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Tinea capitis (TC) is still a frequent dermatophytosis in France, both autochthonous and imported. A nationwide retrospective survey was performed and a total of 4395 TC cases were recorded within 36 French mycology laboratories during a 6-year period. TC is a disease that occurs in childhood with 85% of the cases occurring before 10 years old and 94% before the age of 15. Anthropophilic origin was predominant with 779 cases of Trichophyton tonsurans (32.6%), 738 cases of Trichophyton soudanense/T. violaceum (31%), and 445 cases of Microsporum audouinii (19.2%). Of note, T. tonsurans represents more than 80% of the cases in the French West Indies (Martinique and Guadeloupe). By contrast, zoophilic species were less prevalent with mainly M. canis (10.3%) confirming the shift from zoophilic to anthropophilic species observed in many centers during the last decades. During this survey, diagnosis methods were also collected. Most labs had a classical process for the diagnosis: microscopic direct examination associated to cultures on Sabouraud and Sabouraud-cycloheximide media (incubated between 25 ± 5°C for at least 3 weeks) in all laboratories. Identification of the causal dermatophyte was performed by microscopic and macroscopic examination of the cultures in 100% of the labs, with various specific culture media available when fructification was insufficient (mainly malt or potato-dextrose agar, or Borelli medium). New techniques were also implemented with the introduction of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identification in more than two third of the labs, and molecular identification available if necessary in half of the labs., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Occurrence of putative invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was screened in 153 consecutive adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients with respiratory samples addressed for mycological diagnosis during a 6-week period at the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was observed for 106 patients (69.3%). Nineteen of them (17.9%) with positive Aspergillus results were considered as having putative invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. These observations underline the risk of pulmonary aspergillosis in COVID-19 patients, even in patients not previously known to be immunosuppressed, advocating active search for Aspergillus infection and prompt antifungal treatment. Standardized surveillance protocols and updated definitions for ICU putative invasive pulmonary aspergillosis are needed., Lay Abstract: Adult ICU patients with respiratory samples addressed for mycological diagnosis were screened during the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. Positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR was observed for 106 patients, nineteen of them (17.9%) having aspergillosis. This underlines the risk of aspergillosis in COVID-19 patients., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) mainly affects young adults of reproductive age. Whereas a large amount of data is available concerning pregnancy in young CD women, no study has been conducted on their ovarian reserve status. This study aimed to investigate the potential effect of CD on ovarian reserve in young women in remission, as reflected by serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)., Methods: This retrospective case-control study was conducted in the University Hospital of Nantes, France. Serum levels of AMH were retrospectively measured in 50 women with CD in remission and in 163 control women with normal ovarian reserve, matched by age., Results: No statistical difference was found between mean serum AMH levels in CD and control women. Serum AMH levels remained comparable between CD and control women <30 years, but they were significantly lower in CD women ≥ 30 years compared to the control group. Furthermore, the negative correlation between age and AMH level tended to be more pronounced in CD than control women. Multivariate analysis of CD patients' clinical and demographic characteristics showed that serum AMH level was influenced by disease location, with a colonic location of the disease being independently associated with a high risk of altered ovarian reserve., Conclusions: Women with CD do not have severe ovarian reserve alterations compared to a control population. However, age ≥ 30 years and a colonic location of the disease could be associated with an accelerated loss of follicles. These data could encourage gastroenterologists to inform CD women of the risk of delaying childbirth., (Copyright © 2011 Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc.)