Characterization and multicentric validation of a common standard for Toxoplasma gondii detection using nucleic acid amplification assays.

ABSTRACT The molecular diagnosis of toxoplasmosis essentially relies upon laboratory-developed methods and suffers from lack of standardization, hence the large diversity of performances between laboratories. Moreover, quantifications of parasitic loads differ among centers, a fact which prevents the possible prediction of the severity of this disease as a function of parasitic loads. The objectives of this multicentric study performed in eight proficient laboratories of the Molecular Biology Pole of the French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis (NRC-T) were (i) to assess the suitability of a lyophilized preparation of Toxoplasma gondii as a common standard for use in this PCR-base…

Candida albicans-epithelial interactions: dissecting the roles of active penetration, induced endocytosis and host factors on the infection process

International audience; Candida albicans frequently causes superficial infections by invading and damaging epithelial cells, but may also cause systemic infections by penetrating through epithelial barriers. C. albicans is a remarkable pathogen because it can invade epithelial cells via two distinct mechanisms: induced endocytosis, analogous to facultative intracellular enteropathogenic bacteria, and active penetration, similar to plant pathogenic fungi. Here we investigated the contributions of the two invasion routes of C. albicans to epithelial invasion. Using selective cellular inhibition approaches and differential fluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate that induced endocytosis contri…

Digestive cryptosporidiosis mimics GVHD after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and responds to bi-antibiotic therapy

Abstract P376.

Identification of Cpgp40/15 Type Ib as the Predominant Allele in Isolates of Cryptosporidium spp. from a Waterborne Outbreak of Gastroenteritis in South Burgundy, France

ABSTRACT Cryptosporidium sp. isolates from a waterborne outbreak of diarrhea in France were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequencing of the Cpgp40/15 locus. Ninety-one percent of the isolates were Cryptosporidium hominis type Ib. The results of this study and those of studies of other outbreaks suggest that the type Ib allele is the predominant allele associated with waterborne cryptosporidiosis.

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…

Cryptosporidiosis Outbreak in Immunocompetent Children from a Remote Area of French Guiana: CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS OUTBREAK IN AMAZONIAN CHILDREN

International audience; In September 2014, an increase in the number of Cryptosporidium spp. gastrointestinal tract infections was reported over a 6-month period among children living in a remote area along the Maroni River in French Guiana. Children presented gastroenteritis symptoms with Cryptosporidium-positive stools. Questionnaires were administered and stool examinations were controlled 3 months after the onset of symptoms. Data collection included demographics, food consumption, river behavior, symptoms, and outcome. Stool specimens were tested using microscopy and polymerase chain reaction. Samples from the water systems were examined for turbidity and culture for bacteria. Data fro…

Détection d’un disaccharide (MSDS) par spectrométrie de masse. Analyse multicentrique de son intérêt pour le diagnostic des infections fongiques invasives

Introduction Nous avons recemment decrit une methode utilisant la spectrometrie de masse MALDI-TOF pour detecter, identifier et quantifier un disaccharide (MSDS) dont la presence dans le serum est associee aux infections fongiques invasives (IFI). Nos premieres investigations, portant sur des cas de candidoses et d’aspergilloses invasives (IC et IA) recrutes dans notre CHU, ont montre que les performances diagnostiques de cette methode etaient comparables a celles des tests Platelia™ et Fungitell ® et qu’en outre elle permettait de diagnostiquer les mucormycoses (MM) pour lesquelles ces tests serologiques sont en defaut. Cette etude a comme objectif de confirmer ces resultats de maniere mul…

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

From attachment to damage: defined genes of Candida albicans mediate adhesion, invasion and damage during interaction with oral epithelial cells.

