Dr.Raed Ali Hussein Aboshabaa

Molecular Identification of Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum Using M-Antigen gene

Detection of CTX-M-1 gene Among Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates in An Najaf Province

Abstract Cryptococcus neoformans is a capsule containing yeast pathogen, commonly found in urban environments that causes Cryptococcosis which is a worldwide fungal disease. The current study. This study was aimed to compare the ability of some culture media to detect melanin production by C. neoformans isolates. A total of 202 clinical samples obtained from patients suffering from meningitis, during the period from September 2020 through April 2021. The isolation and identification results revealed that 179 (88.61%) samples were positive for yeast growth. 29 (14.35%). Twenty-nine from 202 of samples were C. neoformans according to the morphological characteristics and the biochemical tests, and 150 (74.25%) samples for Candida spp. All C. neoformans isolates produced blue dry colonies on cryptococcus differential agar. Several differential media were used for the purpose of testing the ability of C. neoformans to produce melanin pigment, these includes: Niger seed agar medium (Staib’s Agar), and the colonies of C. neoformans appeared on this medium in a brown color after 2–5 days of incubation, Tobacco agar where those colonies gave a dark brown color after 48–72 h, and Methyldopa agar which was the best medium for the detection of melanin production because the results were faster from the other media, interestingly the colonies can produce the pigment and can growth very fast within 24hr.

Dermatophyte fungi or dermatophytes comprise a vast range of filamentous pathogenic fungi including three important genera of Epidermophyton (E), Microsporum (M), and Trichophyton (T). The infections caused by dermatophytes are commonly referred to as “tinea” or “ring-worm” infections due to the characteristic ringed lesions. This study was aimed to isolate and identify Epidermophyton floccosum from different cutaneous infections using morphological features including scanning electron microscope examination and to evaluate its sensitivity towards several antifungal drugs. A total of 58 dermatophytosis specimens were collected in two ways, by scraping the infection area by scalpel, and by sterile swap. All the clinical samples were cultured and the positive growth plates were identified macroscopically and microscopically, The Epidermophyton floccosum positive isolates were susceptibility tested for several antifungal drugs. The results showed that from all the 58 clinical specements 15 were positive for Epidermophyton floccosum, with Tinea corporis was the most common clinical type of infection. The highest incidence of cases was seen in under 20 years age group. The susceptibility test results showed that all the isolates were sensitive toward Nystatin, Amphotericin-B, Itraconazole, Clotrimazole, and Ketoconazole. And Intermediate to Fluconazole. From this study we concluded that Tinea corporis is the most dermatophytosis caused by Epidermophyton floccosum in under 20 years old patients and most of the antifungal drug are effective in Epidermophyton floccosum infection treatment except the Fluconazole.