Combination of Amphotericin B and Terbinafine against Melanized Fungi Associated with Chromoblastomycosis.

Our in vitro studies showed that a combination of amphotericin B and terbinafine had synergistic effects against the majority of melanized fungi associated with chromoblastomycosis (CBM) and similar infections, including those with Cladophialophora carrionii, Cladophialophora arxii, Exophialadermatitidis, Exophialaspinifera, Fonsecaea monophora, Fonsecaea nubica, Fonsecaea pedrosoi, and Phialophora verrucosa. This drug combination could provide an option for the treatment of severe or unresponsive cases of CBM, particularly in cases due to species of Fonsecaea and Cladophialophora.

Neglected fungal zoonoses: hidden threats to man and animals.

Zoonotic fungi can be naturally transmitted between animals and humans, and in some cases cause significant public health problems. A number of mycoses associated with zoonotic transmission are among the group of the most common fungal diseases, worldwide. It is, however, notable that some fungal diseases with zoonotic potential have lacked adequate attention in international public health efforts, leading to insufficient attention on their preventive strategies. This review aims to highlight some mycoses whose zoonotic potential received less attention, including infections caused by Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei, Lacazia loboi, Emmonsia spp., Basidiobolus ranarum, Conidiobolus spp. and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

Molecular detection and characterization of cpb2 gene in Clostridium perfringens isolates from healthy and diseased chickens

Clostridium perfringens is an important pathogen in both human and veterinary medicine. Necrotic enteritis (NE) is the most clinically dramatic bacterial enteric disease of poultry induced by C. perfringens. The pathogenicity of this bacterium is associated with the production of extracellular toxins produced by some of its strains, such as beta2 toxin. The exact role of beta2 toxin in NE pathogenesis is still controversial. In the present study, C. perfringens isolates from healthy and diseased poultry flocks from different parts of Iran were analyzed by PCR assay to determine the presence of all variants of the beta2 toxin gene (cpb2). The products of two positive cpb2 PCR reactions were sequenced, compared to each other and to the cpb2 sequences published in GenBank (by multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis). The current work represents the first study of cpb2 in poultry C. perfringens isolates in Asia, and reports the highest percentage of cpb2-positive isolates in both apparently healthy chickens (97.7%) and those afflicted with NE (94.4 %). The sequenced isolates were classified as atypical. This study did not show a direct correlation between NE occurrence and cpb2 presence.(AU)