Current knowledge and practice of Candida auris screening in France: A nationwide survey from the French Society of Medical Mycology (SFMM).

Due to large outbreaks observed worldwide, Candida auris has emerged as a major threat to healthcare facilities. To prevent these phenomena, a systematic screening should be performed in patients transferred from regions where the pathogen is highly endemic. In this study, we recorded and analyzed French mycologists' current knowledge and practice regarding C. auris screening and diagnosis. Thirty-six centers answered an online questionnaire. Only 11 (30.6 %) participants were aware of any systematic screening for C. auris for patients admitted to their hospital. In the case of post-admission screening, axillae/groins (n = 21), nares (n = 7), rectum (n = 9), and mouth (n = 6) alone or various combinations were the body sites the most frequently sampled. Only six centers (8.3 %) reported using a commercially available plate allowing the differentiation of C. auris colonies from that of other Candida species, while five laboratories (13.8 %) had implemented a C. auris-specific qPCR. Considering the potential impact on infected patients and the risk of disorganization in the care of patients, it is crucial to remember to biologists and clinicians the utmost importance of systematic screening on admission.

Toxoplasma seroconversion with negative or transient immunoglobulin M in pregnant women: myth or reality? A French multicenter retrospective study.

Classically, Toxoplasma infection is associated with high levels of specific IgM antibody and a rise in specific IgG levels 1 to 3 weeks later. Atypical IgG seroconversion, without IgM detection or with transient IgM levels, has been described during serologic follow-up of seronegative pregnant women and raises difficulties in interpreting the results. To evaluate the frequency and the characteristics of these atypical cases of seroconversion, an investigation was conducted within the French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis, from which 26 cases collected from 12 laboratories belonging to the network were identified. The aim of this work was to retrospectively analyze the results of serologic testing, the treatments administered, and the results of prenatal and postnatal follow-up for these women. In each case, IgG antibodies were detected using both screening and confirmatory tests. IgM antibodies were not detected in 15 cases, and the levels were equivocal or low-positive in 11 cases. The IgG avidity results were low in 16 cases and high in one case. Most of the pregnant women (22/26) were treated with spiramycin from the time that IgG antibodies appeared until delivery. Amniotic fluid was analyzed for Toxoplasma gondii DNA by PCR in 11/26 cases, and the results were negative in all cases. Congenital toxoplasmosis was ruled out in 12/26 newborns. There was no abnormality observed at birth for 10 newborns and no information available for 4 newborns. In conclusion, when the interpretation of serological results is so difficult, it seems cautious to initiate treatment by spiramycin and to follow the pregnant women and their newborns.

[Systemic microsporidiosis and toxoplasmosis in a patient with T prolymphocytic leukemia]. / Microsporidiose et toxoplasmose disséminées chez une patiente présentant une leucémie prolymphocytaire T.

We report a case of microsporidiosis in a 72-year-old woman presenting with prolymphocytic leukemia. The underlying conditions 7 months after leukemia was diagnosed were pancytopenia and immunosuppression due to alemtuzumab and pentostatin. The patient's status had worsened and she presented with dysuria. Urine cultures for bacteria were repeatedly negative. She was first empirically treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Three months later, urinary symptoms were persisting. Her blood lymphocyte count was 90/microl. Urine examination was positive for microsporidia using modified trichrome staining and Uvitex 2B fluorescence. Microsporidia were also detected in stools. The patient was cured by albendazole. This was consistent with an infection due to Encephalitozoon sp. Concurrently, disseminated toxoplasmosis was diagnosed. Toxoplasma gondii was detected in bone marrow, broncho-alveolar lavage and cerebrospinal fluid. She was successfully treated with sulfadiazine-pyrimethamine. Four cases of microsporidiosis in myeloid leukemic patients have been already described. The present case in a patient with lymphoid leukemia is the first to be reported.

[Pulmonary Mycobacterium abscessus sensu lato infection in patients without cystic fibrosis]. / Infection pulmonaire à Mycobacterium abscessus sensu lato chez des patients exempts de mucoviscidose.

