Optimization of the preanalytical steps of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry identification provides a flexible and efficient tool for identification of clinical yeast isolates in medical laboratories.

ABSTRACT We report here that modifications of the preanalytical steps of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identification of yeasts, with regard to the original protocol provided by the manufacturers, appear to be efficient for the reliable routine identification of clinical yeast isolates in medical laboratories. Indeed, when one colony was sampled instead of five and the protein extraction protocol was modified, the performance of MALDI-TOF MS was superior to that of the API ID 32C method (discrepancies were confirmed by using molecular identification), allowing the correct identification of 94% of the 335 clinical isolates prospec…

Détection et identification de Fusarium spp. dans le réseau hydrique d’un centre hospitalier universitaire

Profiles and seasonal distribution of airborne fungi in indoor and outdoor environments at a French hospital

International audience; A one-year prospective survey of fungal air contamination was conducted in outdoor air and inside two haematological units of a French hospital. Air was sampled with a portable Air System Impactor. During this period of survey, the mean viable fungal load was 122.1 cfu/m(3) in outdoor air samples, and 4.1 and 3.9 cfu/m(3) in samples from adult and pediatric haematology units, respectively. In outdoor samples, Cladosporium was the dominant genus (55%) while in the clinical units, Penicillium sp. (23 to 25%), Aspergillus sp. (15 to 23%) and Bjerkandera adusta (11 to 13%) were the most frequently recovered airborne fungi. The outdoor fungal load was far higher in autumn…

Dynamics of fungal colonization in a new medical mycology laboratory

International audience; Objective of the study. - Study of the spatio-temporal fungal colonization in a new medical mycology laboratory. Methods. - A 17-month survey of airborne fungal contamination was conducted in a new medical mycology laboratory at a tertiary care university hospital. This survey was implemented at three different periods: before the new premises were occupied (period A), during the move into the new laboratory (period B) and after resumption of the mycological activities in these new premises (period C). Results. - During period A, the airborne fungal load ranged from 2.3 to 6 cfu/m(3). The most frequently recovered airborne fungi were Penicillium spp. (75 to 100%). Du…

Failure to differentiate Cryptosporidium parvum from C. meleagridis based on PCR amplification of eight DNA sequences.

ABSTRACT In order to determine the specificities of PCR-based assays used for detecting Cryptosporidium parvum DNA, eight pairs of previously described PCR primers targeting six distinct regions of the Cryptosporidium genome were evaluated for the detection of C. parvum , the agent of human cryptosporidiosis, and C. muris , C. baileyi , and C. meleagridis , three Cryptosporidium species that infect birds or mammals but are not considered to be human pathogens. The four Cryptosporidium species were divided into two groups: C. parvum and C. meleagridis , which gave the same-sized fragments with all the reactions, and C. muris and C. baileyi , which gave positive results with primer pairs targ…

Evaluation of CandiSelect4, a new chromogenic medium for isolation and presumptive identification of Candida species from clinical specimens

Abstract In clinical laboratories, isolation of Candida species is generally based on the culture of specimens on Sabouraud dextrose agar. This strategy does not allow species identification on primary culture and makes it difficult to detect mixed cultures. Chromogenic media contain substrates that react specifically with different Candida species, and partly overcome these difficulties. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare two chromogenic media: (i) CandiSelect4 (C4), a new medium developed for direct identification of C. albicans and presumptive identification of C. krusei , C. tropicalis and C. glabrata (ii) CHROMagar Candida (CH), a medium licensed for direct identification …