Two new records of Trichocomaceae, namely Aspergillus allahabadii and Penicillium sizovae, were isolated in 2016 during a survey of fungal diversity in different crop fields locations in Gyeongnam, Korea. These species were identified based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis using internal transcribed spacer region and β-tubulin-encoding gene sequence data. A. allahabadii and P. sizovae have not yet been reported in Korea. Thus, this is the first report of these species in Korea, and their descriptions as well as details of their morphological characters are presented.
Aspergillus* ; Classification ; Korea* ; Penicillium* ; Phylogeny ; Soil*

The genus Aspergillus contains about 180 validly described saprophytic species. Nearly 10 percent of these species can cause a wide spectrum of infectious disease including life threatening invasive aspergillosis, colonization of the sinus and respiratory organs as well as allergic diseases. Cases of life threatening invasive aspergillosis have been steadily rising throughout the world. While prophylactic antifungal drugs have reduced the mortality due to invasive aspergillosis in immunosuppressed and immunodeficient patients, the overall case fatality rate remains well above 50% making it one of the most difficult microbial diseases to manage. A. fumigatus is by far the most common cause of invasive aspergillosis regardless of the underlying conditions of patients. Old concepts regarding the identification of Aspergillus species have strictly been based on morphological characteristics which have often been problematic due to their variability. The new classification concept employs phenotypic characteristics with multigene DNA sequences. The new method allowed differentiation of genetically distinct but morphologically similar sister species of A. fumigatus. The recently described A. lentinus is one such example which had previously been identified as A. fumigatus. Clinical diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis without waiting for isolation of culture has also made significant progress during the past 10 years. This lecture will focus on recent developments in the diagnosis of aspergillosis and the biological characteristics of A. fumigatus which renders it to be the primary cause of invasive aspergillosis.
Aspergillosis* ; Aspergillus* ; Base Sequence ; Classification ; Colon ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lentinula ; Mortality ; Population Characteristics ; Siblings

Allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is a benign, noninvasive variety of fungal sinusitis. AFS was first reported in 1983. The first case of AFS was associated with Aspergillus. However, it is now clear that most cases of AFS are caused by non-Aspergillus species. AFS is more frequently encountered at present due to changes in fungal taxonomy and improved culture techniques. There is a geographical difference in the incidence of AFS. It accounts for 5% to 10% of all cases of chronic rhinosinusitis requiring surgical intervention in the United States and has become a subject of increasing interest to otolaryngologists and related specialists. However, only 2 cases of AFS have been reported in Korea. It is extremely important to recognize AFS and to differentiate it from chronic bacterial sinusitis or other types of fungal sinusitis because the treatment and prognosis of these disorders are significantly different. The prognosis and optimum treatment of AFS are still unknown. This article reviews the current understanding of epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis and reatment of AFS.
Aspergillus ; Classification ; Culture Techniques ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Incidence ; Korea ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Sinusitis ; Specialization ; United States

This study is aimed at identifying and determining the percentage of occurrence frequency of cellulose decomposing soil fungi. The soil samples were inoculated into culture plates prepared in Sabouraud medium under sterilized conditions and incubated at 30 degrees C for 4 to 7 d. The identified fungal species were incubated in self-designed cellulose medium for testing their cellulolytic ability. Forty-two species, including 2 nova species, representing sixteen genera showed growth and sporulation in the cellulose medium. Most of the isolated species were from genus Aspergillus and Penicillium. Aspergillus niger and Mucor hiemalis showed highest occurrence frequency (45% and 36% respectively), as these species were collected from about 80% of soil samples. Being agar free and cheaper, the new fungal medium designed showed results equivalent to Sabouraud medium.
Aspergillus ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Cellulose ; metabolism ; Culture Media ; Mitosporic Fungi ; classification ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Penicillium ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Soil Microbiology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility of PCR/reverse line blot hybridization (RLB) assay in the detection and identification of clinical pathogens in fungal sinusitis (FS).

METHODSTwenty-six formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues and 8 fresh tissues of FS were collected from Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2009 to February 2010. Pathological examination, fungal culture and ITS2 region sequencing were carried out. The DNA of all samples was extracted by standard procedure and fungal universal primers ITS3 and ITS4 were used for PCR amplification of all tissues. Then the amplified products were used for RLB with five fungal species-specific probes. The results of PCR/RLB were compared with ITS region sequencing, fungal culture and pathological examination.

RESULTSFor the biopsy tissues, fungal cultures were positive in 14 cases (41.2%); pathologic examination demonstrated fungal hyphae in all cases; ITS2 region sequencing was successful in 16 cases (47.1%); PCR/RLB showed A. flavus in 14 cases, A. fumigatus in 10 cases, A. niger in four cases, A. nidulans in one case, A. flavus and A. fumigatus in three cases, and A. fumigatus and A. niger in two cases.

CONCLUSIONSThe PCR/RLB assay is suitable for rapid and accurate detection and identification of the pathogenic fungus of FS. Compared with the conventional fungal culture and microscopy, pathologic examination and DNA sequencing, the PCR/RLB has the advantages of more economy, time saving, and higher sensitivity, specificity and throughput.

