Identification and pathogenicity of Fusarium spp. associated with tea wilt in Zhejiang Province, China.

BACKGROUND: Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, with significant economic and cultural value. However, tea production faces many challenges due to various biotic and abiotic stresses, among which fungal diseases are particularly devastating. RESULTS: To understand the identity and pathogenicity of isolates recovered from tea plants with symptoms of wilt, phylogenetic analyses and pathogenicity assays were conducted. Isolates were characterized to the species level by sequencing the ITS, tef-1α, tub2 and rpb2 sequences and morphology. Four Fusarium species were identified: Fusarium fujikuroi, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, and Fusarium concentricum. The pathogenicity of the Fusarium isolates was evaluated on 1-year-old tea plants, whereby F. fujikuroi OS3 and OS4 strains were found to be the most virulent on tea. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of tea rot caused by F. fujikuroi in the world. This provides the foundation for the identification and control of wilt disease in tea plants.

Early intervention with oral mucosal barrier Protective agents in chronic oral graft-versus-host disease: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Preventing the progression of chronic oral graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is essential for maintaining oral health, improving quality of life, minimizing functional impairment, reducing systemic complications, and addressing treatment challenges. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of early intervention with oral mucosal barrier protective agents in preventing the progression of cGVHD and its impact on oral health, quality of life, and treatment response. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 75 participants, with 34 in the non-oral mucosal barrier protective agent group and 41 in the oral mucosal barrier protective agent group. Baseline characteristics, oral mucosal health parameters, quality of life assessments, and curative effect data were collected and compared between the two study groups. RESULTS: The group receiving oral mucosal barrier protectants (n = 41) exhibited significantly lower severity of oral mucositis compared to the group without such protectants (n = 34) (2.12 ± 0.48 vs. 2.56 ± 0.63, P = 0.001) and the incidence of complications was significantly lower in the group receiving oral mucosal barrier protectants (P < 0.05). Additionally, the quality of life assessment showed marked improvements in somatization, emotional management, and social reintegration in the oral mucosal barrier protectant group compared to the group without these protectants (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the assessment of treatment efficacy revealed significantly higher rates of both complete and partial responses in the oral mucosal barrier protectant group, along with a notable reduction in disease progression compared to the group without these protectants (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Early intervention with oral mucosal barrier protective agents was associated with improved oral health parameters, enhanced quality of life, and a more favorable treatment response in the context of cGVHD.