Environmental and bioclimatic factors influencing yeasts and molds distribution along European shores.

The present study employed data collected during the Mycosands survey to investigate the environmental factors influencing yeasts and molds distribution along European shores applying a species distribution modelling approach. Occurrence data were compared to climatic datasets (temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation), soil datasets (chemical and physical properties), and water datasets (temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll-a concentration) downloaded from web databases. Analyses were performed by MaxEnt software. Results suggested a different probability of distribution of yeasts and molds along European shores. Yeasts seem to tolerate low temperatures better during winter than molds and this reflects a higher suitability for the Northern European coasts. This difference is more evident considering suitability in waters. Both distributions of molds and yeasts are influenced by basic soil pH, probably because acidic soils are more favorable to bacterial growth. Soils with high nitrogen concentrations are not suitable for fungal growth, which, in contrast, are optimal for plant growth, favored by this environment. Finally, molds show affinity with soil rich in nickel and yeasts with soils rich in cadmium resulting in a distribution mainly at the mouths of European rivers or lagoons, where these metals accumulate in river sediments.

Mycosands: Fungal diversity and abundance in beach sand and recreational waters - Relevance to human health.

The goal of most studies published on sand contaminants is to gather and discuss knowledge to avoid faecal contamination of water by run-offs and tide-retractions. Other life forms in the sand, however, are seldom studied but always pointed out as relevant. The Mycosands initiative was created to generate data on fungi in beach sands and waters, of both coastal and freshwater inland bathing sites. A team of medical mycologists and water quality specialists explored the sand culturable mycobiota of 91 bathing sites, and water of 67 of these, spanning from the Atlantic to the Eastern Mediterranean coasts, including the Italian lakes and the Adriatic, Baltic, and Black Seas. Sydney (Australia) was also included in the study. Thirteen countries took part in the initiative. The present study considered several fungal parameters (all fungi, several species of the genus Aspergillus and Candida and the genera themselves, plus other yeasts, allergenic fungi, dematiaceous fungi and dermatophytes). The study considered four variables that the team expected would influence the results of the analytical parameters, such as coast or inland location, urban and non-urban sites, period of the year, geographical proximity and type of sediment. The genera most frequently found were Aspergillus spp., Candida spp., Fusarium spp. and Cryptococcus spp. both in sand and in water. A site-blind median was found to be 89 Colony-Forming Units (CFU) of fungi per gram of sand in coastal and inland freshwaters, with variability between 0 and 6400 CFU/g. For freshwater sites, that number was 201.7 CFU/g (0, 6400 CFU/g (p = 0.01)) and for coastal sites was 76.7 CFU/g (0, 3497.5 CFU/g). For coastal waters and all waters, the median was 0 CFU/ml (0, 1592 CFU/ml) and for freshwaters 6.7 (0, 310.0) CFU/ml (p < 0.001). The results advocate that beaches should be monitored for fungi for safer use and better management.

Efficacy and safety of 1927 nm fractional Thulium fiber laser for the treatment of melasma: a retrospective study of 100 patients.

Background: Melasma is an acquired hyperpigmentation of the skin that mostly affects areas exposed to the sun. The treatment of melasma can be challenging as it is prone to relapse. Recently, new laser and light-based treatment options have been used; one of these treatment modalities is the 1927 nm fractional Thulium fiber laser.Objective: This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of a 1927 nm fractional Thulium fiber laser for the treatment of melasma.Materials and methods: This study retrospectively evaluated patients who were admitted to the dermatology outpatient clinic between September 2015 and March 2018 and treated with a 1927 nm fractional Thulium fiber laser. The MASI score was used to assess improvements of the lesions.Results: The current study included a total of 100 patients who received 1927 nm fractional Thulium fiber laser treatment. Each patient received two treatments at one month intervals. The mean baseline MASI score was 11.8 ± 6.3, the mean MASI score after the first session was 6.7 ± 4.1, and the mean MASI score after the second session was 3.4 ± 3.8. The differences between these three MASI scores were significant, and the laser treatment had no major side effects.Conclusion: Results of this study indicate that the 1927 nm fractional Thulium fiber laser is a safe and effective treatment option for melasma.

A new diagnostic approach for Turkish speaking populations DAWBA Turkish Version.

