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Objective: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of 1 per cent and 0.01 per cent peracetic acid as an antifungal agent in animal otomycosis. Method: After creating a superficial scratch in the external auditory canal of guinea pigs, a suspension of Aspergillus niger , Aspergillus fumigatus and candida were inoculated into the ears of the animals. After otomycosis, the effect of 1 per cent or 0.01 per cent peracetic acid on otomycosis was evaluated by otomicroscopy and culture at 10 days post-treatment and compared with 2 per cent acetic acid as the control. Results: A 10-day treatment with 1 per cent peracetic acid and 2 per cent acetic acid (control) showed normal otomicroscopy and negative cultures compared with 0.01 per cent peracetic acid. Drug sedimentation or other side effects in the external auditory canal or tympanic membrane were not observed during treatment with peracetic acid. Conclusion: The findings of this study confirm that the treatment of otomycosis with 1 per cent peracetic acid in an animal model is beneficial and may be a novel therapeutic treatment for otomycosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aimed to identify Iranian Nakaseomyces (Candida) glabrata complex species in the clinical isolates and determine their antifungal susceptibility profile., Methods: In total, 320 N. glabrata clinical isolates were collected from patients hospitalized in different geographical regions of Iran. The initial screening was performed by morphological characteristics on CHROMagar Candida. Each isolate was identified by targeting the D1/D2 rDNA using a multiplex-PCR method. To validate the mPCR method and determine genetic diversity, the ITS-rDNA region was randomly sequenced in 40 isolates. Additionally, antifungal susceptibility was evaluated against nine antifungal agents following the CLSI M27-A4 guidelines., Results: All clinical isolates from Iran were identified as N. glabrata. The analysis of ITS-rDNA sequence data revealed the presence of eight distinct ITS clades and 10 haplotypes among the 40 isolates of N. glabrata. The predominant clades identified were Clades VII, V, and IV, which respectively accounted for 22.5%, 17.5%, and 17.5% isolates. The widest MIC ranges were observed for voriconazole (0.016-8 μg/mL) and isavuconazole (0.016-2 μg/mL), whereas the narrowest ranges were seen with itraconazole and amphotericin B (0.25-2 μg/mL)., Conclusion: Haplotype diversity can be a valuable approach for studying the genetic diversity, transmission patterns, and epidemiology of the N. glabrata complex., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The Gut-brain axis is a bidirectional neural and humoral signaling that plays an important role in mental disorders and intestinal health and connects them as well. Over the past decades, the gut microbiota has been explored as an important part of the gastrointestinal tract that plays a crucial role in the regulation of most functions of various human organs. The evidence shows several mediators such as short-chain fatty acids, peptides, and neurotransmitters that are produced by the gut may affect the brain's function directly or indirectly. Thus, dysregulation in this microbiome community can give rise to several diseases such as Parkinson's disease, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease. So, the interactions between the gut and the brain are significantly considered, and also it provides a prominent subject to investigate the causes of some diseases. In this article, we reviewed and focused on the role of the largest and most repetitive bacterial community and their relevance with some diseases that they have mentioned previously., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Statement of the Problem: Candida albicans ( C. albicans ) is recognized as the most common opportunistic pathogen in patients with an impaired immune system, and due to the frequent use of antifungal medicine, a variety of drug-resistant species are developing. Probiotics are a part of the human microbiome and natural competitors of Candida by producing lactic acid, low pH, and other secreted metabolites. The role of probiotics in preventing fungal infections has always been discussed., Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the antifungal effect of Lactobacillus casei ( L. casei ) on fluconazole- and amphotericin B-resistant C. albicans species isolated from the oral cavity of acute myeloid leukemia patients., Materials and Method: In this experimental study, eight strains of fluconazole- and amphotericin B-resistant C. albicans were used. The antifungal effects of probiotic L. casei and nystatin were measured by the co-aggregation method 1, 2, and 4 h after beginning the study. After each hour of exposure, C. albicans and L. casei colonies were counted., Results: L. casei had a significant ability to aggregate with both fluconazole- and amphotericin B-resistant C. albicans in all designated intervals, which increased with time. In the first hour of the study, no significant difference was observed between the effects of L. casei on the two drug-resistant strains. However, as time passed, it had a more significant antifungal effect on fluconazole, compared to amphotericin B resistant species ( p Value<0.001). Cell counts showed that the number of fungal cells decreased significantly as time passed ( p < 0.001)., Conclusion: L. casei had a significant ability to aggregate with both drug-resistant C. albicans species and showed higher antifungal activity on fluconazole-resistant than amphotericin B-resistant species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © Journal of Dentistry.)

Background: Emergence of nystatin-resistant Candida albicans ( C. albicans ) strains has raised some concerns in the recent years. Recent scientific evidence proves that turmeric, especially curcumin, has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal activity. The aim of this study was the investigation of the antifungal effects of curcumin against nystatin-resistant C. albicans ., Materials and Methods: This in vitro , experimental study evaluated standard-strain (ATCC 16201) and 10 nystatin-resistant C. albicans strains. The antifungal activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of curcumin were evaluated using the CLSI-M27-A3, and the MIC of curcumin was compared with that of nystatin. The results were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA., Results: The MIC of curcumin was 15.6, 32.25, 15.6, 7.8, 32.25, 15.6, 15.6, 15.6, 32.25, and 15.6 μg/mL for the 10 resistant strains and 62.5 μg/mL for the standard strain of C. albicans . Curcumin in the above-mentioned concentrations significantly inhibited the proliferation of nystatin-resistant C. albicans strains ( P < 0.001)., Conclusion: According to this research, it was shown that curcumin with MIC value of 7.8-32.25 μg/mL has inhibitory effects on nystatin-resistant C. albicans strains., Competing Interests: The authors of this manuscript declare that they have no conflicts of interest, real or perceived, financial or nonfinancial in this article., (Copyright: © 2023 Dental Research Journal.)

