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Background: Food poisoning could be caused by eating the sweets contaminated with microorganisms, which has always been considered as one of the major problems of people in developing countries, including Iran. The aim of this study is to investigate microbial variety and fungal load in the traditional sweets offered in confectionery stores in Yazd province in 2020. Methods: In this study, 170 samples of traditional sweets, referred by confectioneries in Yazd province, were randomly selected and tested for microorganisms contamination such as Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, molds, and yeasts according to Iranian national standards. Results: The highest rate of microbial contamination in samples was related to "Pistachio Loz" (52.94%) and the lowest rate was related to "Hajibadam" (11.76%). The infection rates of Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, molds, and yeasts were 17.06%, 8.83%, 20.59%, 3.53%, respectively. No infection was observed with Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella in the samples. Conclusions: Due to the high level of microbial contamination of traditional sweets, especially "Pistachio Loz" offered in Yazd, more control measures are needed in preparation and distribution of such sweets.

Cockroaches are known as mechanical vectors of some pathogens that can infect humans. The present study aims to rapidly identify Periplaneta americana fungal pathogens from sewer systems of public hospitals in Esfahan using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. A total of 55 P. americana cockroaches were randomly collected by direct trapping from sewer systems of seven hospitals and screened for fungal infectious agents using standard morphological methods and the PCR sequencing. From the American cockroach, we isolated 62 yeasts and 31 molds from the surface, hemocoel, and digestive tract of P. americana. Based on DNA sequence comparisons and other taxonomic characteristics, they were identified as more than four species of yeast and four species of mold. Yeast species including Pichia kudriavzevii, Candida glabrata, Pichia kluyveri, and Candida viswanathii, and molds such as Aspergillus niger, Penicillium italicum, Mucor plumbeus, and Rhizopus oryzae were isolated repeatedly from the surface, hemocoel, and digestive tract of P. americana. Our results show that the use of a combination of morphological, molecular techniques, and phylogenetic analysis can lead to the identification of pathogenic fungal agents in American cockroaches and also knowledge of fungal pathogens-arthropod host relationships. HIGHLIGHTS Periplaneta americana acts as a potential mechanical vector of medically important fungal pathogens from inside sewer systems to hospitals and conversely.; Pichia kudriavzevii, Candida glabrata, Pichia kluyveri, Candida viswanathii, and molds species such as Aspergillus niger, Penicillium italicum, Mucor plumbeus, and Rhizopus oryzae were isolated from the surface, hemocoel, and digestive tract of P. americana cockroaches.;

Background and Aim: Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium are fungi commonly found in farm produce, including peanuts, that can produce mycotoxins such as Aflatoxin. Aflatoxins are toxic byproducts of fungal metabolism that can cause cancer. They are found in various food items. This study aimed to identify Aflatoxins in peanut specimens using HPLC in Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty 300-gram peanut samples were collected from markets in Isfahan province, Iran, and cultivated on Sabouraud glucose agar (SDA). The fungi were classified using the standard slide culture technique, and aflatoxin analysis was performed using the HPLC approach. Results: The most prevalent isolated fungi among the 150 peanut specimens were Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Rhodotorula. The occurrence of total aflatoxin, AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2 were 85%, 85%, 74%, 35%, and 45%, respectively. 5% of peanut samples exceeded the maximum permissible limits (5 and 15 µg/kg) for AFB1 and total aflatoxins, respectively, as established by European Union guidelines. Conclusion: The results suggest that peanuts are an appropriate medium for various fungal growth and mycotoxin formation, emphasizing the significance of testing peanuts for aflatoxin and fungal contamination before distributing them to the general public.