INTRODUCTION: Infection with Mycobacterium abscessus sensu lato is uncommon in patients without cystic fibrosis. We are interested in these patients and have collected cases in Finistère between 2007 and 2011. CASE REPORTS: Four patients met the infection criteria recommended by the American Thoracic Society in 2007. Among them, all had Aspergillus spp. in sputum, 3 had gastroesophageal reflux and two had the criteria for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. We identified Mycobacterium massiliense in the single patient in our series whose therapeutic outcome was successful. CONCLUSION: By comparing these data with those in the literature, we believe that the search for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and gastroesophageal reflux is necessary in these patients and that species identification is essential for prognosis.

[Disseminated cutaneous and visceral fusariosis in an aplastic patient: an unusual digestive entry]. / Fusariose cutanée et viscérale disséminée chez un malade en aplasie: une porte d'entrée digestive inhabituelle.

INTRODUCTION: The hyalohyphomycetes, Fusarium spp, are very common in our environment. Some of them have been recognized as being opportunistic agents responsible for localized as well as generalized infections, especially in the case of malignant blood diseases. Their poor sensitivity to standard antifungal therapeutics makes them very dangerous. We report a case of cutaneous and systemic fusariosis due to Fusarium moniliforme in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. CASE-REPORT: A 20 year-old male student was suffering from acute type 6 myeloblastic leukemia. During the second consolidation schedule with a combined therapy of aracytine and amsacrine, this patient whose food diet was exclusively based on cereals, showed evidence of febrile aplasia, associated with myalgia, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Microbiological samples were sterile. Ten days later, we noted the appearance of painful, diffuse and purple dermohypodermal cutaneous nodules surrounded by an erythematous ring. Histological and microbiological examination of the hypodermis biopsies of the skin nodules revealed invasion by Fusarium moniliforme. Treatment with voriconazole in association with transfusions of leukocytes led to clinical and microbiological cure. DISCUSSION: In our case report, the clinical pattern starting with digestive symptoms suggested dissemination from a digestive site, which is very unusual in Europe. In our patient, the malnutrition, together with a diet exclusively based on contaminated cereals in a context of malignant hemopathy, resulted in the colonization of the digestive tract by these moulds and the aplasia-inducing chemotherapy schedules enhanced their pathogen potential.

Low rate of Candida parapsilosis-related colonization and infection in hospitalized preterm infants: a one-year prospective study.

We determined the rate of Candida parapsilosis colonization in preterm neonates (NN) and the relationship between colonization and systemic infection through a prospective study in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a university hospital. All NN born at a gestational age of 32 weeks or less were included. Specimens from rectum, mouth and retro-auricular skin were obtained at admission and weekly thereafter. All samples were inoculated on to Sabouraud agar, CHROMagar and Dixon media. Candida species were identified using API Candida and API 20C. DNA analysis was performed using pulse field gel electrophoresis.Fifty-four patients were included (mean age: 30 +/- 1.5 weeks; mean birthweight: 1347 +/- 301 g; male: 40%). Fungal colonization was detected in 43 (79.6%). Causative agents were C. parapsilosis (N= 7);Malassezia furfur (N= 30);C. albicans (N= 21), C. guillermondii (N= 1). No sample was positive for two different yeasts at the same time. C. parapsilosis colonization included anal (N= 6), buccal (N= 1), and skin (N= 2). The average age at time of colonization was 17.8+/-9.8 days. Neither fungal septicaemia nor death were observed in colonized infants. Two central venous catheters were found to be colonized, one with C. parapsilosis and one with M. furfur. Logistic regression showed a link between colonization and gestational age alone. Three different DNA profiles were observed. This study suggests that in our units, the occurrence of C. parapsilosis colonization is low and bears no relation to systemic infection. The systematic identification of C. parapsilosis carriers for the purposes of isolation and preventive treatment does not appear to be warranted.

[Disseminated and central nervous system Histoplasma capsulatum infection mimicking neoplasm: difficulties in diagnosis, failure in management]. / Miliaire cérébrale pseudonéoplasique révélatrice d'une histoplasmose disséminée à Histoplasma capsulatum: difficultés diagnostiques, échec thérapeutique.