Candidiasis occurs mainly in immunocompromised patients. Rapid detection of Candida species can play a major role in the successful management of fungal infections and treatment monitoring. Detection and discrimination of five common strains of Candida species was performed using the optical elastic scattering diffraction pattern of their colonies. Using laser light with 632 nm wavelength and the designed optical system, optical diffraction patterns of C. albicans (ATCC12261), C. tropicalis (ATCC20336), C. glabrata (15545), C. guilliermondii (20216), and C. parapsilosis (22019) were recorded, processed and analyzed. The results of our study show that based on the different structure of Candida species and dissimilar structure of their colonies, the difference between acquired diffraction patterns are recognizable. In addition, through extraction of statistical feature of the diffraction pattern images and using classification techniques, the detection and discrimination could be performed in a semi-automatic way. The analysis of the colonies of five different Candida species by the optical diffraction patterns generated from the interaction of the laser with colonies' structures demonstrated that the technique had the potential to be applied for the detection and discrimination of various species., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest regarding the publication of the study., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Meyerozyma guilliermondii has been accepted as a complex composed of Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Meyerozyma carpophila, and Meyerozyma caribbica. M. guilliermondii is a saprophyte detected on human mucosa and skin. It can lead to serious infections in patients with risk factors like chemotherapy, immunodeficiency, gastrointestinal or cardiovascular surgery, and oncology disorders. Most deaths related to M. guilliermondii infections occur in individuals with malignancy. In recent decades, incidence of M. guilliermondii infections is increased. Sensitivity of this microorganism to conventional antifungals (e.g., amphotericin B, fluconazole, micafungin and anidulafungin) was reduced. Prophylactic and empirical uses of these drugs are linked to elevated minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of M. guilliermondii. Drug resistance has concerned many researchers across the world. They are attempting to discover appropriate solution to combat this challenge. This study reviews the most important mechanisms of resistance to antifungals developed by in M. guilliermondii species complex., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Background and Purpose: Candidiasis is regarded as one of the most important fungal infections and a cause of disease and mortality in patients with hematological malignancy. Accordingly, antifungal prophylaxis is of significant importance in this regard. This study aimed to identify the epidemiology of Candida colonization and evaluate its antifungal susceptibility pattern in patients with hematological malignancy., Materials and Methods: In this study, the samples were collected from the oral cavity of 100 patients, and Candida colonization was confirmed by fungal culture. Candida strains were also identified by ITS-PCR. In vitro antifungal susceptibility tests against fluconazole, amphotericin B, and caspofungin were performed according to CLSI M60., Results: Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, distribution of Candida species (spp.), and antifungal susceptibility were analyzed in this study. The study participants included 100 patients with a mean age of 15.48%±48.74 years (age range: 17-84 years). Regarding gender distribution, the majority (64%) of the patients were male. In terms of the distribution of underlying hematologic malignancy, 27% of the cases had lymphoma. The most commonly isolated species among patients were C. albicans complex (49%; n=49), C. glabrata (39%; n=39), and co-colonization of C. albicans complex and C. with C. glabrata (10%; n=10). The overall resistance of C. albicans complex was 5% to fluconazole (n=5) and 2% to amphotericin B (n=2). Furthermore, C. glabrata showed 11% (n=11) resistance to fluconazole and was susceptible to amphotericin B. All Candida spp. isolated from patients who were susceptible to caspofungin., Conclusion: The high rate of colonization of Candida spp., especially the significant increase in the frequency of C. glabrata in patients with blood malignancies and the gradual increase in resistance to fluconazole, necessitate a change in the use of antifungal drugs for the prevention and experimental treatment of hematological malignancy., Competing Interests: Not Applicable., (Copyright: © 2021, Published by Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences on behalf of Iranian Society of Medical Mycology and Invasive Fungi Research Center.)

Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of seven common preservatives used in Iranian cosmetic products on facial skin microflora., Methods: Fifteen healthy volunteers, aged 20 to 35 years, were recruited. Three symmetrical sites from the cheeks of each volunteer were selected and samples were collected. DNA was extracted from the culture using the boiling method. The fungi's internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified using ITS1/ITS4 primers, for 16s to identify bacteria and Staphylococcus specific primers. The effects of the preservatives were assessed based on growth on broth culture media., Results: Primary identification was based on yeast on CHROM agar, in which 15 different yeasts were isolated; then, PCR was used to identified the species as: C. albicans (n: 14; 93%), C. orthopsilosis (n: 1; 7%). One primary identified yeast on Dixon media was precisely differentiated as M. furfur using the PCR method. Fifteen primary identified cocci on tryptic soy agar media were identified as Staphylococcus epidermis . All the preservatives showed to inhibit the growth of isolated fungi, but not that of bacterial microflora., Conclusion: The present study showed preservatives in cosmetic products can alter skin microflora while also preventing the growth of pathogenic bacteria., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES: The authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2022. Matrix Medical Communications. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the main pathogens of the hospital and causes various infections. csu A/BABCDE involved in the initial surface attachment during biofilm formation and bap gene produces specific proteins at the cell surface that play a direct role in formation of biofilm and the infectivity of this bacterium. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of silver nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles on the expression of bap and csu genes in the Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm formation., Materials and Methods: The susceptibility test was performed to determine the MIC of silver nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and gold-vancomycin nanoparticles performed by broth dilution method on A. baumannii strains. The ability of biofilms formation in strains treated by MIC of silver nanoparticles and gold-vancomycin nanoparticles were evaluated by microtiter plate method and A. baumannii ATCC19606 used as control. Expression of the csu and bap genes were determinded by measuring the cognate mRNA level by real-time PCR., Results: In present study, gold nanoparticles could not prevent the growth and biofilm formation of A. baumannii strains. The MIC concentration of silver nanoparticles and vancomycin- gold nanoparticles were 6.25 μg/ml and 0.625 μg/ml respectively and MBC concenteration of nanoparticles for 70% of strain was 12.5 μg/ml and 1.25 μg/ml respectively. Real-time PCR and data analysis, determined that the expression of bap, csuC and csuE genes in A. baumannii strains treated with MIC concentration (6.25 μg/ml) of silver nanoparticles decreased compared to control groups. Also, the expression of csuC and csuE genes in strains treated with MIC concentration (0.625 μg/ml) of vancomycin -gold nanoparticles increased, however the expression of bap was decreased compared to the control groups., Conclusion: Due to the inhibitory effect of silver nanoparticles and gold-vancomycin nanoparticles against A. baumannii biofilm formation and genes expression, they can probably be used for prevent of biofilm formation in medical instrument or can be use for treatment of infections with or without antibiotic., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Sulfur quantum dots (SQDs) were fabricated using a facile hydrothermal method and used for the preparation of functional food packaging film and compared the properties with other sulfur-based fillers like elemental sulfur (ES) and sulfur nanoparticles (SNP). The SQDs have an average size of 5.3 nm and were very stable in aqueous suspension. Unlike other sulfur-based fillers, the SQD showed high antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activity, but no cytotoxicity was found for L929 mouse fibroblasts even after long-term exposure of 48 h. When sulfur-based fillers were added to the alginate film, SQD was more evenly dispersed in the polymer matrix than SNP and ES. The addition of SQD to the alginate film increased the film's UV barrier property by 82% and tensile strength by 18%. Also, the addition of SQDs to the films did not affect the stiffness (elastic modulus, EM) and water vapor barrier permeability (WVP) of the films. In addition, SQD-added films exhibited excellent antioxidant and strong antibacterial activity against bacterial (E. coli and L. monocytogenes) and fungal (A. niger and P. chrysogenum) food pathogens. When the film was applied as a bread packaging test, the SQD-added film prevented mold growth for 14 days, unlike the ES and SNP-added films., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Fusarium species are known to be one of the common causes of keratitis. This study was conducted to identify Fusarium spp. causing keratitis and to investigate their genetic diversity using TEF1 and RPB2 gene sequences., Materials and Methods: Twenty-four clinical isolates of Fusarium were isolated from the patient with keratitis. Phylogenetic analysis of two-locus of the 24 clinical isolates and three reference strains was carried out using the maximum parsimony and RAxML methods., Results: Based on gene sequences of the 24 clinical isolates, 17, 4, and 3 isolates were identified as Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC), and Fusarium oxysporum , respectively. FFSC include F. proliferatum (n=1), F. globosum (n=1), F. verticillioides (n=1), and F. brevicatenulatum (n=1), respectively., Conclusion: Given that sequence of a sole gene can be challenging and on the other hand, due to the high resistance to antifungal drugs, identification of Fusarium species is of substantial significance. In this study, by designing a novel set of primers for the RPB2 area and using TEF1 primer, we were able to differentiate 24 Fusarium spp. isolated from patients with keratitis., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background and Purpose: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is considered the most common mucosal infection caused by Candida species. Azoles were considered the first-line treatment for VVC or recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) in both healthy and immunocompromised populations. Recently, azole-resistant isolates, especially among non- albicans Candida samples have been encountered. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal susceptibility profile of Candida spp. isolated from VVC or RVVC patients and assess the molecular resistance mechanism of Candida spp. to azole and echinocandin., Materials and Methods: Point mutation analysis was performed on the ERG11 and FKS candidate genes of azole- and caspofungin-resistant Candida albicans and Candida glabrata isolates. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to gain insight into the differential expression of ERG11 mRNA., Results: Variations in the amino acid D116E were observed in fluconazole- and itraconazole-resistant C. albicans strains, and changes in amino acid E517Q were observed only in fluconazole-resistant C. albicans strains. No polymorphisms were observed in the complete sequence alignment of the ERG11 gene in one azole-resistant C. glabrata isolate. The mutation triggered the changes in the amino acid serine in the reference gene FKS1 by the leucine at position 642 (S642L) of the isolates., Conclusion: In patients with persistent or recurrent infection, the choice of an antifungal agent is often challenging and requires monitoring of the antifungal susceptibility of the colonizing strain. C. albicans and C. glabrata isolates can be resistant to azole and caspofungin antifungal agents without mutations in the ERG 11 and HS1 regions of the FKS1 gene., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2021, Published by Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences on behalf of Iranian Society of Medical Mycology and Invasive Fungi Research Center.)

Oral candidiasis is a fungal infection caused mainly by Candida albicans and it is a major problem among hematologic malignancy patients. Biofilm formation is an attributable factor to both virulence and drug resistance of Candida species. The aim of the study was to evaluate the biofilm-producing ability of oral C. albicans isolates and to evaluate the inhibitory activity of eucalyptol on Candida biofilm, alone and in combination with antifungal agents. Samples were collected from the oral cavity of 106 patients with hematologic malignancy. The isolated yeasts were identified by PCR-sequencing. Then C. albicans isolates were analyzed for their biofilm-producing ability by crystal violet staining and MTT assay. The minimum biofilm inhibition concentrations (MBIC) of eucalyptol, amphotericin B, itraconazole, and nystatin and the in vitro interaction of eucalyptol with these drugs were tested according to CLSI-M-27-A3 protocol and checkerboard methods, respectively. From 106 patients, 50 (47.2%) were confirmed for oral candidiasis [mean ± SD age 39 ± 14 years; female 31 (62%) and male 19 (38%)]. C. albicans was isolated from 40 of 50 (80%) patients. From 40 C. albicans isolates, 24 (60%) and 16 (40%) were moderate and weak biofilm producer, respectively. The geometric mean MBIC of amphotericin B, itraconazole, nystatin and eucalyptol were 3.93 µg/mL, 12.55 µg/mL, 0.75 µg/mL and 798 µg/mL, respectively. Eucalyptol interacted synergistically with amphotericin B, itraconazole and nystatin against 12.5, 10, and 22.5% of isolates, respectively. Eucalyptol demonstrated promising activity against biofilm of C. albicans when tested alone or combined with antifungal drugs., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of amphotericin B-loaded nanoliposomes against Trichophyton interdigitale and Trichophyton rubrum. Moreover, it was attempted to assess the obtained resistance in vitro., Methods: In total, 29 archived clinical strains, namely, T. interdigitale (n = 16) and T. rubrum (n = 13), were included in this study. These strains were determined using a previous ITS1-ITS2 region sequence. Moreover, a liposomal formulation of amphotericin B was formulated by a thin-film hydration method. Particle size, polydispersity index (PdI), and zeta potential (ZP) were measured by a Zetasizer. Furthermore, physicochemical properties, such as appearance, aggregation of particles, particle size, PdI, and ZP, were determined at 0-, 1-, and 3-month intervals. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was also used to examine nanoparticles structure. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of amphotericin B-loaded nanoliposomes, itraconazole, efinaconazole, terbinafine, and ciclopirox was determined according to the protocol of the broth microdilution method of CLSI M38-A2. The morphological changes of T. interdigitale and T. rubrum strains exposed to the amphotericin B-loaded nanoliposomes were observed using SEM., Results: The amphotericin B-loaded nanoliposomes displayed a lower MIC compared to those of the amphotericin B and liposomes when used separately. Based on the results, amphotericin B-loaded nanoliposomes induced no drug resistance in any of the tested strains., Conclusion: Accordingly, amphotericin B-loaded nanoliposomes can be a potent antifungal for the topical treatment of onychomycosis. There was no in vitro evidence regarding the resistance of the tested strains to amphotericin B-loaded nanoliposomes. This reflects that amphotericin B-loaded nanoliposomes have a low probability to induce drug resistance in dermatophyte species., (© 2021 the International Society of Dermatology.)

