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Abstract Background Olive production is the main agricultural activity in Tunisia. The diversity of fungi was explored in two different olive groves located in two distant geographical zones in Sfax (Tunisia) with different management practices. Results Fungal isolation was made from soil and the major olive tree pests, namely the Olive fly, Bactrocera oleae Gmelin (Diptera: Tephritidae), and the Olive psyllid, Euphyllura olivina Costa (Homoptera: Psyllidae). A total of 34 fungal isolates were identified according to their phenotypic, genotypic, biochemical and biological activities. Twenty fungal species were identified belonging to six different genera (Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Lecanicillium and Penicillium) by the analysis of their ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 ribosomal DNA region. Different bioassays performed in this work revealed that 25/34 (73.5%) of the identified fungal isolates showed an entomopathogenic and/or antagonistic activity, 9/34 (26.5%) of them displayed phytopathogenic features. Conclusions Fungal species that showed entomopathogenic and/or antagonistic potentialities and that are non-phytopathogenic, (17/34; 50%) of our fungal isolates, could be explored for olive protection against fungal diseases and pests, and might have a future application as biocontrol agents.

A wide array of bacteria and fungi are known for their association with pests that impact the health of the olive tree. The latter presents the most economically important cultivation in Tunisia. The microbial diversity associated with olive orchards in Tunisia remains unknown and undetermined. This study investigated microbial diversity to elucidate the microbial interactions that lead to olive disease, and the bio-prospects for potential microbial biocontrol agents associated with insect pests of economic relevance for olive cultivation in the Mediterranean area. Bacterial and fungal isolation was made from soil and olive tree pests. A total of 215 bacterial and fungal strains were randomly isolated from eight different biotopes situated in Sfax (Tunisia), with different management practices. 16S rRNA and ITS gene sequencing were used to identify the microbial community. The majority of the isolated bacteria, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Alcaligenes, and Providencia, are typical of the olive ecosystem and the most common fungi are Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Cladosporium. The different olive orchards depicted distinct communities, and exhibited dissimilar amounts of bacteria and fungi with distinct ecological functions that could be considered as promising resources in biological control.

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia refers to the aggressive subset of gestational trophoblastic disease, including invasive mole, choriocarcinoma, placental site trophoblastic tumor, and epithelioid trophoblastic tumor. These tumors may have atypical clinical presentations that can mislead the diagnosis. The reported case is a 48-year-old woman in perimenopause, without any history of vaginal bleedings nor molar pregnancy, who presented to the Emergency Department with acute abdominal pain. Serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) was highly elevated at 261 675.23 mIU/ml. A complicated invasive mole was suspected, and an abdominal computed tomography was performed, showing a moderate hemoperitoneum associated to complex cystic and solid uterine mass, with a common left iliac adenomegaly and multiple pulmonary nodules. MRI showed a multiloculated cystic uterine mass with zones of hemorrhage recalling an invasive mole with perforation of the posterior uterus wall, associated to a high abundance hemoperitoneum. The diagnosis of a metastatic invasive mole complicated of uterine rupture and hemoperitoneum was retained. A surgical intervention was decided immediately and a subtotal hysterectomy with bilateral annexectomy was done. Pathologic examination of the specimen was positive for an invasive mole. The patient was proposed for chemotherapy. This case study will increase awareness of unusual clinical presentations of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia We believe that our case will contribute to the literature not only because of the rarity of this entity in perimenopausal period, but also due the atypical clinical presentation as acute abdomen without vaginal bleeding nor history of molar pregnancy evacuation