Candida albicans frequently causes superficial infections by invading and damaging epithelial cells, but may also cause systemic infections by penetrating through epithelial barriers. C. albicans is an unusual pathogen because it can invade epithelial cells via two distinct mechanisms: induced endocytosis, analogous to facultative intracellular enteropathogenic bacteria, and active penetration, similar to plant pathogenic fungi. Here we investigated the molecular basis of C. albicans epithelial interactions. By systematically assessing the contributions of defined fungal pathways and factors to different stages of epithelial interactions, we provide an expansive portrait of the processes an…

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…

Mise au point d’un modèle de co-culture cellules entérocytes et d’un modèle de colonisation digestive stable chez la souris immuno-compétente permettant d’étudier les interactions cellulaires et moléculaires in vitro et in vivo de C. albicans avec la muqueuse digestive

National audience

Hydro-contamination fongique par Fusarium spp. en milieu hospitalier pendant une période de construction

Rbt1 Protein Domains Analysis in Candida albicans Brings Insights into Hyphal Surface Modifications and Rbt1 Potential Role during Adhesion and Biofilm Formation

Cell wall proteins are central to the virulence of Candida albicans. Hwp1, Hwp2 and Rbt1 form a family of hypha-associated cell surface proteins. Hwp1 and Hwp2 have been involved in adhesion and other virulence traits but Rbt1 is still poorly characterized. To assess the role of Rbt1 in the interaction of C. albicans with biotic and abiotic surfaces independently of its morphological state, heterologous expression and promoter swap strategies were applied. The N-terminal domain with features typical of the Flo11 superfamily was found to be essential for adhesiveness to polystyrene through an increase in cell surface hydrophobicity. A 42 amino acid-long domain localized in the central part o…

Adaptation de Candida albicans dans les tissus humains: du commensalisme à la pathogénicité

National audience; Candida albicans (C. albicans) est un micro-organisme eucaryote appartenant à la flore commensale des muqueuses de l’homme sain. Ce commensalisme résulte d’un équilibre entre la levure et les systèmes de défense de l’hôte. La rupture de cet équilibre chez un patient fragilisé (sujet infecté par le VIH, neutropénique, cancéreux, transplanté ou séjournant en service de réanimation) favorisera une colonisation intense des muqueuses, un envahissement de la barrière digestive et enfin la possibilité de dissémination hématogène. Les candidémies restent des infections graves puisque la mortalité directement attribuable à l’infection est estimée à 38%. Nos travaux ont d’abord por…

Épidémiologie de populations de Fusarium oxysporum et F. dimerum en milieu hospitaliers à Dijon et Nancy

Fusarium oxysporum et F. dimerum sont des champignons d'origine tellurique présents dans de nombreux écosystèmes terrestres mais ils ont été récemment détectés dans les systèmes de distribution d'eau de bâtiments hospitaliers1. Une enquête épidémiologique incluant divers bâtiments hospitaliers sur différents sites, des complexes non-hospitaliers et des maisons individuelles a été menée pendant deux ans dans deux villes françaises, Dijon et Nancy. Les champignons ont été détectés seulement dans les canalisations de bâtiments hospitaliers et n'ont pas été détectés dans celles des autres immeubles ni dans l'eau du réseau urbain. Cette distribution surprenante s'explique par une combinaison de …

Mise en place d'un modèle in vivo de colonisation digestive stable à C. Abicans chez la souris immunocompétente

Les levures du genre Candida sont des agents pathogènes opportunistes responsables de candidoses invasives chez les sujets immunodéprimés, et sont associées à un taux de mortalité élevé. Elles représentent 8 à 15% des infections nosocomiales hématogènes et Candida albicans est l’espèce la plus fréquemment isolée en pathologie humaine. Initialement C. albicans appartient à la flore commensale intestinale, buccale et vaginale de l’homme. Ce commensalisme résulte d’un équilibre entre les propriétés biologiques de la levure et les systèmes de défense de l’hôte. La rupture de cet équilibre chez un patient fragilisé aura pour conséquence une colonisation intense des muqueuses favorisant un envahi…

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identification of filamentous fungi in the clinical laboratory.