Aspergillus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Aspergillus flavus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Aspergillus niger ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; DNA Primers ; DNA, Fungal ; genetics ; Humans ; Mycoses ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sinusitis ; diagnosis ; microbiology

STUDY DESIGN: This case report presents a rare case of Aspergillus osteomyelitis of the vertebra in an immunocompetent host. OBJECTIVES: To discuss the iatrogenic Aspergillus spondylitis after posterior instrumentation in an immunocompetent patient and review the pertinent literatures. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Aspergillus spondylitis is very rare especially in immunocompetent host. Treatment requires early debridement and continuous medication with antifungal drugs. RESULT: This report discusses a case that occured in an immunocompetent 60 year-old woman who had posterolateral fusion with posterior instrumentation for T12 burst fracture. After a few months of operation, she complained chronic back pain and progressive neurologic compromise. The MR imaging showed an epidural mass compressing the spinal cord, so hardware removal and curettage was done at neurosurgical department. Her symptoms were not improved after hardware removal, so anterior decompression and fusion was done again. The biopsy of the epidural mass showed septated hyphae which is the characteristic of Aspergillosis. With aggressive surgical debridement and continuous treatment with amphotericin B, follow-up examination at postoperative 2 years showed neurologic improvement about 2 grades by Frankel classification.
Amphotericin B ; Aspergillosis ; Aspergillus* ; Back Pain ; Biopsy ; Classification ; Curettage ; Debridement ; Decompression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Osteomyelitis ; Spinal Cord ; Spine ; Spondylitis*

The work is intended to achieve optimum culture conditions of alpha-galactosidase production by a mutant strain Aspergillus foetidus ZU-G1 in solid-state fermentation (SSF). Certain fermentation parameters involving moisture content, incubation temperature, cultivation period of seed, inoculum volume, initial pH value, layers of pledget, load size of medium and period of cultivation were investigated separately. The optimal cultivating conditions of alpha-galactosidase production in SSF were 60% initial moisture of medium, 28 degrees C incubation temperature, 18 h cultivation period of seed, 10% inoculum volume, 5.0 approximately 6.0 initial pH of medium, 6 layers of pledget and 10 g dry matter loadage. Under the optimized cultivation conditions, the maximum alpha-galactosidase production was 2 037.51 U/g dry matter near the 144th hour of fermentation.
Aspergillus ; classification ; enzymology ; growth & development ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Enzyme Activation ; Enzyme Stability ; Fermentation ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Species Specificity ; Temperature ; alpha-Galactosidase ; biosynthesis ; chemistry

We report a case of Aspergillus terreus discitis which developed in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia following induction chemotherapy. A. terreus was isolated from sputum, one month earlier, but the physician did not consider it significant at the time. Magnetic resonance imaging study showed the involvement of L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1 intervertebral discs. Etiology was established by means of histology and culturing a surgical specimen of disc materials. Our patient survived after a surgical debridement and amphotericin B administration with a total dose of 2.0 g. Discitis caused by Aspergillus terreus is a very rare event. A. terreus is one of the invasive Aspergillus species. The pathogenetic mechanism is discussed and the literature is reviewed.
Aspergillosis/surgery ; Aspergillosis/pathology ; Aspergillosis/microbiology* ; Aspergillosis/drug therapy ; Aspergillosis/complications ; Aspergillus/isolation & purification ; Aspergillus/classification ; Journal Article ; Discitis/surgery ; Discitis/pathology ; Discitis/microbiology* ; Discitis/drug therapy ; Human ; Intervertebral Disk/surgery ; Intervertebral Disk/pathology ; Intervertebral Disk/microbiology* ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Acute/microbiology ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Acute/drug therapy ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Acute/complications* ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae/pathology ; Lumbar Vertebrae/microbiology*

To find a fast and efficient way of identifying seven common dermatophytes in clinical practice, we used the techniques of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) targeting Topoisomerase II gene. The DNA of 7 dermatophytes, along with Candida albicans, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus flavus were amplified by consensus primer dPsD1. They were then subjected to a second PCR with primers dPsD2 and species-specific primers PsT and PsME separately. 6 of the products generated by dPsD2 were digested with restriction enzyme Hinc II. DNA fragments of 3390 bp and 2380 bp was amplified by using consensus primer dPsD1 and dPsD2 from the genomic DNA of each dermatophyte species separately. By combining the results of the two species-specific primer sets (PsT and PsME), all species of dermatophyte yielded unique sizes-set of PCR products expect for T. mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans. From the restriction profiles of Hinc II, 6 of the 7 dermatophytoses were diagnosed to species level including T. mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans. By combining the results of the PCR and PCR-RFLP, the 7 common dermatophytes can be identified to species level. It is conclude that the multiplex PCR and PCR-RFLP identification targeting the DNA topoisomerase II gene is rapid and efficient.
Arthrodermataceae/classification ; Arthrodermataceae/*isolation & purification ; Aspergillus/*isolation & purification ; Candida albicans/isolation & purification ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II/genetics ; Dermatomycoses/microbiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Trichophyton/*isolation & purification

To find a fast and efficient way of identifying seven common dermatophytes in clinical practice, we used the techniques of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) targeting Topoisomerase II gene. The DNA of 7 dermatophytes, along with Candida albicans, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus flavus were amplified by consensus primer dPsD1. They were then subjected to a second PCR with primers dPsD2 and species-specific primers PsT and PsME separately. 6 of the products generated by dPsD2 were digested with restriction enzyme Hinc II. DNA fragments of 3390 bp and 2380 bp was amplified by using consensus primer dPsD1 and dPsD2 from the genomic DNA of each dermatophyte species separately. By combining the results of the two species-specific primer sets (PsT and PsME), all species of dermatophyte yielded unique sizes-set of PCR products expect for T. mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans. From the restriction profiles of Hinc II, 6 of the 7 dermatophytoses were diagnosed to species level including T. mentagrophytes and T. tonsurans. By combining the results of the PCR and PCR-RFLP, the 7 common dermatophytes can be identified to species level. It is conclude that the multiplex PCR and PCR-RFLP identification targeting the DNA topoisomerase II gene is rapid and efficient.
Arthrodermataceae ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Aspergillus ; isolation & purification ; Candida albicans ; isolation & purification ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II ; genetics ; Dermatomycoses ; microbiology ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Trichophyton ; isolation & purification