Introduction and Aims: The present study was conducted to determine the candidate genes involved in caspofungin (CAS) resistance in clinical isolates of Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus)., Materials and Methods: The antifungal susceptibility assay of the CAS was performed on 14 clinical isolates of A. flavus using the CLSI-M-38-A2 broth micro-dilution protocol. Since CAS had various potencies, the minimum effective concentration (MEC) of anidulafungin (AND) was also evaluated in the present study. The FKS1 gene sequencing was conducted to assess whether mutations occurred in the whole FKS1 gene as well as hot spot regions of the FKS1 gene of the two resistant isolates. A complementary DNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (CDNA-AFLP) method was performed to investigate differential gene expression between the two resistant and two sensitive clinical isolates in the presence of CAS. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) was utilized to determine the relative expression levels of the identified genes., Results: No mutations were observed in the whole FKS1 gene hot spot regions of the FKS1 genes in the resistant isolates. A subset of two genes with known biological functions and four genes with unknown biological functions were identified in the CAS-resistant isolates using the CDNA-AFLP. The QRT-PCR revealed the down-regulation of the P-type ATPase and ubiquinone biosynthesis methyltransferase COQ5 in the CAS-resistant isolates, compared to the susceptible isolates., Conclusion: The findings showed that P-type ATPase and ubiquinone biosynthesis methyltransferase COQ5 might be involved in the CAS-resistance A. flavus clinical isolates. Moreover, a subset of genes was differentially expressed to enhance fungi survival in CAS exposure. Further studies are recommended to highlight the gene overexpression and knock-out experiments in A. flavus or surrogate organisms to confirm that these mentioned genes confer the CAS resistant A. flavus., (Copyright © 2021 SFMM. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: The resistance to treatment of onychomycosis is increasingly reported. The present study aimed to assess the antifungal activity of itraconazole, terbinafine, luliconazole, and efinaconazole against dermatophytes, molds, and also yeast isolated from patients with onychomycosis. Furthermore, the mechanism of resistance to terbinafine in resistant Trichophyton mentagrophytes species was evaluated using the squalene epoxidase ( SQLE ) gene sequence. Methods: A total of 71 fungal isolates were collected from 97 patients with suspected onychomycosis. The identification of fungal species was performed using conventional and molecular approaches. In vitro drug susceptibility for itraconazole, terbinafine, luliconazole, and efinaconazole was carried out using the broth microdilution method according to the CLSI-M60 and CLSI-M38 3rd ed., respectively. The SQLE gene of one terbinafine-resistant T. mentagrophytes was amplified using the specific primers. Results: Efinaconazole and luliconazole demonstrated higher effectiveness against all isolates in the study. One mismatch was detected at position 1177, which showed A → C change associated with Phe397Leu amino acid substitution of the SQLE protein in terbinafine-resistant T. mentagrophytes . Conclusion: The occurrence of resistant strains of organisms causing onychomycosis should be considered and evaluated. Furthermore, the identification of amino acid changes responsible for resistance to antifungals is a useful consideration in drug-target interaction.

Candida parapsilosis is a non-albicans Candida spp. associated with bloodstream infections in critically ill patients. Failure to treat it effectively due to delay in diagnosis often leads to serious illnessess. The present research aimed to investigate the antifungal activities of nanoparticles (NPs) against fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis strains. Ten strains were used from archived clinical isolates. Antifungal activities of NPs were examined based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (M27-A3/S4) guideline. The morphological changes of strains exposed to each NP were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The effect of NP on the membrane permeability of C. parapsilosis and the viability of the cells was assessed using the confocal laser scanning microscopy and 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, respectively. The cytotoxicity was evaluated against three mammalian cell lines. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of NPs of 10 strains was in the concentration range of 0.5-4 μg/mL; these results were confirmed with the viability test. The antifungal activity of synthesized silver NPs (AgNPs) against resistant C. parapsilosis was greater in comparison with the gold NPs (AuNPs). The SEM images indicated a difference in the fungal morphology of the fungi. The propidium iodide uptake by C. parapsilosis cells showed concentration-dependent mortality in NPs treatment with a confocal laser scanning microscope. There was a notable difference ( p  < 0.01) in the cell viability in the concentration range of 0.5-4 μg/mL between NPs based on the MTT assay. In addition, these NPs exhibited very low toxicity for three mammalian cell lines, specially at 0.5 μg/mL. AgNPs and AuNPs had fungicidal activities against fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis strains. It is crucial to have knowledge based on fundamental research to find new ways to overcome resistant microorganisms.