Pôle MERS F. Dalle; International audience; This study aimed to validate the effectiveness of a standardised procedure for the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS)-based identification on a large sample of filamentous fungi routinely identified in university hospitals' laboratories. Non-dermatophyte filamentous fungi prospectively isolated in the routine activity of five teaching hospitals in France were first identified by conventional methods in each laboratory and then by MS in one centre. DNA sequence-based identification resolved discrepancies between both methods. In this study, of the 625 analysed filamentous fungi of 58 species, 501 (80%) and 556 (89%) were correctly identified by conve…

Cellular interactions ofCandida albicanswith human oral epithelial cells and enterocytes

The human pathogenic fungus Candida albicans can cause systemic infections by invading epithelial barriers to gain access to the bloodstream. One of the main reservoirs of C. albicans is the gastrointestinal tract and systemic infections predominantly originate from this niche. In this study, we used scanning electron and fluorescence microscopy, adhesion, invasion and damage assays, fungal mutants and a set of fungal and host cell inhibitors to investigate the interactions of C. albicans with oral epithelial cells and enterocytes. Our data demonstrate that adhesion, invasion and damage by C. albicans depend not only on fungal morphology and activity, but also on the epithelial cell type an…

Construction, validation et amélioration continue de banque de spectres pour l’utilisation en routine de la spectrométrie de masse en mycologie médicale

Résumé publié dans: Journal de Mycologie Médicale / Journal of Medical Mycology, sept. 2012, 55(3): 279-280. doi:10.1016/j.mycmed.2012.07.024; National audience

Candida albicans interaction with M cells in an in vitro model of the human intestinal Follicle Associated Epithelium (FAE)

National audience; Candida albicans (C. albicans) is a microorganism belonging to the commensal flora of the intestinal, oral and vaginal mucosal surfaces in healthy humans. This commensalism results from a balance between the virulence factors of the yeast and defense mechanisms of the host. However, disturbance of this balance in a vulnerable patient may result in intense mucosal colonization that promotes invasion of epithelial cells, translocation across the intestinal epithelial barrier and, eventually hematogenous dissemination. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which C. albicans interacts with the intestinal mucosa will improve our knowledge of the physiopathology of dissem…

Adaptation inattendue de populations de Fusarium oxysporum et F. Dimerum au milieu aquatique urbain des conduites d'eau de bâtiments hospitaliers à Dijon et Nancyξ

National audience; Fusarium oxysporum et F. dimerum sont des champignons d'origine tellurique présents dans de nombreux écosystèmes terrestres mais ils ont été récemment détectés dans les systèmes de distribution d'eau de bâtiments hospitaliers. Une enquête épidémiologique incluant divers bâtiments hospitaliers sur différents sites, des complexes non-hospitaliers et des maisons individuelles a été menée pendant 2 ans dans deux villes françaises Dijon et Nancy. Les champignons ont été détectés seulement dans les canalisations de bâtiments hospitaliers et n'ont pas été détectés dans celles des autres immeubles ni dans l'eau du réseau urbain. Cette distribution surprenante s'explique par une c…

Evaluation of five automated and one manual method for Toxoplasma and human DNA extraction from artificially spiked amniotic fluid.

International audience; Objectives - Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii plays a crucial role in the prenatal and neonatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis (CT). Sensitivity of this diagnosis is partly related to the efficiency of parasite DNA extraction and amplification. DNA extraction methods with automated platforms have been developed. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate them in combination with adequate PCR amplification assays.Methods - In this multisite study, we investigated the suitability of two recent automated procedures for the isolation of Toxoplasma DNA from amniotic fluid (AF) (Magtration system 12GC, PSS and Freedom EVO VacS, Tecan), compared with three other …

Enterocytes'tight junctions play a protective role in limiting invasion of Candida albicans into intestinal cells

National audience; C. albicans is a commensal yeast of the mucous membranes in healthy humans that can also be responsible for disseminated candidiasis, mainly originating from the digestive tract in vulnerable patients. Deciphering the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the interaction of C. albicans with enterocytes is necessary to better understand the basis of commensalism and pathogenicity of the yeast and to improve the management of disseminated candidiasis. In intestinal epithelia, E-cadherin is constitutive of the Adherens Junctions localized just below the Tight Junctions (TJs) which ensure impermeability of the intestinal barrier. We hypothesized the absence of endocytosis of C…

