the water absorption by the seeds, the fresh mass, dry mass, and longevity. The genes related to seed germination and longevity showed superior expression (HSFA3, HSP21, HSP17.6b, EXP, ABI3) with magneto-priming treatment. The data found ensure the use of the technique as a viable option for pre-treatment as magneto-priming in soybean seeds in order to improve seed quality.

Rhizopus-host interplay of disseminated mucormycosis in immunocompetent mice.

Aim: To investigate the immune response of disseminated Ryzopus oryzae infection in immunocompetent mice. Methods: C57Bl/6, BALB/c and Swiss wild-type mice were intravenously infected with R. oryzae; the parameters of infection and immune response were determined. Transcriptional signature of Th17 immune response and infection in Il17ra-/- mice were also evaluated. Results: All mouse strains showed an initial spread of R. oryzae in the target tissues; however, after 30 days, C57Bl/6 and BALB/c mice showed an effective fungal clearance associated with specific production of IL-17 and IL-2. We also observed that 60% of Il17ra-/- mice succumbed to infection within 16 days. Conclusion: This study has established an immunocompetent model for disseminated mucormycosis and highlighted the role of IL-17 signaling in immunity against R. oryzae.

First report of a canine morbillivirus infection in a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) in Brazil.

Canine morbillivirus, also known as canine distemper virus (CDV), induces a contagious multisystemic disease caused by an enveloped RNA virus belonging to the genus Morbillivirus within the family Paramyxoviridae. CDV replicates readily in epithelial, nerve and lymphoid tissues; it is excreted in urine, feces, saliva, oral and nasal discharge; and its major route of entry for infection is through the respiratory system. Although the virus was originally believed to infect domestic dogs, new studies have shown that it can also naturally or experimentally infect non-domestic hosts. A recent blood test performed on a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) found Lentz inclusions in the animal's leucocytes. A rapid CDV test, an RT-PCR assay and pathology findings confirmed this report of canine morbillivirus in this species, which corresponds to the second report of CDV infection in the order Pilosa, family Myrmecophagidae in central west Brazil.

Evaluation of antifibrotic and antifungal combined therapies in experimental pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis caused by the Paracoccidioides genus. Most of the patients with chronic form present sequelae, like pulmonary fibrosis, with no effective treatment, leading to impaired lung functions. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the antifibrotic activity of three compounds: pentoxifylline (PTX), azithromycin (AZT), and thalidomide (Thal) in a murine model of pulmonary PCM treated with itraconazole (ITC) or cotrimoxazole (CMX). BALB/c mice were inoculated with P. brasiliensis (Pb) by the intratracheal route and after 8 weeks, they were submitted to one of the following six treatments: PTX/ITC, PTX/CMX, AZT/ITC, AZT/CMX, Thal/ITC, and Thal/CMX. After 8 weeks of treatment, the lungs were collected for determination of fungal burden, production of OH-proline, deposition of reticulin fibers, and pulmonary concentrations of cytokines and growth factors. Pb-infected mice treated with PTX/ITC presented a reduction in the pulmonary concentrations of OH-proline, associated with lower concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 and higher concentrations of IL-10 compared to the controls. The Pb-infected mice treated with AZT/CMX exhibited decreased pulmonary concentrations of OH-proline associated with lower levels of TGF-ß1, and higher levels of IL-10 compared controls. The mice treated with ITC/Thal and CMX/Thal showed intense weight loss, increased deposition of reticulin fibers, high pulmonary concentrations of CCL3, IFN-γ and VEGF, and decreased concentrations of IL-6, IL-1ß, IL-17, and TGF-ß1. In conclusion, our findings reinforce the antifibrotic role of PTX only when associated with ITC, and AZT only when associated with CMX, but Thal did not show any action upon addition.

TLR2-/- Mice Display Increased Clearance of Dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophytes in the Setting of Hyperglycemia.

Dermatophytosis is one of the most common human infections affecting both immunocompetent individuals and immunocompromised patients, in whom the disease is more aggressive and can reach deep tissues. Over the last decades, cases of deep dermatophytosis have increased and the dermatophyte-host interplay remains poorly investigated. Pattern recognition molecules, such as Toll-like receptors (TLR), play a crucial role against infectious diseases. However, there has been very little research reported on dermatophytosis. In the present study, we investigated the role of TLR2 during the development of experimental deep dermatophytosis in normal mice and mice with alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus, an experimental model of diabetes that exhibits a delay in the clearance of the dermatophyte, Trichophyton mentagrophytes (Tm). Our results demonstrated that inoculation of Tm into the footpads of normal mice increases the expression of TLR2 in CD115+Ly6Chigh blood monocytes and, in hypoinsulinemic-hyperglycemic (HH) mice infected with Tm, the increased expression of TLR2 was exacerbated. To understand the role of TLR2 during the development of murine experimental deep dermatophytosis, we employed TLR2 knockout mice. Tm-infected TLR2-/- and TLR2+/+ wild-type mice exhibited similar control of deep dermatophytic infection and macrophage activity; however, TLR2-/- mice showed a noteworthy increase in production of IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-17, and an increased percentage of splenic CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells. Interestingly, TLR2-/- HH-Tm mice exhibited a lower fungal load and superior organization of tissue inflammatory responses, with high levels of production of hydrogen peroxide by macrophages, alongside low TNF-α and IL-10; high production of IL-10 by spleen cells; and increased expansion of Tregs. In conclusion, we demonstrate that TLR2 diminishes the development of adaptive immune responses during experimental deep dermatophytosis and, in a diabetic scenario, acts to intensify a non-protective inflammatory response.