Background and aims: Opportunistic fungi are known as important causes of nosocomial infections. Since drug resistance is one of the main problems when treating the infections, many efforts have been made to develop alternative drugs – herbal compounds, in particular. Dracocephalum kotschyi is a medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine, which also shows sufficient antifungal activities against different species of Candida. This study aimed to optimize condition for extraction of bioactives from D. Kotschyi and achieve the maximum antifungal properties by adopting response surface methodology (RSM). Methods: A three-factor-five-level central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed to determine the effects of extraction time (1-12 hours), temperature (40-80°C), and plant powder to solvent (PP/S) ratio (0.2-0.8%) on well diffusion method (WDM), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The methanol extracts were prepared using Soxhlet apparatus, and the antifungal activities against ATCC 1677s Candida albicans were evaluated. Results: The results showed that the P values of the model for WDM, MFC, and MIC were 0.0062, 0.0111, and 0.0278, respectively. The determination coefficient for WDF, MFC, and MIC were 0.853, 0.770, and 0.721, respectively. In addition, the lack of fit for all responses was non-significant (P value ˃0.05). The optimal extraction parameters included the extraction time of 3.23 hours, PP/S ratio of 0.68 mg/ mL, and temperature of 68˚C. Conclusion: In sum, RSM with CCRD was found to be an efficient method for designing and optimizing the extraction process. The optimized extracts exhibited an acceptable antifungal effect compared to the predicted effects against C. albicans.

Fingolimod (FTY720) is a drug derived from the fungicidal compound myriocin. As it was unclear whether FTY720 has antifungal effects as well, we aimed to characterize its effect on Candida albicans in vitro and in a mouse candidiasis model. First, antifungal susceptibility testing was performed in vitro. Then, a randomized, six-arm, parallel, open-label trial was conducted on 48 mice receiving oral FTY720 (0.3 mg/kg/day), intraperitoneal C. albicans inoculation, or placebo with different combinations and chorological patterns. The outcome measures of the trial included serum concentrations of interleukin-10 and interferon-gamma, absolute lymphocyte counts, and fungal burden values in the mice's livers, kidneys, and vaginas. Broth microdilution assay revealed FTY720's minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC99) to be 0.25 mg/mL for C. albicans. The infected mice treated with FTY720 showed lower fungal burden values than the ones not treated with FTY720 (p

Background: Nanoparticles (NPs) are colloidal systems with particles ranging from 10 to 100 nm in diameter. Because of their large surface-volume ratio, NPs are biologically active materials that could interact with biomolecules and microorganisms, enter into the cells, and affect the metabolic functions. The study aimed to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) from Capparis spinosa fruit aqueous extract, and evaluate their Ag nanostructure characterization and antifungal activity. Materials and Methods: Capparis spinosa fruit aqueous was prepared with the percolation method. Then, silver NPs were synthesized using 0.01 M silver nitrate solution, and their formation was validated by color changing of the solution from green to dark brown . The NPs were purified using centrifugation and then dried in an oven for further analyses. Ag-NPs nanostructure characterization was determined by various techniques such as Fourier Transforms Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Antifungal activity of Ag-NPs against three pathogenic fungi of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Kluyveromyces marxianus was also evaluated using the microdilution method. Results: Synthesis of Ag-NPs from aqueous extract of C. spinosa fruit was done successfully. UVVis spectrum of Ag-NPs showed an absorbance peak around 420 nm, revealing Ag-NPs surface plasmon resonance (Kmax). FTIR analysis showed that functional groups correspond to plant bioactive components, promoting the formation of Ag-NPs. Furthermore, spherical uniformity of the synthesized Ag-NPs from plant extract was confirmed by SEM analysis within the 50-80 nm size range. Our results showed that the produced Ag-NPs were spherical and in a suitable form and size (50-80 nm). The biosynthesized Ag-NPs had an inhibitory effect against all tested fungi with the minimum inhibitory concentration of 2500, 5000, and 625 μg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration of 10000, 10000, and 156.25 μg/mL for C. albicans, C. glabrata, and K. marxianus, respectively. Conclusion: According to the UV-Vis spectrum, FTIR, and SEM results, we succeeded in synthesizing Ag-NPs from C. spinosa fruit aqueous extract. This research was the first report of Ag-NPs synthesized from aqueous extract of C. spinosa fruit. Our simple, quick, and inexpensivemethod for biosynthesis of a nanoparticle, which showed antifungal activity, provides a new potential antifungal agent for therapeutic applications.