Candida glabrata is the second frequent etiologic agent of mucosal and invasive candidiasis. Based on the recent developments in molecular methods, C. glabrata has been introduced as a complex composed of C. glabrata , Candida nivariensis , and Candida bracarensis . The four main classes of antifungal drugs effective against C. glabrata are pyrimidine analogs (flucytosine), azoles, echinocandins, and polyenes. Although the use of antifungal drugs is related to the predictable development of drug resistance, it is not clear why C. glabrata is able to rapidly resist against multiple antifungals in clinics. The enhanced incidence and antifungal resistance of C. glabrata and the high mortality and morbidity need more investigation regarding the resistance mechanisms and virulence associated with C. glabrata ; additional progress concerning the drug resistance of C. glabrata has to be further prevented. The present review highlights the mechanism of resistance to antifungal drugs in C. glabrata .

Demand has arisen for developing new azole antifungal agents with the growth of the resistant rate of infective fungal species to current azole antifungals in recent years. Accordingly, the present study reports the synthesis of novel fluconazole (FLC) analogues bearing urea functionality that led to discovering new azole agents with promising antifungal activities. In particular, compounds 8b and 8c displayed broad-spectrum activity and superior in vitro antifungal capabilities compared to the standard drug FLC against sensitive and resistant Candida albicans ( C. albicans ). The highly active compounds 8b and 8c had potent antibiofilm properties against FLC-resistant C. albicans species. Additionally, these compounds exhibited very low toxicity for three mammalian cell lines and human red blood cells. Time-kill studies revealed that our synthesized compounds displayed a fungicidal mechanism toward fungal growth. Furthermore, a density functional theory (DFT) calculation, additional docking, and independent gradient model (IGM) studies were performed to analyze their structure-activity relationship (SAR) and to assess the molecular interactions in the related target protein. Finally, in vivo results represented a significant reduction in the tissue fungal burden and improvements in the survival rate in a mice model of systemic candidiasis along with in vitro and in silico studies, demonstrating the therapeutic efficiency of compounds 8b and 8c as novel leads for candidiasis drug discovery., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Purpose: The present study was performed to examine whether caspofungin-coated gold nanoparticles (CAS-AuNPs) may offer the right platform for sensitivity induction in resistant isolates. Methods: A total of 58 archived Candida species were enrolled in the research. The identification of Candida spp. was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and HWP1 gene amplification approaches. The conjugated CAS-AuNPs were synthesized and then characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Zetasizer system to determine their morphology, size, and charge. Furthermore, the efficacy was assessed based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M60. Finally, the interaction of CAS-AuNPs with Candida element was evaluated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: According to the TEM results, the synthesized CAS-AuNPs had a spherical shape with an average size of 20 nm. The Zeta potential of CAS-AuNPs was -38.2 mV. Statistical analyses showed that CAS-AuNPs could significantly reduce the minimum inhibitory concentration against C. albicans ( P =0.0005) and non-albicans Candida (NAC) species ( P < 0.0001). All isolates had a MIC value of ≥ 4 µg/ml for CAS, except for C. glabrata . The results of SEM analysis confirmed the effects of AuNPs on the cell wall structure of C. globrata with the formation of pores. Conclusion: According to findings, CAS-AuNPs conjugates had significant antifungal effects against Candida spp. Therefore, it can be concluded that the encapsulation of antifungal drugs in combination with NPs not only diminishes side effects but also enhances the effectiveness of the medications., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Background: The global spread of terbinafine-resistant Trichophyton mentagrophytes with point mutations in the squalene epoxidase (SQLE) gene is a big concern., Aim: The present study presents a series of unusual familial cases of generalized dermatophytosis caused by multidrug-resistant T. mentagrophytes genotype VIII., Methods: Initially, the skin samples of each patient were taken and then subjected to direct microscopy and culture in Mycosel Agar. The molecular identification of Trichophyton species (spp.) was performed for all family members. In addition, the immunologic tests were requested, and an antifungal susceptibility test was carried out using the broth microdilution protocol based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M38, third edition. The SQLE gene for a terbinafine-resistant T. mentagrophytes genotype VIII was sequenced and confirmed its nucleotide sequence to KU242352 as a susceptible strain., Results: Based on the results of mycological examination and ITS rDNA sequencing, the etiologic agent was identified as T. mentagrophytes as a zoophilic dermatophyte. This species showed multiple drug resistance in vitro against terbinafine (minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs ≥8 µg/ml), itraconazole (MIC ≥4), and fluconazole (MIC ≥16). The SQLE gene of the isolate was subjected to sequencing for mutation, which showed a point mutation as TTC/TTA in the gene leading to Phe397Leu amino acid substitution in the enzyme. Only one of the family members responded to itraconazole and was cured after the long-term use of itraconazole. Other family members were treated with oral voriconazole with no recurrence., Conclusion: The transmission of this resistant T. mentagrophytes to other countries due to globalization is a serious issue to be considered., (© 2020 the International Society of Dermatology.)

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of Nanoparticles (NPs) against amphotericin B-resistant Candida glabrata (C. glabrata) strains., Methods: Twelve resistant (C. glabrata) strains were isolated from archived clinical isolates. Antifungal activity was conducted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute's (CLSI) guidelines, document M27-A3/S4. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to observe the morphological changes of strains exposed to each nanoparticle., Results: Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of nanoparticles of all strains was in the concentration range of 0.125 to 0.5 μg/Ml . The synthesized Ag-NPs showed superior antifungal activity against (C. glabrata) compared to Se-NPs and Au-NPs. The scanning electron microscope images revealed the difference in the fungal morphology between the untreated and treated fungi with nanoparticles., Conclusion: The Ag-NPs, followed by Se-NPs synthesized, revealed significant anti-fungal activity against resistance regardless of their antifungal-resistant mechanisms., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None declared., (Copyright© 2021 Avicenna Research Institute.)

