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In recent years, the genus Malassezia has been reclassified based on molecular data. In addition to M. furfur, M. pachydermatis and M. sympodialis, four new species. M. globosa, M. ohtusa, M. reatricta and M. slooffiiae, have been described. However, apart from their lipid dependence, little is known about the metabolism and nutritional requirements of all the seven species. Further to recent studies. 10 hydrophilic emulsifiers (HLB < 10) were examined in an agar diffusion test to determine their growth-promoting effect on reference strains of the different Malassezia species. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 7 glyceryl monoaicanoate (Cetiol HE), PEG-glyceryi stearate (Tagat S2) and macrogol-50 stearate (Myrj 53) were metabolized by all strains, while PEG-35 castor oil (Cremophor EL) was metabolized only by M. furfur. The latter observation is due to a different metabolism of castor oil and its main component, ricinoleic acid (12-hydroxy oleic acid), which may also give an insight into the pathogenesis of diseases that are associated with Malassezia spp. As hydroxy fatty acids are important in maintaining the epidermal structure and function, their metabolism specifically by M. furfur might clarify some clinical aspects of pityriasis versicolor. Apart from this speculation, use of Cremophor EL, with splitting of esculin as an additional key character, improves the distinction of the species M. furfur, M. slooffiae and M. sympodialis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary infection due to Aspergillus appears to be frequent in England but much less frequent in France. It is not certain whether this is due to a variable atmospheric density of Aspergillus or a different proportion of the various groups or species of this genus in the 2 Countries. In the aero-mycologic counts presented in the literature. Aspergillus is classified after the genera Cladosporium, Alternaria and Penicillium and its percentage generally remains low. One sees that only the Maracaibo station located in an equatorial area of Venezuela gives a very high percentage of Aspergillus.

A case of disseminated Scedosporium inflatum infection occurring in a neutropenic patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia is reported. Scedosporium inflatum was isolated from skin lesions, blood, urine and vitreous cultures. Amphotericin B treatment was ineffective in avoiding hematogenous spread. At autopsy, hyphae and ovoid conidia with truncate bases consistent with the morphology of Scedosporium inflatum were found in the lungs, kidneys, myocardium, liver, thyroid, spleen, lymph nodes, brain and the left eye. This is the first report of disseminated Scedosporium inflatum infection and the first time this organism has been isolated from a patient in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exophiala jeanselmei is a dematiaceous fungus that may cause invasive diseases, particularly among immunocompromised hosts. Most reports mention cutaneous or subcutaneous lesions, but no case of nail involvement due to this fungus has been reported until now., Case Report: A 60-year-old man presented with hyperkeratosis and black coloration of the nails of the two thumbs and the two big toes of 4 years' duration. He was a renal transplant recipient and had been treated with prednisone and azathioprine. E. jeanselmei was present on direct examination, then isolated in cultures on repeated samplings from all pathologic nails. He was cured after 6 months of treatment with itraconazole., Commentary: We describe the first case of nail infection due to E. jeanselmei. Itraconazole, which provides a broad spectrum of action on fungal species and achieves high levels of active substance in many tissues, including the nails, appeared to be efficient upon such a nail localization of E. jeanselmei., (Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel)

The first case of Thermomyces lanuginosus endocarditis occurring on a porcine heterograft prosthesis, secondary to a Staphylococcus aureus infection of the aortic valve, is reported. The diagnosis was made post-mortem by direct examination of the prosthesis and culture of surgical samples on Sabouraud's agar. Identification was based on the presence of warty, dark brown aleurioconidia. The route of contamination could not be established but the most likely cause was the air of the operating room or the insertion of a contaminated graft.