Background Initially, Cryptococcus （C.） neoformans was previously divided into two varieties comprising C. neoformans var. neoformans and C. neoformans var. gattii. Currently, taxonomic studies defined C. neoformans as C. species complex, which contains C. neoformans var. neoformans （serotype D）, the hybrid isolates （serotype AD）, C. neoformans var. grubfi （serotype A） and C. gattii （serotypes B and C）. However, Liao and his team once isolated a unique C. gattii isolate, namely strain S8012 with unique phenotype from cerebrospinal fluid （CSF） of a 43-year-old male patient in the Shanghai Changzheng Hospital and described as C. neoformans var. shanghaiensis in 1980s. The aim of this study was to explore the genetic background and polymorphism of Chinese clinical C. gattii isolates. Methods S8012 was analyzed as representative strain using the M13-polymerase chain reaction （PC R） fingerprinting pattern and multilocus sequence analysis including internal transcribed spacers of rDNA （ITS region）, the intergenic spacer 1 regions （IGS1）, RPB1, RPB2, CNLACl, and TEF1 genes. Results The PCR fingerprinting pattern results showed strain S8012 belonged to molecular types VGI, and phylogenetic analysis suggested strain S8012 was grouped into the cluster of C. gattii environmental isolates originated from Eucalyptus camaldulensis trees in Australia. Conclusion C. gattii isolates from Chinese patients expresses high polymorphism on the phenotype, and molecular type VGI isolates from China have a close genetic relationship with the C. gattii isolates from Australia.
Patients who suffer severe burns are at increased risk for local and systemic infections. The incidence of fungal infections has increased in recent years, and these infections represent a major issue in burn intensive care units. Herein, we report three cases of fungal infection due to Candida species occurring in patients undergoing supportive therapy and antibiotic treatment during their hospitalization. Two of these patients were infected with Candida parapsilosis, and one was infected with Candida albicans. The risk factors for these patients＇ Candida infections were multiple and prolonged courses of antimicrobial treatment, steroid treatment, tracheal intubation and smoke inhalation. Susceptibility testing of nine antifungal compounds was performed, and the minimum inhibitory concentration （MIC） values of all isolated strains were lower than the breakpoint MIC value for resistance of the relevant drug. All three patients were cured by treatment with antifungal agents. Candida infection may occur 1-3 weeks after thermal injury, and the prompt recognition and treatment of such infections with antifungal therapies may result in decreased morbidity and mortality associated with these infections in burn patients.
PAN Wei-huaXIA Zhao-fanSHAN Hong-weiCHEN MinLIAO Wan-qing
Background Despite recent reports on the molecular epidemiology of cryptococcal infections in China,clinical isolates have been mostly reported from human immunodeficiency virus （HIV）-negative patients,and environmental isolates from China have rarely been included.The aim of this study was to investigate the ecological profile of Cryptococcus （C.）neoformans and C.gattii in China.Methods A survey was performed in 10 cities from 20°N （North latitude） to 50°N and in a Eucalyptus （E.） camaldulensis forestry farm at the Guixi forestry center,China.Results Six hundred and twenty samples of pigeon droppings from 10 cities and 819 E.camaldulensis tree samples were collected and inoculated on caffeic acid cornmeal agar （CACA）.The brown-colored colonies were recultured to observe their morphology,growth on canavanine-glycine-bromothymol-blue （CGB） medium,phenol oxidase and urease activities,serotype and mating type.There were obvious differences in the positive sample rates of C.neoformans in pigeon droppings collected from the different cities,ranging from 50% in the cities located at latitudes from 30°N-40°N,29% at 20°N-30°N and 13% at 40°N-50°N.Conclusions There were no differences in positive bevy rates （approximately 80%） among the three grouped cities.Mycological tests of 101 isolates purified from pigeon droppings revealed that they were C.neoformans var.grubii.We also observed variable capsular size around the C.neoformans cells in colonies with variable melanin production and the bio-adhesion of the natural C.neoformans cells with other microorganisms.One urease-negative C.neoformans isolatewas isolated from pigeon droppings in Jinan city.No C.gattiiwas isolated in this study.