Aims. Turkey has the youngest population in Europe with about 25 million people aged below 19 years and Turkish-speaking people comprise the biggest migrant group in Europe with 2.5 million people dispersed in different countries, but conducting epidemiologic surveys on Turkish people is challenging due to the lack of a suitable diagnostic tool. The Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) is one of the most widely used diagnostic interviews in child and adolescent psychiatry. In this study, we aimed at translating the DAWBA into Turkish and then examined its validity and reliability. Methods. The validity of the Turkish version was examined in clinical (n = 50) and community (n = 104) samples. The interrater reliability was also evaluated on 20 cases. Results. The translation method used in the study achieved semantic, conceptual, content, technical, item and criterion equivalence between the Turkish and original forms. The validity of the Turkish DAWBA was good or excellent for different diagnostic categories (κ: 0.43-0.84); the interrater reliability was also excellent (κ: 0.85-1). Conclusions. The Turkish DAWBA may be useful for future prevalence studies in Turkey. European clinicians and researchers who work with Turkish-speaking families can use the online Turkish DAWBA to gather structured information from Turkish-speaking informants and review the answers in their own language.

Bartonella henselae seroprevalence in cattle breeders and veterinarians in the rural areas of Aydin and Denizli, Turkey.

Bartonella henselae infections are usually detected among people who have close contact with animals. Veterinarians and cattle breeders, in particular, are considered as the risk groups for B. henselae infections. In this study, the seroprevalence of antibodies to B. henselae was investigated in these two groups of subjects in the two cities of Aydin and Denizli, which are located in the same region in the southwest of Turkey. Total antibodies to B. henselae were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence assay in serum samples taken from 63 cattle breeders and 27 veterinarians. Twenty samples (22.2%) were found to react on 1/64 titre with B. henselae antigens. Bartonella henselae seroprevalence was found to be significantly related to age (P = 0.033) and higher in those living in Aydin (P = 0.047). Age was the only independent factor in multivariate analysis (P = 0.008). Seroprevalence was found to be 2-fold higher in those people who had had tick contact (P = 0.093). In conclusion, the physicians in the region should consider B. henselae infection among veterinarians and breeders in their differential diagnosis list of fever of unknown origin.

Anticandidal activity of endemic Salvia potentillifolia Boiss. and Heldr. ex Bentham and Origanum hypericifolium Schwartz and P.H. Davis in Turkey.

This study established baseline data on lytic anticandidal activities of endemic species Origanum hypericifolium and Salvia potentillifolia naturally distributed in Denizli and its environment. Stream distillation was used to isolate the unfatty polar part and clinical isolated Candida spp. strains were subcultured to sabouraud dextrose agar. Lytic anticandidal activities of unfatty polar parts were evaluated by enzyme-linked calorimetric method against 93 clinical isolates belonging to Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. Kefyr, and C. parapsilosis. As a result, two (2.15%) strains of C. glabrata among tested pathogenic 93 clinical isolates of Candida strains were found to be sensitive to S. potentillifolai. However, each strain of C. albicans and C. tropicalis was found to be sensitive to O. hypericifolium. Results indicated that O. hypericifolium and S. potentillifolia had a potential of being used in food and medicine because of their anticandidal activity.

Carpet weaving: an occupational risk for onychomycosis?

BACKGROUND: Some occupations carry a risk for fungal infections. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of onychomycosis in carpet weavers. METHODS: Seventy-seven weavers (the mean age +/- SD = 32.97 +/- 12.38) from three factories and 77 controls (the mean age +/- SD = 38.32 +/- 12.38) were examined for onychomycosis. Samples from nails and the carpets, which were being weaved, were taken for mycological investigations. RESULTS: Direct microscopic examination of only two controls' normal-appearing nails was positive. Fungal growth was observed in the culture of four weavers' normal-appearing nails. It was watched over that most of the weavers had polished-appearing nails and were using a glue containing cyanoacrylate to restore their broken nails due to weaving. CONCLUSION: The fungal growth observed in weavers' nails has been accepted as colonization. There is no data about the presence of fungi on normal-appearing nails. So, we thought that the weavers with fungal colonization should be followed for the development of onychomycosis.