Myelitis and tenosynovitis attributed to toxocariasis

Évaluation du kit de PCR en temps réel MycoGENIE ® Pneumocystis jirovecii pour le diagnostic moléculaire de la pneumocystose

Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pj) est un champignon pathogene opportuniste strictement humain. Il colonise transitoirement et sans symptome l’arbre respiratoire des patients immunocompetents, et peut etre responsable d’infections pulmonaires severes chez les patients immunodeprimes. Le diagnostic biologique de pneumocystose repose sur la mise en evidence du pathogene a l’examen direct d’un prelevement pulmonaire profond. Si l’examen direct manque souvent de sensibilite, de nombreuses techniques de PCR se sont developpees pour ameliorer la sensibilite de detection du champignon. Les techniques de PCR quantitatives (qPCR) permettent de quantifier la charge fongique dans le prelevement, et potentiel…

Using a Multi-Locus Microsatellite Typing method improved phylogenetic distribution of Candida albicans isolates but failed to demonstrate association of some genotype with the commensal or clinical origin of the isolates.

EA MERS CT3 Enjeu 3; International audience; The dimorphic yeast Candida albicans is a component of the normal microflora at the mucosal surfaces of healthy individuals. It possesses an array of phenotypic properties considered as virulence traits that contribute to pathogenicity of the yeast in immuno-compromised patients. We addressed the question of the pathogenicity of lineages of C. albicans with regard to their genotype in three series of C. albicans isolates (a series of commensal isolates collected in healthy individuals, a group of bloodstream isolates and a group of non-bloodstream clinical isolates) using a Multi-Locus Microsatellite Typing (MLMT) approach based on the analysis o…

Adaptation of Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium dimerum to the specific aquatic environment provided by the water systems of hospitals.

SPE IPM MERS EA; International audience; Members of the Fusarium group were recently detected in water distribution systems of several hospitals in the world. An epidemiological investigation was conducted over 2 years in hospital buildings in Dijon and Nancy (France) and in non-hospital buildings in Dijon. The fungi were detected only within the water distribution systems of the hospital buildings and also, but at very low concentrations, in the urban water network of Nancy. All fungi were identified as Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) and Fusarium dimerum species complex (FDSC) by sequencing part of the translation elongation factor 1- alpha (TEF-1a) gene. Very low diversity was …

Fusarium species recovered from the water distribution system of a French university hospital

Abstract Dijon Hospital is a French tertiary care institution undergoing major renovation, and different microbiological controls revealed the presence of Fusarium spp. in the water distribution system. Because some Fusarium spp. can cause life-threatening opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients, an 8-month survey was conducted in two hospital sites in order to evaluate the prevalence of the fungi in the water system. In 2 units of one hospital site, 100% of the samples of tap-water were positive, with high concentrations of Fusarium spp. (up to 10 5  cfu/L). In the second hospital site, 94% of samples were positive, but generally with lower concentrations. The analysis of tr…

Évaluation multicentriquede l’identification des champignons filamenteux par la spectrométrie de masse MALDI-TOF

Ruling out nosocomial transmission of Cryptosporidium in a renal transplantation unit: case report

Background Cryptosporidium spp. is a ubiquitous parasite affecting humans as well as domestic and wild vertebrates, causing diarrhea in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts worldwide. Its transmission occurs primarily by the fecal-oral route. In humans, C. parvum and C. hominis are the most prevalent species, whereas immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals can also be infected by other zoonotic species. Renal transplant patients are prone to develop cryptosporidiosis, which can induce severe and life-threatening diarrhea. Case presentation We report here a series of nearly concomitant cases of acute symptomatic cryptosporidiosis in three renal transplant patients atten…