Introduction: Onychomycosis, also called tinea unguium, is a common fungal infection affecting the nails. After dermatophytes, Candida species are recognized as second-line pathogens responsible for this infection. The treatment of onychomycosis requires a long time and is associated with high rates of recurrence. Antifungal medicines conjugated with gold (Au-NP) nanoparticle are the possible platforms for the reduction of drug resistance., Methods: In the present study, we reported the in-vitro antifungal activity of itraconazole (ITZ) - Au conjugates, time-kill studies, and biofilm-producing ability of six ITZ-resistant C. glabrata., Results: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) quantitative results revealed that four out of six resistant isolates studied able to form biofilms in vitro. ITZ-Au conjugates were more effective than ITZ or Au nanoparticle alone, and the time-kill tests pointed to the suitable effect of ITZ-Au conjugate., Conclusion: The present study concluded that ITZ-Au conjugates have an inhibitory effect on the biofilm of resistant C. glabrata isolates. Further studies are needed to compare the ex-vivo onychomycosis model., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Some fungal species of the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium secretes toxic metabolites known as mycotoxins, have become a global concern that is toxic to different species of animals and humans. Biological mycotoxins detoxification has been studied by researchers around the world as a new strategy for mycotoxin removal. Bacteria, fungi, yeast, molds, and protozoa are the main living organisms appropriate for the mycotoxin detoxification. Enzymatic and degradation sorptions are the main mechanisms involved in microbiological detoxification of mycotoxins. Regardless of the method used, proper management tools that consist of before-harvest prevention and after-harvest detoxification are required. Here, in this review, we focus on the microbiological detoxification and mechanisms involved in the decontamination of mycotoxins., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Introduction: Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) are similar skin conditions with different degrees ofseverity. Since the current therapies cannot remove dandruff efficiently, herbal extracts with better effectiveness and fewer side effects are used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Due to the adverse effects of chemical drugs, the use of natural products and traditional medicine has significantly increased over the past few decades. Therefore, in this review, we reported the herbs used as anti-dandruff agents in traditional medicine worldwide., Methods: The review was conducted on the literature available on the medicinal utility of certain plants as anti-dandruff agents using PubMed and Google Scholar and the following search terms: Dandruff and plants or medicinal plant and dandruff treatment, and essential oil and dandruff., Results: Since the current therapies cannotefficiently remove dandruff, herbal extracts with better effectiveness and fewer side effects are used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Nowadays, there are numerous different types of herbal antidandruff shampoos. They are effective and safe without the side effects of chemical agents. Recently, herbal medicine has attracted a great deal of scientific attention. Clinical evidence on the therapeutic effects of herbal products has resulted in the study of far more herbs for their therapeutic roles., Conclusion: Herbal therapy plays a significant role in the development of favorable therapeutics, either alone or in combination with conventional antibiotics. However, the major challenges in this regard include finding compounds with satisfactorily lower MICs, low toxicity, and high bioavailability for effective and safe use in humans and animals., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background and Purpose: Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) is a fungal infection of the oral cavity caused by the members of C. albicans complex. Although C. africana , as a part of the complex, is considered to be mostly responsible for the development of vulvovaginal candidiasis, it may be associated with a wider clinical spectrum., Case Report: This report described two cases diagnosed with oral candidiasis during the receipt of treatment for malignancies. Conventional and molecular tests were performed on the samples collected from the patients' oral cavities. The test results revealed C. africana as the causative agent of oral candidiasis. Furthermore, in vitro antifungal susceptibility test indicated the full susceptibility of all C. africana isolates to caspofungin. However, the data were also suggestive of the resistance against fluconazole and amphotericin B. Caspofungin was used as the main antifungal agent for the treatment of oral candidiasis, resulting in the improvement of thrush in patients. The resistance of C. africana to fluconazole and amphotericin B suggests the necessity of performing in vitro susceptibility testing on the isolates for the selection of appropriate antifungal agents., Conclusion: As the findings indicated, the achievement of knowledge regarding C. africana as an emerging non-albicans Candida species and its antifungal susceptibility profile is crucial to select antifungal prophylaxis and empirical therapy for oral candidiasis in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy., None: non., (Copyright: © 2020, Published by Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences on behalf of Iranian Society of Medical Mycology and Invasive Fungi Research Center.)

Background and Purpose: Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) is one of the most common gynecological conditions in healthy and diabetic women, as well as antibiotic users. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between TUP1 gene expression patterns and symptomatic recurrent C. albicans infections., Materials and Methods: This research was performed on C. albicans samples isolated from the vaginal specimens obtained from 31 individuals with RVVC in 2016. The reference strain C. albicans ATCC 10231, 10 C. albicans strains isolated from minimally symptomatic patients, and 10 isolates from asymptomatic patients were also used as control strains. The relative mRNA expression of the TUP1 gene was quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR)., Results: The QRT-PCR results revealed that TUP1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased (0.001-0.930 fold) in the C. albicans isolates obtained from RVVC patients ( P <0.001). However, no TUP1 expression was detectable in the isolates collected from asymptomatic patients. The results also indicated a significant correlation between TUP1 mRNA expression level and the severity of itching and discharge ( P <0.001)., Conclusion: The present results were suggestive of the probable contribution of TUP1 , as a part of the transcriptional repressor, to the severity of the symptoms related to C. albicans infections in the vagina. Regarding this, it is required to perform more in vivo studies using a larger sample size to characterize the regulatory or stimulatory function of TUP1 in the severity of RVVC symptoms. Furthermore, the study and identification of the genes involved in the severity of the symptomatic manifestations of C. albicans , especially in resistant strains, may lead to the recognition of an alternative antifungal target to enable the development of an effective agent., (Copyright: © 2020, Published by Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences on behalf of Iranian Society of Medical Mycology and Invasive Fungi Research Center.)

