Mycological analysis of swabs and scraping samples from the external ear canals of 40 patients with clinically diagnosed otomycosis (10 neonates, 30 adults) revealed the presence of fungi as etiological agents. They were investigated microscopically using 20 % potassium hydroxide, and by cultivation on Sabouraud's glucose agar. The Candida species were identified using the germ-tube test, micromorphology observations of colonies on rice agar, and particularly by the commercial kit AUXAcolor. The following Candida species were identified in the aural material examined: C. albicans (n = 21; 52.5 %), C. parapsilosis (11; 27.5), C. tropicalis (3; 7.5), C. krusei (3; 7.5), C. guilliermondii (2; 5.0). The above yeasts were present in samples together with Staphylococcus epidermidis (31), S. aureus (16), alpha-hemolytic streptococci (14), Neisseria spp. (14), Proteus mirabilis (3), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3), Escherichia coli (1) and Haemophilus influenzae (1). The most frequent predisposing factors for otomycosis were swimming in public pools and/or bath, spa and diabetes mellitus.

• MeSH
• Candida classification   isolation & purification   pathogenicity   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Candidiasis microbiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Otitis Externa microbiology   MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Slovakia MeSH

Occurrence of Candida spp. was determined in a population of 60 infants, 1-15-month-old, with diaper dermatitis, admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in Hospital Saca (Kosice, Slovakia). Specimens were obtained from the perianal, pubic, inguinal, or gluteal areas that showed signs of secondary infection as manifested by erythema, oozing, vesiculopustular lesions, and pus formation. The most frequently isolated species was C. albicans (41), followed by C. parapsilosis (8), C. tropicalis (4), C. pulcherrima (4), C. guilliermondii (2), and C. zeylanoides (1). Other organisms present in the mixed culture from the diaper area were Staphylococcus aureus (6), Escherichia coli (3), and 2 strains of each group B and D streptococci, and Proteus mirabilis. Infants diapered exclusively in disposable diapers showed less rash than those diapered exclusively or sometimes in cloth diapers.

• MeSH
• Candida isolation & purification   MeSH
• Candidiasis, Cutaneous microbiology   pathology   MeSH
• Infant MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Diaper Rash microbiology   pathology   MeSH
• Diapers, Infant microbiology   MeSH
• Diarrhea, Infantile microbiology   pathology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Infant MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

In the last few years mycoses have been caused by fungi formerly considered to be harmless for humans. They cause diseases of plants and insects; some of them are also used in the industry. They are now usually called "emerging fungi". We investigated this flora with respect to their potential to cause infections in hospitals. These fungi are present in the air, on medical objects and instrumentation, in the respiratory tract and on the hands of hospital staff; other sources have been identified in the use of iatrogenic methods. Mycotic diseases, their risk factors, their clinical pictures, and spectra of agents were analyzed in 1990-2000; the results were compared with data in the literature. Transplantations were the most frequent risk factors, fungemia and abscess the most frequent clinical picture and filamentous fungi (genera Absidia, Acremonium, Alternaria, Apophysomyces, Aspergillus, Bipolaris, Cladophialophora, Cunninghamella, Exserohilum, Fusarium, Chaetomium, Chrysosporium, Lecythophora, Ochroconis, Paecilomyces, Pythium, Rhizopus, Scedosporium, Scopulariopsis) were the most frequent agents of nosocomial infections. These filamentous fungi and also some yeasts (genera Candida, Cryptococcus, Trichosporon) bring about different clinical syndromes in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients.

• MeSH
• Aspergillosis etiology   MeSH
• Immunocompromised Host MeSH
• Cross Infection drug therapy   microbiology   prevention & control   MeSH
• Critical Illness MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mycoses drug therapy   microbiology   prevention & control   MeSH
• Opportunistic Infections drug therapy   microbiology   prevention & control   MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Transplantation adverse effects   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

An indirect immunofluorescence assay was performed to detect antibodies to Candida albicans blastospores and germ tubes. Serum specimens were obtained from 82 patients with neoplastic diseases in the orofacial region and thrush of the oral mucosa. C. albicans was identified in the oral cavity of 63 patients investigated but serum anti-Candida antibodies were detected in only 23 of them. Serological examination showed that titers of antibodies to C. albicans blastospores ranged from 1:20 to 1:1280. High titers from 1:640 to 1:1280 were detected in patients without antibiotic, cytostatic, or radiotherapeutic treatment. The titers of antibodies to C. albicans germ tubes ranged from 1:20 to 1:640. Our results indicate that titers of antibodies to the C. albicans germ tubes were lower and were detected in a smaller number of patients.

• MeSH
• Candida albicans immunology   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect MeSH
• Candidiasis complications   immunology   microbiology   MeSH
• Carcinoma blood   complications   microbiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mouth Neoplasms blood   complications   microbiology   MeSH
• Candidiasis, Oral complications   immunology   microbiology   MeSH
• Antibodies, Fungal blood   MeSH
• Mouth Mucosa microbiology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antibodies, Fungal MeSH

Electrophoretic karyotyping was used to compare DNA probes of yeasts isolated from blood of preterm neonates (n = 66) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and from the hands of healthy hospital personnel (n = 10). The yeasts were identified as Candida albicans using standard laboratory methods. DNA was extracted from yeasts and isolation of identical DNA strains from the pairs nurse-neonate suggested that one nurse transmitted one yeast strain by her hands to three neonates. Four neonates harbored two identical strains originating from two nurses, i.e. each nurse transmitted the same strain to two neonates. In the additional 7 cases transmission of 1 yeast strain by 1 nurse to 1 neonate was observed. Our data suggest that nonperinatal nosocomial transmission of C. albicans occurs in neonates, possibly via cross-contamination being transferred on hands of health care workers. The importance of careful hand washing of staff (health care workers) and other infection-control procedures (to prevent the nosocomial transmission of pathogens in the NICU environment) is emphasized.

• MeSH
• Candida albicans genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Fungemia microbiology   MeSH
• Cross Infection microbiology   transmission   MeSH
• Intensive Care Units, Neonatal * MeSH
• Candidiasis epidemiology   microbiology   transmission   MeSH
• Karyotyping MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Premature blood   MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Personnel, Hospital * MeSH
• Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient MeSH
• Prospective Studies MeSH
• Hand MeSH
• Nurses MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Geographicals
• Slovakia epidemiology   MeSH