Introduction: Artemisia dracunculus L. (Tarragon) is one of the plants that uses as meal and remedy for a long time, and possesses many medicinal properties. In traditional medicine also has mentioned to its beneficial properties. A number of researches through in vitro and in vivo studies showed the pharmacological properties of this plant. This study was done for determining the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of A. Dracunculus L. on some hematological parameters among mice. Materials and methods: In this study, 40 male mice were divided into five groups: a control, a placebo, and three treatment groups that were injected with 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg doses of hydro-alcoholic extract of tarragon every other day for 20 days. At the end of injections, the levels of WBC, RBC, lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils were measured. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. Results: The obtained results showed that there was no significant difference in amounts of WBC, RBC, and monocytes in the treatment groups in comparison with the control group. Lymphocytes showed significant decrease in groups of 100 and 200 mg/kg doses than the control group. The level of neutrophils showed significant increase in two treatment groups (100 and 200 mg/kg) than the control group. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the hydro-alcoholic extract of tarragon stimulates the production of neutrophils in this study which can be used as an immunostimulating agent.

Background and Purpose: Treatment of life-threatening fungal infections caused by Candida species has become a major problem. Candida spp. are the most important causative agents of candidiasis. Allium tripedale is a medicinal plant that has been traditionally used to treat infections. In the present study, we aimed to determine the chemical compounds and antimicrobial activity of hydroalcoholic extract of A.tripedale against different species of Candida. Materials and Methods: Phytochemical analysis was performed to identify the possible bioactive components of this extract by using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The hydroalcoholic extract of A. tripedale were collected.Different concentrations of A. tripedale (50, 25, 12.5, and 6.25 mg/ml) were used to evaluate its antifungal activity against Candida species (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis,and C. krusei) using disk diffusion assay. Results: The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 40 different phytoconstituents with peak area; the major compounds were tetracosane, hexadecanoic acid, 1-eicosanol, 1,2-dihydro-pyrido[3,2,1-kl]phenothiazin-3-one, 2-hexadecen-1-ol, and 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl. Hydroalcoholic extract showed strong antimicrobial activity (inhibition zone ⩾ 20 mm), moderate antimicrobial activity (inhibition zone < 12-20 mm), and no inhibition (zone < 12 mm). In addition, the hydroalcoholic extract exhibited the highest antimicrobial properties against C. albicans strains. Conclusion: A. tripedale extract had a considerable inhibitory effect against various Candida species, but its highest inhibitory effect was against Candid albicans. Further investigations are required to detect the performance of this plant in the treatment of Candida infection.

The deep bark canker of the walnut is a serious threat to walnut plants that had an increasing verge since recent years. This disease is caused by Brenneria rubrifaciens bacteria. Therefore, this research was carried out with an aim to identify the deep bark canker agent. The suspected samples having symptoms were collected from the bark and branches of walnut trees. After purification, the phenotypic and biochemical specification of separations was assessed. Even the genetic diversity of pathogen population was conducted with BOX-polymerase chains reaction (PCR) technique and BOXAIR primer. Based on the phenotypic and biochemical specifications, 30 isolates were identified as B. rubrifaciens. In PCR reaction, the specific amplicons of size 537 and 671 bp in the case study strains were amplified via specific primer pairs. The present study is a prime report on outbreak of this disease in Iran and bacterial pathogenicity evidence of B. rubrifaciens on fruit in the world.

Candida species are the most common cause of opportunistic fungal infection worldwide. Due to increasing resistance of fungi against conventional drugs, as well as their side effects, alternative natural products have become a renewed interest. In the current study, the anti-Candida activities of Scrophularia striata extract were examined. In this experimental study, microdilution assay and well diffusion test were used to determine invitro anti-fungal effects of ethanolic and methanolic extract of Scrophulari astriata on four species of Candida including Candida albicans ATCC 1167, ATCC 1677, tropicalis, and glabrata. The results showed that 100 mg/ml methanolic extract has more anticandida activity than ethanolic extract. Diameter of inhibiting growth environment for ethanol extract was 37 mm, and MIC and MFC were 2.1 and 41.5 mm/ml. Results show that ethanolic and methanolic extract of Scrophularia striata have anti-fungal activities. Therefore results of this study suggest this extract is a promising anti-fungal agent, and future experiments will interest for performing in vivo study.