The prevalence, aetiological agents and therapy of onychomycosis in patients with psoriasis: a prospective controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nail involvement morphologically resembling onychomycosis frequently accompanies psoriatic lesions. The role of psoriasis as a predisposing factor for onychomycosis and the possible influence of psoriasis on responsiveness of onychomycosis to treatment are controversial. AIM: To investigate the frequency of onychomycosis, the aetiological agents responsible for it, and the efficacy of terbinafine 250 mg/day in patients with psoriasis compared with controls in order to reveal the role of psoriatic process on fungal growth. METHODS: Over a 1-year period, 168 patients with psoriasis and 164 nonpsoriatic controls were recruited. In the case of clinically suspected of fungal infection, further mycological investigations were performed. Systemic terbinafine therapy 250 mg daily for 12 weeks was administered to the patients with onychomycosis. Patients were followed up clinically and mycologically for 24 weeks. RESULTS: Onychomycosis was diagnosed in 22 patients with psoriasis (13.1% of the psoriasis group, which constituted 28.6% of patients with suspicion of onychomycosis) and 13 controls (7.9% of control group; 40.6% of controls with suspicion of onychomycosis). The prevalence rates of onychomycosis were similar in both groups. The most commonly isolated fungi were dermatophytes in the psoriasis group and nondermatophytic moulds in controls. Dermatophytes were more common in psoriatic than control nails (P = 0.02). All patients in each group were cured at the end of the therapy. CONCLUSION: It seems that nail psoriasis constitutes a risk factor not for onychomycosis, but specifically for dermatophytic nail infections. Because of the similar therapeutic results in each group, different antifungal treatment protocols may not be needed in psoriasis. However, to confirm this, new comprehensive studies are necessary.

An experience from an outbreak of tinea capitis gladiatorum due to Trichophyton tonsurans.

'Tinea corporis gladiatorum' describes a dermatophytosis transmitted mainly from close skin contact among wrestlers. Although tinea corporis is well recognized, no data are available for tinea capitis infections in wrestlers. After finding tinea capitis infection in a student wrestler, we aimed to search for possible ringworm infections among wrestlers in a wrestling boarding-school. Of the 32 wrestlers, 29, aged 12-18 years, were affected, of whom 22 had scalp involvement. Trichophyton tonsurans was isolated from 20 of the patients, and T. mentagrophytes from the remaining two. Isolated strains of dermatophytes were susceptible to terbinafine and itraconazole. The patients with tinea capitis received oral terbinafine for 4 weeks, and patients with more than two lesions but without scalp involvement received oral terbinafine for 2 weeks. Overall clinical and mycological cure rate was 72.4% and 70%, respectively, at assessment at week 6. The asymptomatic dermatophyte carrier rate was negative 1 year after control of the epidemic. Terbinafine seems to be an alternative drug for the treatment of tinea capitis caused by T. tonsurans; however, control of an outbreak may be very difficult and effective preventive measures should be considered.

Detection of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies.

The plant flora has an important role in the ecology of Cryptococcus neoformans. It is estimated that the environmental spreading and contamination of human beings with this yeast occurs via contaminated particles of plants. Cultivation of canopy parts of plants in selective media is the most widely used isolation method of this yeast. Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii was isolated from honeybee colonies in Eucalyptus forests but was not isolated from the places where this flora did not exist. Our results indicate that the occurrence of C. neoformans in honeybee colonies during the flowering season of Eucalyptus spp. trees can be an important bioindicator for environmental yeast presence. The screening of honeybee colonies is a practical and a rapid method for the monitoring of the C. neoformans presence in flowering plants.

Resuscitation with modified gelatin causes higher bacterial translocation in experimental sublethal hemorrhagic shock.

The effect of colloidal solutions on bacterial translocation was studied. Sublethal hemorrhagic shock was established by blood withdrawal until the mean arterial pressure fell to 40 mmHg within 15 min on 36 adult Wistar Albino rats. Resuscitation was performed using four different solutions with the same amount of blood. Group I (n = 9) 0.9% NaCl, Group II (n = 9) 10% dextran 40, Group III (n = 9) 6% hydroxyethyl starch, Group IV (n = 9) 4% modified fluid gelatin. Before resuscitation and after anesthesia blood samples were drawn to analyze pH, PCO2, PO2, SaO2, HCO3 and ABE values. Twenty-four hours after anesthesia laparotomy was performed to obtain tissue samples of the liver, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. Samples were cultured on EMB and blood agar media. Results were analyzed with the one-way ANOVA and Post-hoc test (Tukey's HSD). The translocated bacteria were mainly Eschericia coli and three grew in Group I, two in Group II, three in Group III and six in Group IV. Although there was a trend in difference in bacterial translocation rates among groups, statistical analyses revealed no difference among groups (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that resuscitation with modified gelatin causes higher bacterial translocation in an experimental sublethal hemorrhagic shock model.

Investigation of Rickettsia conorii antibodies in the Antalya area.

Mediterranean spotted fever, caused by Rickettsia conorii, is a tick-borne infection. Serum samples for screening R. conorii antibodies of professionally exposed persons in the Antalya region, on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, were analyzed. R. conorii IgG antibodies were detected in 13 of 98 (13.3%) serum samples. Mediterranean spotted fever antibodies were found to be positive in 9.4% of the men and 15.2% of the women (a total of 13 cases). Only three cases had a history of fever and rash.