Purpose. Epidermophyton floccosum is an anthropophilic dermatophyte species, which is one of the common causative agents of dermatophytosis in different parts of the world. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the genetic diversity of E. floccosum strains isolated from different parts of Iran and to define the in vitro susceptibility profiles of seven antifungal drugs against these clinical isolates. Methodology. Forty clinical strains of E. floccosum isolated from 40 patients with dermatophytosis were subjected to DNA extraction and PCR amplification of the ITS rDNA region using universal primers ITS1 and ITS4. The in vitro activities of griseofulvin, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, caspofungin, ketoconazole and terbinafine were determined using a broth microdilution method according to the CLSI-M-38A2 protocol. Results. A mean genetic similarity of 99.5 % was found between E. floccosum strains, with intraspecies differences ranging from 0 to 3 nt. The geometric mean (GM) MICs and minimum effective concentrations (MECs) across all isolates were, in increasing order, as follows: terbinafine (GM=0.018 mg l -1 ), posaconazole (GM=0.022 mg l -1 ), itraconazole (GM=0.034 mg l -1 ) and voriconazole (GM=0.045 mg l -1 ), which had low MICs against all tested strains, whereas caspofungin (GM=0.22 mg l -1 ), ketoconazole (GM=0.41 mg l -1 ) and griseofulvin (GM=0.62 mg l -1 ) demonstrated higher MICs. Conclusion. Our study showed low intraspecies variation within strains of E. floccosum . Furthermore, terbinafine, posaconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole were shown to be the most potent antifungal drugs against E. floccosum strains.

Background and Purpose: Candida parapsilosis isolates usually have a low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against azoles. Although Candida parapsilosis isolates usually have low MICs against azoles, recent studies candida invasive infections due to azole resistant-C. parapsilosis isolates . Regarding this, the main aim of this study was to determine the susceptibility pattern of Iranian clinical C. parapsilosis against available azole antifungal drugs., Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 105 previously-identified isolates of C. parapsilosis sensu stricto. For the purpose of the study, the isolates were subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing against fluconazole (FLZ), itraconazole (ITZ), voriconazole (VRZ), and two new azole drugs, namely luliconazole (LUZU) and lanoconazole (LZN). The broth microdilution reference method adopted in this study was according to the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute M27-A3 and M27-S4 documents., Results: According to the results, 89% (n=94) of C. parapsilosis isolates showed a MIC of ≥ 1 µg/ml, indicating resistance against ITZ. Multi-azole resistance was observed in 3.8% of the isolates. In addition, LUZU and LZN demonstrated the highest efficacy with the MIC 50 values of 0.5 and 1 µg/ml, respectively., Conclusion: The majority of the isolates showed high MIC values against ITZ. This may have been associated with the long-term ITZ prophylaxis/therapy in patients infected with candidiasis. Hence, the adoption of an appropriate antifungal agent is a crucial step for starting the treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this study.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the drug susceptibility pattern of the pathogens causing bacteraemia and fungemia in patients who have developed febrile neutropenia after chemotherapy., Materials and Methods: A total of 95 patients with suspected or proven malignancy (50 patients) were admitted to the adult haematology ward at Taleghani Hospital in Tehran. Blood samples were inoculated into the bottles of Bact/Alert blood culture system and sent to Payvand's clinical and special laboratory immediately and then incubated at 35 ± 2°C. Culture from positive bottles were plated on appropriate media and incubated at 37°C and 30°C for bacterial and fungal isolation, respectively. A bacterial suspension with turbidity equal to 0.5 McFarland (1.5 × 10 8 CFU/mL) was prepared and used for the Vitec2 system (biomerioux). Statistical analysis using independent Fisher's exact test was conducted and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered as significant., Results: Among 50 patients with approved malignancy, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) were the most common underlying diseases. This study showed, 20% (n: 10) of febrile neutropenic episodes established positive blood culture. Of them, 3 were Gram-negative (30%) and 5 were-Gram-positive bacteria (50%) and 2 patients (20%) showed fungemia with Fusarium spp., Conclusion: It is crucial to know about the likely pathogens and their local antibiotic and antifungal sensitivity patterns. Such local findings will show if any modifications to treatment guidelines are necessary.

Introduction: Febrile neutropenic patients are at risk of serious infections. The aim of the present study is to identify the frequency, species, and susceptibility patterns of candidemia in febrile neutropenic patients., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on febrile neutropenic patients suspected with candidemia who had been referred to 3 educational hospitals during 9 months., Results: The blood samples of 80 febrile neutropenic patients with the mean age of 48±16.6 years were studied (60% female). Five (6.25%) episodes of candidemia were identified. The underlying disease was acute myeloid leukemia in 4 (80%) cases and all 5(100%) cases had central venous catheter and were receiving prophylactic ciprofloxacin and acyclovir. 100% of isolates were found to be susceptible to Voriconazole, 80% to Caspofungin, 60% to Amphotericin B, and 40% to Fluconazole., Conclusion: The frequency of candidemia among the studied febrile neutropenia patients was 6.25%, with 80% mortality rate, and the most frequently identified yeast was Candida albicans (100% susceptible to Voriconazole)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Background: Candida parapsilosis is one of the five common strains of yeasts involved in invasive candidiasis. The expression analysis of sterol biosynthesis pathway genes, which are associated with resistance, can assist the better understanding of antifungal resistance mechanisms., Method: The antifungal susceptibility of 120 clinical C. parapsilosis isolates was examined. The changes in the gene expression related to resistance were analyzed., Results: Eight strains were resistant to fluconazole (FLC), itraconazole (ITC), and amphotericin B (AMB). The regulation variations included increased mRNA levels of ERG3, ERG6, and ERG11 and decreased mRNA levels of ERG3 and ERG6 in response to FLC. ERG11 mRNA level increases in response to ITC and AMB., Conclusion: The mechanism of resistance to azoles in C. parapsilosis is very similar to C. Albicans. This feature may help to design new treatment strategy for candidiasis.