Background and Aim: Recently opportunistic fungus resistance has significantly increased like Candida albicans. The poison in antibacterial drugs, resistance in fungus and existence of different drugs make it necessary to use more effective drugs with a higher level of influence and less poison. also large number of investigations showed biologic influence of silver nanoparticles.The aim this study was In vitro comparison of antifungal effect of silver nanoparticle on Candida producer of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Materials and Methods: In order to identification of samples was used from conventional mycological methods: morphology on corn meal agar and chrom agar and germ tube production. To evaluate the antifungal effect of spherical silver nanoparticles with 10 nm diameter on the isolates. Inhibitory zone diameter after 24-48 hour were performed by disk diffusion method. Also inhibitory effect of nanoparticles in all the samples were compared with fluconazol. Also MIC and MFC of samples were determined by microdilution method. Results: Total of isolates of C. albicans (50 sampels), 36 samples were inhibited with spherical silver nanoparticles with 10 nm diameter. Inhibitory zone diameter was between 0-15 mm. MIC was between 31.25-125 ppm and MFC was between 62.5-250 ppm. Conclusions: The results of the present investigation showed that spherical silver nanoparticles with 10 nm diameter has some antifungal effect against Candida albicans. Probably in the future after looking at this silver nanoparticles can be used in the treatment of producer of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Introduction: Fungi, especially some species of penicillium and Aspergillus are the main cause of dairy products contamination. Because of producing mycotoxins, they may jeopardize public health and food safety. This research aims at isolation, identification, counting of saprophytic fungi in different kinds of Isfahan dairy products and study of the frequency distribution of mould contamination (more than acceptable) of dairy samples compared to permitted Iranian national standard level) 2406) in 2012. Materials and methods: In this study, 200 samples from different types of pasteurized dairy products were collected from different parts of Isfahan city, including 70 samples of cheese, 60 samples of doogh, 40 samples of yoghurt, 20 samples of kashk (whey) and 10 samples of cream which were investigated based on the presence of saprophytic fungi point of view. Isolation, identification and mould count were conducted using pure plate and slide culture methods and the results were compared according to National Iranian Standard and analyzed using SPSS, version 16 and X2 statistical significance. Results: Totally 117 (58/5%) samples were satisfactory, 50 (25%) samples were acceptable and 33 (16/5%) were non-acceptable. The most mould contamination (more than acceptable) was related to cheese, cream, kashk, doogh and yoghurt, respectively. Some fungi from the genera of Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Acremonium were detected. The statistical analysis didn’t show significant difference between mould contamination rate and kind of dairy product (Pvalue

Microbial lipids have a great similarity to the lipids obtained from plants and animals. Triacylglycerol is the storage lipid in most of eukaryotic cells; this characteristic attracts a lot of attention for using these lipid sources in biodiesel production. Accumulation of neutral lipid composed of triacylglycerol and sterylster is an induced response to environmental stresses in many living organisms. In this situation lipid accumulates as intracellular lipid bodies in yeast cells. Production of microbial oil has more cost than plant’s oil. In this case, reducing the cost of this process must be done by optimization of culture conditions to reach higher production yield. In this study the effect of physical parameters on lipid production of two oleaginous yeasts: Yarrowia lipolytica M7 and Candida sp. was investigated. The mentioned parameters were pH range of 4-7; centrifugation rates of 100, 150, 200 rpm; temperature of 15, 25, 35 and 45ºC and times of incubation of 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. Temperature and time of incubation had a significant effect on lipid production by these strains and optimization of them resulted in increased production of lipid from 25% to 34% in Yarrowia lipolytica M7.

Micro-organisms such as bacteria, yeasts, molds and algae that accumulate lipid more than 20% of their biomass are called oleaginous. Microbial lipid has a lot of similarity to the oil obtained from plants and animals. Microbial lipids are renewable sources that can use for different purposes such as biodiesel production. Production of oil from yeasts has more advantages than plant’s oil. According to this, isolation of oleaginous yeast with high ability of lipid production is very valuable. In this investigation 176 yeasts were isolated. Between them 68 lipid producing yeasts were found that they were isolated from 34 soil samples. The strains were screened by an enrichment technique in glycerol and then Sudan black staining. After extraction of lipid by Bligh & Dyer method, best strain was selected which has lipid quantity, dry biomass and lipid productivity of 10.97g/l, 18.84g/l and 58.2% in optimized condition. Extracted lipid was analyzed by thin layer chromatography and FTIR spectroscopy.