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The Role and Operating System of Korean Collection of Medical Fungi (KCMF).

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.2008;13(4):156-167.

In general, fungi including yeast and filamentous form, locate in soil, water, plant, animal and human. Fungi can be survived almost in every environmental conditions and be useful or harmful for humans. Some human pathogenic fungi may infection immunocompromised peoples and/or susceptible hosts causing hypersensitivity disease, mycotoxicoses, which can be induced by mycotoxins, and mycoses. Mycoses are classified into four classes, such as superficial and/or cutaneous mycoses, subcutaneous mycoses, opportunistic mycoses, and systemic or deep seated mycoses. Recently, due to the increasement of immune system defective patients which are usually caused by HIV infection, transplant and cancer, opportunistic systemic fungal infection has been dramatically elevated. Fast diagnose system and early antifungal treatments are required because the morbidity and mortality of these systemic infections are very high. Although these opportunistic infections caused by mainly Candida, Aspergillus and Cryptococcus spp. are getting higher, no culture collection and/or strain bank for the infectious fungal strains are operated in Korea. These situations allows us to establish a novel Korean collection of medical fungi (KCMF) for their genetic materials. KCMF will be a hub for human pathogenic fungal strains isolated in Korea and will serve to studies of clinical and basic mycological research as well as to maintain various mutants and varieties which could be useful for develop new antifungal agents and drug discovery. The successful Korean Collection of Medical Fungi (KCMF) will contribute to; 1. Create informative world-wide culture collection of clinically isolated fungal strains. 2. Obtain various medical mycological materials as well as antifungal agent resistant strains for studying fungi-related topics including novel antifungal agents. 3. Create world-wide network for the researchers who study medical mycology and provide workshop and various information for the fungal community. The purpose of establish a novel Korean collection of medical fungi(KCMF) is to isolate, classify, and collect human pathogenic fungal strains, isolated from human clinical specimens from superficial and systemic infections. Furthermore, maintaining a culture collection for Korean specific clinical isolates and resistant strains of antifungal agents.
Animals ; Antifungal Agents ; Aspergillus ; Candida ; Cryptococcus ; Fungi ; HIV Infections ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immune System ; Korea ; Mycology ; Mycoses ; Mycotoxicosis ; Mycotoxins ; Opportunistic Infections ; Plants ; Soil ; Sprains and Strains ; Transplants ; Yeasts

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The Importance and Global Trends of Biological Resources: The Introduction of the KCTC and Fungal Resources.

Hee Mock OH ; Kee Sun SHIN

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.2008;13(4):149-155.

In 1985, the Korean Collection for Type Cultures (KCTC), a former organization of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Biological Resource Center (KBRC), was officially approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) as a gene bank node and became a member of the World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC). The KBRC was also designated as an International Depository Authority (IDA) under Budapest Treaty in 1990. As a national bio-infra for biological resources, the main functions of the KBRC are 1) collection, preservation and distribution of biological resources, 2) research and development of core technologies for valuable bioresources, and 3) construction of local and international network of biological resources and information. As major activities in 2007, about 1,300 type and reference strains including bacteria, actinomycetes, yeasts, filamentous fungi, anaerobes, cell lines and patent strains were newly acquired and about 4,000 strains were distributed to academia, industries and research institutes. The KBRC published 49 papers regarding biological resources and described 18 new microbial species. Especially, a big progress was made in several aspects: establishment of the back-up depository system for over 3,300 patent strains, development of the barcode system for computerized and centralized management of biological resources, and structural remodeling. The KBRC is going to promote tighter networking among domestic and international culture collections, to strengthen the national depository system for bioproducts from research, and to emphasize research and development related to the collection and preservation of valuable biological resources. Consequently, the KBRC will expand its roles not only as a national infrastructure for life science and biotechnology but also as a fundamental basis of many industries in an era of bio-economy in the 21st century.
Academies and Institutes ; Actinobacteria ; Bacteria ; Biological Science Disciplines ; Biotechnology ; Cell Line ; Fungi ; Genes, vif ; International Cooperation ; Korea ; Yeasts

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Tinea Incognito Caused by Application of 0.03% Tacrolimus (Protopic(R)) Ointment in Atopic Dermatitis Patient.

Jae Woo CHOI ; Seongmoon JO ; Jin Yong KIM ; Kkot Bora YEOM ; Mi Ra CHOI

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.2012;17(4):240-242.

We report a case of tinea incognito in a 29-year-old man after applying the 0.03% tacrolimus ointment. He was known atopic dermatitis patient and has been treated with intermittent application of tacrolimus. For his facial pruritus 0.03% tacrolimus ointment was prescribed, and after one week he developed annularly grouped erythematous plaques and patches around the ointment-applied area. The KOH smear revealed multiple fungal hyphae. Dermatologists should be aware of the possibility of topical tacrolimus to be the causative agent for tinea incognito.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Hyphae ; Pruritus ; Tacrolimus ; Tinea

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Tinea Capitis Caused by Trichophyton rubrum in an Adult Woman Judoist.