INTRODUCTION: Infection with Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) is a rare importing disease in metropolitan France, the most often minor but sometimes letal in its spread form. EXEGESIS: A 58 years old French man, HIV seronegative, was admitted for an alteration of its general condition, disorder and buccal ulcerations. He had a prostate cancer history and came back in France after 17 years in Central Africa. The imaging showed numerous cerebral nodes, a bilateral adrenal tumor, and pulmonary calcifications. Histoplasmosis diagnosis has been done after neurosurgical cerebral biopsy which displayed characteristic Hc. The sick man died 4 months later with multivisceral failures, in spite of amphotericine B treatment followed by oral then intraveinous itraconazole. CONCLUSION: Even in an old tropical residence, ones can be able to conjure up a deep exotic fungal infection, and most specifically Hc histoplasmosis, in front of meaningful multivisceral lesions. Disseminated histoplasmosis (HD) with neurological location is misleading, mimicking tuberculosis or cancer. In order to obtain formal mycological evidence, ones have to make adapted biopsies. Antifungal agents must take into account medicinal interaction. Therefore, prognosis is bad, according to inoculum, immunodeficiency, age of disease and diagnosis delay.

[Fungal keratitis in a daily disposable soft contact lens wearer]. / Kératite fongique et lentilles cornéennes jetables Journalières.

A case of fungal keratitis was diagnosed in a young female who had been wearing daily disposable soft contact lenses for 2 Years. No risk factor was demonstrated and specific treatment was effective. This case emphasizes that patients must be aware of the importance of hygiene as daily disposable contact lenses must be discarded daily.

[Acanthamoeba keratitis: search for a healthy carrier in Mali]. / Kératites à Acanthamoeba: recherche d'un portage oculaire sain au Mali.

The first cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis in Africa were reported in 1990 at the Institute of African Tropical Ophthalmology (IOTA) in Bamako, Mali. From 1990 to 1995, a total of 22 cases of corneal ulcers involving Acanthamoeba sp. were diagnosed at the IOTA. To improve our understanding of the epidemiological characteristics of these lesions in tropical areas, we attempted to identify healthy carriers of Acanthamoeba sp. by studying the normal eye flora of 149 patients examined at the IOTA in February 1996. Acanthamoeba sp. was not detected in any sample. Fungi were detected in 22.15 p. 100 of the samples. Thus, it would appear that, unlike fungi, Acanthamoeba sp. is not present in normal eye flora in Mali. This findings suggests that the occurrence of Acanthamoeba in corneal ulcers is not an accident. Our results also emphasize the need for screening to detect Acanthamoeba in developing countries such as Mali. However, further study will be needed to confirm these findings in a larger group of subjects more closely matched with the patients presenting the corneal ulcers diagnosed at the IOTA, especially with regard to geographical origin.

The extent of oral fungal flora in 353 students and possible relationships with dental caries.

An epidemiological study was conducted on 353 students to determine the potential relationships between oral saprophytism with Candida albicans and dental status. For each student included, an interview, a dental examination, a mycological investigation and determination of oral pH were conducted. Various factors liable to affect the presence of oral fungus were investigated using the chi(2) test. 58.6% of samples were positive when cultured, with C. albicans in 93.7% of cases. The mean DMF index was 7.6. C. albicans was more frequently isolated in men, smokers, when pH was lower than 7, when dental plaque was abundant and when the time since the teeth had last been brushed was more than 8 h. DMF and F indexes were greater when C. albicans was present but not when it was abundant, while decay was more often present in subjects with abundant C. albicans. Although the specific role of the various factors is difficult to establish, the results suggest that further research to elucidate the possible role of C. albicans in caries aetiology would be valuable.

Zygomycosis caused by Cunninghamella bertholletiae in a kidney transplant recipient.

Infections caused by Cunninghamella bertholletiae are rare but severe. Only 32 cases have been reported as yet, but in 26 of these this species was a contributing cause of the death of the patient. This opportunistic mould in the order Mucorales infects immunocompromized patients suffering from haematological malignancies or diabetes mellitus, as well as solid organ transplant patients. The lung is the organ most often involved. Two cases of primary cutaneous infection have been previously reported subsequent to soft-tissue injuries. We report a case of primary cutaneous C. bertholletiae zygomycosis in a 54-year-old, insulin-dependent diabetic man who was treated with tacrolimus and steroids after kidney transplantation. No extracutaneous involvement was found. In this patient, the infection may have been related to insulin injections. The patient recovered after an early surgical excision of the lesion and daily administration of itraconazole for 2 months. This case emphasizes the importance of an early diagnosis of cutaneous zygomycosis, which often presents as necrotic-looking lesions. Prompt institution of antifungal therapy and rapid surgical intervention are necessary to improve the prospects of patients who have contracted these potentially severe infections.