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Introduction: Chromoblastomycosis is a disease caused by melanized fungi, primarily belonging to the genera Fonsecaea and Cladophialophora, mainly affecting individuals who are occupationally exposed to soil and plant products. This research aimed to determine the clinical, epidemiological and laboratory characteristics of chromoblastomycosis in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil., Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with chromoblastomycosis treated at the Júlio Müller University Hospital, Cuiabá, Brazil, from January 2015 to December 2020, whose isolates were preserved in the Research Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine of the Federal University of Mato Grosso. Isolates were identified by partly sequencing the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and β-tubulin (BT2) loci. AFLP fingerprinting was used to explore the genetic diversity. Susceptibility to itraconazole, voriconazole, 5-fluorocytosine, terbinafine and amphotericin B was determined by the broth microdilution technique., Results: Ten patients were included, nine were male (mean age = 64.1 years). Mean disease duration was 8.6 years. Lesions were mainly observed in the lower limbs. Predominant clinical forms were verrucous and scarring. Systemic arterial hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus were the predominant comorbidities. Leprosy was the main concomitant infectious disease. Fonsecaea pedrosoi was the unique aetiological agent identified with moderate genetic diversity (H = 0.3934-0.4527; PIC = 0.3160-0.3502). Antifungal agents with the highest activity were terbinafine, voriconazole and itraconazole., Conclusion: Chromoblastomycosis is affecting the poor population in rural and urban areas, mainly related to agricultural activities, with F. pedrosoi being the dominant aetiologic agent. All isolates had low MICs for itraconazole, voriconazole and terbinafine, confirming their importance as therapeutic alternatives for chromoblastomycosis., (© 2022 The Authors. Mycoses published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Causative agent in majority of VVC is Candida albicans, but infection due to non-C. albicans is common. Use of empiric antifungal therapy in Brazil due to syndromic management of vulvovaginitis could act as risk factor for increase resistance among VVC causative agents. From Mato Grosso patients, 160 with culture-proved among 404 women who had clinical symptoms of VVC, were enrolled in this study. 70 non-pregnant women and 90 pregnant women were included. Candida albicans was the most prevalent, representing 72.9% in the non-pregnant group and 92.3% in the pregnant group. Differences in species distribution were noted between the two groups, being C. parapsilosis the second more prevalent species among non-pregnant women. Susceptibility testing revealed high susceptibility to fluconazole (except for C. krusei), itraconazole, ketoconazole, and amphotericin B regardless the species (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei) analyzed.

Monitoring of immission of persistent organic pollutants in the industrialized area of Volta Redonda (V.R.) and in the National Park of Itatiaia (PNI) in southeast Brazil was performed using an endemic Bromeliad species as biomonitor and measuring total deposition rates on funnels covered with polyurethane foams. Samples were collected during 78 days in V.R. and 95 days in PNI in winter (dry season, June-August 2003) and during 114 days in both areas in summer (rainy season, December 2003-February 2004). The PCDD/PCDF deposition rates ranged from 0.10 to 1.9 pg WHO-TEQ/(m2 day) in winter and from 0.11 to 2.2 pg WHO-TEQ/(m2 day) in summer. Deposition rates found in V.R. in summer were four- to ninefold higher than those measured in PNI, while in winter deposition rates in both regions were in the same range. Deposition rates in V.R. in summer were about five fold lower than those measured in 1996. PCDD/PCDF levels in biomonitor samples were between 0.95 and 14.6 ng WHO-TEQ/kg d.m. in winter and between 2.2 and 5.2 ng WHO-TEQ/kg d.m. in summer. In winter, concentrations found in V.R. were up to 11 times higher than those found in PNI, while in summer the levels measured in both areas were comparable. The homologue and isomer profiles found in the deposition as well as in the biomonitor samples from V.R. indicate that steel production is the main source of contamination in the region, whereas in PNI, the long range transport of these pollutants is the predominant contamination pathway.

Monitoring of immission of persistent organic pollutants in the industrialized area of Volta Redonda (V.R.) and in the National Park of Itatiaia (PNI) in southeast Brazil was performed using an endemic bromeliad species as biomonitor and measuring bulk deposition rates of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). For the sum of PCB, overall deposition rates were between 17 and 314 ng/(m2 day) in winter and between 43 and 81 ng/(m2 day) in summer, respectively. Deposition rates of dioxin-like PCBs ranged from 0.14 to 2.8 pg WHO-TEQ/(m2 day) in winter and from 0.90 to 4.3 pg WHO-TEQ/(m2 day) in summer. PCB deposition rates (total PCB and WHO-TEQ) were in the same range in winter in V.R. and PNI. In summer, contamination levels in V.R. were 6-10-folds higher than in PNI. PCB concentrations in biomonitor samples from V.R. and PNI were in the same range in summer and in winter. Concentrations of total PCB ranged from 14 to 95 microg/kg dry matter (d.m.) in winter and from 18 to 27 microg/kg d.m. in summer, respectively. The TEQ values were between 1.7 and 4.1 ng WHO-TEQ/kg d.m. in winter and between 1.9 and 2.9 ng WHO-TEQ/kg d.m. in summer. PCB concentrations of di-ortho PCB but not of non-ortho PCB were a factor of 2-4 lower in summer in both areas. PCB congener profiles resembled those from technical formulations. The profiles shifted to the higher chlorinated congeners in summer, probable due to revolatilisation of the lighter components at higher temperatures. PCB profiles in biomonitor resembled those from deposition samples and the shift to the heavier congeners in summer was even more pronounced. PAH deposition rates were in a similar range in both areas (131-2415 ng/(m2 day)). PAH levels in biomonitor samples from V.R. were about one order of magnitude higher than in samples from PNI indicating the impact of local sources. PAH profiles revealed stationary thermal processes as main source of contamination in V.R. whereas in PNI, biomass burning seems to be the main contamination source.

In vitro susceptibility of 58 isolates of Pichia anomala to five antifungal drugs using two broth microdilution methods (CLSI and EUCAST) was analyzed. Low susceptibility to itraconazole was observed. Fluconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, and caspofungin showed good antifungal activity, although relatively high drug concentrations were necessary to inhibit the isolates.

Two sewage sludge samples collected from an urban as well as a rural area in Brazil and one sludge sample originating from the city of Balingen, Baden-Württemberg, South Germany, were investigated in respect to contamination with heavy metals, PCDD/F and PCB. The results were compared to PCDD/F and indicator-PCB mean values found in the region of Baden-Württemberg. The observed toxicity equivalents of PCDD/F found in the Brazilian samples, were below the upper limit specified by German legislation for final disposal or agricultural use in soils. Both the PCB and heavy metal values exceeded this limit. The PCDD/F congener/homologue profiles found in the Brazilian samples indicated that the urban sewage sludge shows a contamination where both chlorophenols and depositional sources appear to be contributing to the contamination pool. The enrichment of highly chlorinated PCDD/F groups in the sludge of semi-rural origin is probably due to transport phenomena effects. For the German sludge sample, depositional sources seem to be the main PCDD/F contamination pathway. Regarding PCB, both Brazilian samples show a homologue profile that indicates a contamination stemming from technical PCB formulations like Clophen A50 and Clophen A60 or equivalent.