Soo Jung SHIN ; Jin Yong LEE ; Chang Sun YOO ; Chul Woo KIM ; Sang Seok KIM ; Kwang Ho KIM

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.2012;17(4):236-239.

Tinea capitis occurs mostly in the children and rarely affects adults. The most common cause of tinea capitis is known as Microsporum canis. Trichophyton rubrum is an anthropophilic, commonest dermatophyte affecting man but rarely involves the scalp and hair. A 19-year-old woman, current judo player, presented with 1-month history of hair loss and erythematous scaly macules with brownish crusts on her scalp. The patient was diagnosed as tinea capitis caused by T. rubrum based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the fungus culture. As T. rubrum rarely causes tinea capitis, we assumed this patient might have had contact with T. rubrum on the ground or other players while playing judo, which could be described as tinea gladiatorum.
Adult ; Arthrodermataceae ; Child ; Female ; Fungi ; Hair ; Humans ; Martial Arts ; Microsporum ; Scalp ; Tinea ; Tinea Capitis ; Trichophyton

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Kerion Celsi Caused by Trichophyton verrucosum Probably Transmitted from Cattle.

Myung Hoon LEE ; Ji Young YOO ; Moo Kyu SUH ; Gyoung Yim HA ; Jung Ran KIM ; Hyo Jin LEE

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.2012;17(4):230-235.

Kerion celsi is a severe inflammatory type of tinea capitis that presents as an inflammatory, boggy mass with broken hairs and hair loss. It is usually occurred in children between the age of 4 and 14 years that caused by zoophilic or geophilic pathogens such as Microsporum(M.) canis, Trichophyton(T.) mentagrophytes, T. verrucosum, M. gypseum, T. verrucosum was chiefly found from cattle which infect the human through direct contact. We report a case of kerion celsi caused by T. verrucosum probably transmitted from cattle in a 3-year-old boy. The patient had a solitary, tender, 6.0 x 5.5 cm sized, erythematous boggy plaque and pustules with hair loss on the right side of occipital scalp for 2 weeks. Chains of chlamydoconidia were observed in KOH mount and slide culture by light microscopy. The nucleotide sequence of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region for clinical isolate was identical to that of T. verrucosum strain IFM 57570. He was treated with 125 mg of terbinafine daily for 12 weeks and short term therapy of low dose of prednisolone. Skin lesion was cured without recurrence.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; Child ; Hair ; Humans ; Light ; Microscopy ; Prednisolone ; Recurrence ; Scalp ; Skin ; Sprains and Strains ; Tinea Capitis ; Trichophyton

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A Comparison Study between Culture Based Technique and Op-site Non-Culture Based Technique for Identifying Malassezia Yeasts on Normal Skin.

Sang Hee LIM ; Yu Ri KIM ; Jae Wook JUNG ; Hyung Jin HAHN ; Yang Won LEE ; Yong Beom CHOE ; Kyu Joong AHN

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.2012;17(4):217-229.

BACKGROUND: Culture based technique, a traditional method for extraction of DNA from a cultured colony, was complex in culture conditions and was associated with a lower chance of successful culture. Recently, non-culture based technique, which skipped the culture process and directly extracted fungal DNA and differentiated Malassezia species, has been introduced. OBJECTIVE: Using 26S rDNA PCR-RFLP, the authors identified Malassezia yeasts and compared the yield of Malassezia DNA by the traditional culture based technique and the non-culture based technique via Op-site adhesive tape. METHODS: DNA of Malassezia yeasts were extracted using the culture based technique and the non-culture based technique from normal adults. Comparison was performed in order to clarify the differences between these two techniques. RESULTS: Use of the culture based technique resulted in a culture rate of 57.8% (78 out of 135 samples). On the other hand, using the non-culture based technique, fungal species were identified from all 135 samples. Using both techniques, M. globosa was the most identified species. The identification rate of the non-culture based technique was 100%; however, 7 repeats of PCR were required to reach 100% identification. Among samples from five body sites, those from the thigh required 5.5 repeats of PCR. CONCLUSION: The non-culture based technique was better than the culture based technique. However, due to the low amount of DNA extracts from the body sites with low habitation of Malassezia yeasts, repeated PCR was required for differentiation of Malassezia species.
Adhesives ; Adult ; DNA ; DNA, Fungal ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Hand ; Humans ; Malassezia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin ; Thigh ; Yeasts

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A Case of Cutaneous Mucormycosis.

Si Yong KIM ; Young Jo KIM ; Byoung Soo CHUNG

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.1998;3(2):200-204.