Antifungal therapy results in complications in management due to changes in the patterns of epidemiology and drug susceptibility of invasive fungal infections. In this study, we prepared fluconazole-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (FLZ-SLNs) and investigated the efficacy of the optimal formulation on fluconazole (FLZ)-resistant strains of several Candida species. FLZ-SLN was produced using probe ultrasonication techniques. The morphology of the obtained SLNs was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The minimum inhibitory concentrations for the new formulations against fluconazole-resistant strains of Candida were investigated using CLSI document M27-A3. The FLZ-SLNs presented a spherical shape with a mean diameter, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency of 84.8nm, -25mV and 89.6%, respectively. The drug release from FLZ-SLNs exhibited burst release behaviour at the initial stage (the first 30min) followed by a sustained release over 24h FLZ-resistant yeast strains behaved as susceptible strains after treatment with FLZ-SLNs (≤8μg/ml). The MIC50 drug concentrations were 2μg/ml, 1μg/ml and 2μg/ml for FLZ-resistant strains of Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida glabrata, respectively. In this study, we evaluated novel delivery systems for combating Candida strains that exhibit low susceptibility against the conventional formulation of FLZ as a first-line treatment., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The effect of probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. casei) as safe organisms was examined on fungal growth and aflatoxin gene regulation in Aspergillus parasiticus., Methods: The fungus was cultured in presence of two different concentrations of L. acidophilus and L. casei in MRS broth medium. Mycelia dry weight is indicated as criteria to evaluate fungal growth. Besides, investigation of aflR gene expression by Real Time PCR was performed for analysis of gene regulatory effects in aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway., Results: Both Lactobacillus strongly inhibited fungal growth in the concentrations of 1. 5×10(2), [Formula: see text] . Expression analysis of aflatoxin genes pathway by real time PCR showed inhibitory effect of L. acidophilus and L. casei on expression of aflR gene. The gene expression revealed to be reduced at the approximate rates of 99. 7% and 98% respectively by L. acidopholus and L. casei in concentrations of [Formula: see text] and more., Conclusion: L. acidophilus and L. casei may be used successfully as suitable candidates in controlling of A. parasiticus growth on food and feed as well as reducing of aflatoxin contamination.

Background: Candida parapsilosis is an emergent agent of invasive fungal infections. This yeast is one of the five most widespread yeasts concerned in invasive candidiasis. C. parapsilosis stands out as the second most common yeast species isolated from patients with bloodstream infections especially in neonates with catheter. Recently several reports suggested that its reduced susceptibility to azoles and polyene might become a cause for clinical concern, although C. parapsilosis is not believed to be intensely prone to the development of antifungal resistance., Methods: In the present report, One hundred and twenty clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis complex were identified and differentiated by using PCR-RFLP analysis. The isolates were then analyzed to determine their susceptibility profile to fluconazole (FLU), itraconazole (ITC) and amphotericin B. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results were analyzed according to the standard CLSI guide., Results: All of isolates were identified as C. parapsilosis. No C. metapsilosis and C. orthopsilosis strains were found. Evaluation of the antifungal susceptibility profile showed that only three (2.5%) C. parapsilosis were resistant to fluconazole, three (2.5%) C. parapsilosis were resistant to itraconazole and two (1.7%) C. parapsilosis were amphotericin B resistant., Conclusion: Profiles in clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis can provide important information for the control of antifungal resistance as well as distribution and susceptibility profiles in populations.

Background: Fungi existing in hospital departments may grow and produce micro-colonies. The spores arising from these micro-colonies circulate easily and could be inhaled by patients and cause infections in immune-compromised subjects. Due to the lack of an acceptable method of sampling and evaluation of microbiological quality of air in the isolation units, the purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of airborne fungi through active and passive sampling and also identify fungi genera in the air of the isolation unit., Materials and Methods: The air of the isolation unit was monitored through active and passive sampling. In passive sampling, the plates were placed in the room. The active sampling was performed in the hematology unit by using a slit-to-agar biological air sampler with a flow rate of 10 L/minute. Plates were incubated at 30°C for 10 days and were examined daily for fungal growth. Fungal species were identified on the basis of their macroscopic and microscopic morphological features., Results: In active samples, Penicillium spp. was the predominant genus (66.8%), followed by Aspergillus spp. (23.9%) and Cladosporium spp. (2.5%). Yeast spp. accounted for only 2.2% of the isolated fungi. In passive samples, Penicillium spp. (94.4%) was the most frequently found fungi, followed by Aspergillus spp (2.2%), Cladosporium spp. (1.1%) and Yeast spp. (0.5%). The identified genera included Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Mucorales, Cladosporium, Yeasts and other filamentous fungi., Conclusion: Active and passive sampling can be used for monitoring the fungal content of air. Assessment of fungal contamination profiles in hospitals may provide important information about the level of fungal concentration in the hospitals and for the control of nosocomial infections. In addition, installation of special ventilation systems equipped with HEPA filters in hematology wards could enhance the quality of air. Also, observing sanitary protocols for disinfection of the surfaces is imperative for infection control.

An efficient protocol has been developed for the preparation of a series of trans-3-imidazolylflavanones and (Z)-trans-3-imidazolylflavanone oximes, as potential antifungal agents, by the reaction of 2-imidazolyl-2'-hydroxyacetophenone with different benzaldehyde derivatives and subsequence oximation reaction. The stereochemical and conformational aspects of compounds were also assigned by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The aryl group present at C-2 and the imidazole ring present at C-3 were assigned to occupy equatorial position in trans-3-imidazolylflavanones 3 and axial position in (Z)-trans-3-imidazolylflavanone oximes 4. Most of the 3-imidazolylflavanone derivatives containing a substituent on phenyl ring showed significant antifungal activity and modification of the 4-oxo group to oxime or substituent on phenyl ring produced changes in the antifungal activity profile of these compounds. Generally, 3'-chloro- analog of 3-imidazolylflavanone 3c exhibited better profile of antifungal activity against strains of fungi tested, superior than reference drug fluconazole.

A series of 5-(nitroaryl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles bearing certain sulfur containing alkyl side chain similar to pendent residue in tinidazole molecule were synthesized and evaluated against Helicobacter pylori using disk diffusion method. The synthesized compounds were also evaluated for their antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic effects. Study of the structure-activity relationships of this series of compounds indicated that both the structure of the nitroaryl unit and the pendent group on 2-position of 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring dramatically impact the anti-H. pylori activity. While compound 7a containing 2-[2-(ethylsulfonyl)ethylthio]-side chain from nitrothiophene series was the most potent compound tested against clinical isolates of H. pylori, however, nitroimidazoles 6c and 7c were found to be more promising compounds because of their respectable anti-H. pylori activity besides less cytotoxic effects.