Mucormycosis occurs primarily in patients with severe underlying illness, especially leukemia, lymphoma, and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Cutaneous mucormycosis is somewhat less frequently associated with systemic illness than other forms of mucormycosis. The associated mortality is significantly less than that related to rhinocerebral form. More recent reports have shown that primary cutaneous mucormycosis has emerged as an important form of the disease. It develops where a break in the integrity of the skin has occurred as a result of surgery, bum, or other forms of trauma. We report a case of primary cutaneous mucormycosis in a healthy person without systemic illness, which was successfully treated with amphotericin B therapy for 2 weeks.
Amphotericin B ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Lymphoma ; Mortality ; Mucormycosis* ; Skin

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A Case of Primary Cutaneous Cryptococcosis in a Patient with Iatrogenic Cushing's Syndrome.

Do Hyun KIM ; Min KIM ; Seong Jin KIM ; Seung Chul LEE ; Young Ho WON

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.1998;3(2):195-199.

We presented here a case of the primary cutaneous cryptococcosis in a patient with iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome. The patient was 72-year-old female and showed painful shallow ulcer with pus discharge on the left forearm. She had been receiving systemic corticosteroids without doctor's prescription for 20 years. Laboratory findings revealed impaired cell mediated immunity, decreased serum and urine cortisol, and ACTH. A biopsy specimen showed granulomatous reaction consisting of lymphohistiocytes, multinucleated giant cell, and many spores with thick capsules. A tissue and pus culture of the lesion on Sabouraud's media at 37 degrees C showed moist smooth, mucoid creamy colored colonies 3 days later and revealed encapsulated yeast cells in the India ink preparations. The patient was successfully treated with oral itaconazole and fluconazole without side effects.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Capsules ; Cryptococcosis* ; Cushing Syndrome* ; Female ; Fluconazole ; Forearm ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Immunity, Cellular ; India ; Ink ; Prescriptions ; Spores ; Suppuration ; Ulcer ; Yeasts

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Two Cases of Cutaneous Cryptoccosis Mimicking Cellulitis.

Hi Jung KIM ; Hyung Geun MIN ; Eil Soo LEE

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.1998;3(2):190-194.

Crytococcus neofomans is an encapsulated budding yeast with well-defined ecological biotopes and the second most common nose of the fungal infection in immunocompromised patients. It is 18re for a cryptoccosis infection to be localized only to the skin. We report two cases of cryptococcosis mimicking cellulitis. The frist case was suspected as primary cutaneous cyptococcosis in the 57-year-old female SIE patient who had been treated with prednisolone 60 mg/day for 1 month. Erythematous swollen patch developed on the left thigh and subsided spontaneously without relation to the course of 519 after 2 weeks of onset. The second case developed in the 45-year-old female patient with adrenal cancer. Erythematous patches developed on the medial sides of both thighs. The lesions were resistant to the combination therapy of amphotericin B 0-7 mg/kg/day and 5-fluorocytosine 100 mg/kg/day and the patient died after 1 month of treatment.
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms ; Amphotericin B ; Cellulitis* ; Cryptococcosis ; Female ; Flucytosine ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Middle Aged ; Nose ; Prednisolone ; Saccharomycetales ; Skin ; Thigh

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Cutaneous Abscess Caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus in a Renal Transplant Patient.

Sang Boo SHIN ; Hye Nam LEE ; Sung Wook KIM ; Gun Su PARK ; Baik Kee CHO ; Hee Jung KIM

Korean Journal of Medical Mycology.1998;3(2):185-189.

Paecilomyces lilacinus is an ubiquitous saprophytic fungus and very rarely pathogenic to the human. Although it has been reported to cause endophthalmitis, orbital cellulitis, prosthetic valve endocarditis, and pulmonary infection, cutaneous infection caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus has been rarely reported. A 46-year-old Korean man had asymptomatic slowly growing multiple cutaneous nodules on the left arm and wrist for 8 months. He received a renal transplantation in 1991 because of end-stage renal disease. Postoperatively, he has taken cyclosporin and deflazacort for immunosuppression. Physical examination revealed that the lesions were discrete or confluent, firm, elevated, well-defined fluctuating nodules. Histologic section showed multiple well-encapsulated intradermal abscesses with some foci of chronic granulomatous changes composed of lymphocytes, histiocytes and giant cells. PAS positive fungal hyphae and spores were also found. On the Sabouraud's dextrose agar media, the organism grew rapidly to form velvety lilac-colored colonies with shallow radiating furrows. Slide culture showed brush-like conidiophores ending in flask-shaped phialides carrying chain of conidia. Because of the poor response to the oral antifungal drug for 2 months, all the lesions were completely excised.
Abscess* ; Agar ; Arm ; Cyclosporine ; Endocarditis ; Endophthalmitis ; Fungi ; Giant Cells ; Glucose ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Immunosuppression ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Kidney Transplantation ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Orbital Cellulitis ; Paecilomyces* ; Physical Examination ; Spores ; Spores, Fungal ; Wrist

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