Oestrus ovis external ophtalmomyiasis : a case report in Burgundy France

Background External ophtalmomyiasis (EOM) is a zoonosis related to the presence of Oestrus ovis larvae at the ocular level in small ruminants (i.e. ovine, caprine). In humans, EOM is a rare cosmopolitan disorder, mostly described in warm and dry rural areas in patients living close to livestock areas. In metropolitan France (excluding Corsica), EOM is an exceptional disease with less than 25 cases recorded since 1917. Case presentation We report a case of EOM in a 19-years old man in the last week of September 2016 in Burgundy. Conclusion The diagnosis of an EOM in Burgundy, a French region described as cold and humid, is surprising and could be due to a more marked climatic warming during …

Resveratrol-induced xenophagy promotes intracellular bacteria clearance in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages

International audience; Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation process that contributes to host immunity by eliminating invasive pathogens and the modulating inflammatory response. Several infectious and immune disorders are associated with autophagy defects, suggesting that stimulation of autophagy in these diseases should be bene ficial. Here, we show that resveratrol is able to boost xenophagy, a selective form of autophagy that target invasive bacteria. We demonstrated that resveratrol promotes in vitro autophagy-dependent clearance of intracellular bacteria in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages. These results were validated in vivo using infection in a transgenic GFP-LC3 zebra f…

Profil épidémiologique et mycologique des dermatophytoses au CHU de Dijon (2007–2016)

International audience; IntroductionL’objectif de ce travail a été d’étudier le profil épidémiologique et mycologique des dermatophytoses diagnostiquées au laboratoire de parasitologie-mycologie du CHU de Dijon.Matériel et méthodesIl s’agit d’une étude rétrospective qui couvre une période de 10 ans (2007–2016). Seuls les examens mycologiques positifs pour les dermatophytes ont été pris en compte pour cette étude (genres Epidermophyton, Microsporum et Trichophyton).De janvier 2007 à août 2014, l’identification de ces micromycètes a été réalisée selon les caractères macro- et microscopiques des colonies fongiques. À partir de septembre 2014, leur identification a été réalisée par microscopie …

Infection pulmonaire invasive à Trichoderma longibrachiatum, à propos d’un cas

Introduction : Trichoderma longibrachiatum est un champignon filamenteux appartenant à la famille des hyalohyphomycètes, rarement isolé lors d’infections fongiques invasives chez l’Homme mais quelques cas ont déjà été décrits chez des sujets immunodéprimés. Observation : Un homme de 69 ans a développé un syndrome fébrile une semaine après la fin d’une chimiothérapie pour le traitement d’une leucémie aiguë myéloïde alors qu’il était en aplasie profonde (GB Aspergillus Galactomannan test), un scanner thoracique est réalisé. L’aspect scannographique (signe du halo) était évocateur d’une aspergillose pulmonaire invasive (API), motivant la réalisation d’un lavage broncho-alvéolaire (LBA). Le LBA…

Freezing and storage at -20 °C provides adequate preservation of Toxoplasma gondii DNA for retrospective molecular analysis.

Equipe EA MERS; International audience; Nucleic acid-based testing has become crucial for toxoplasmosis diagnosis. For retrospective (forensic or scientific) studies, optimal methods must be employed for DNA long-term storage. We compared Toxoplasma gondii detection before and after DNA storage using real-time PCR. No significant differences were found depending on duration or storage conditions at -20 °C or -80 °C.

Candida albicansis able to use M cells as a portal of entry across the intestinal barrierin vitro

Candida albicans is the most frequent yeast responsible for systemic infections in humans. These infections mainly originate from the gastrointestinal tract where C. albicans can invade the gut epithelial barrier to gain access to the bloodstream. Along the gut, pathogens can use Microfold (M) cells as a portal of entry to cross the epithelial barrier. M cells are specialized cells mainly located in the follicule-associated epithelium of Peyer patches. In this study, we used scanning electron and fluorescence microscopy, adhesion and invasion assays and fungal mutants to investigate the interactions of C. albicans with M cells obtained in an established in vitro model whereby enterocyte-lik…

Identification clinique par spectrométrie de masse MALDI-TOF des champignons filamenteux : construction de banques de données pour les dermatophytes et les Fusarium

Enterocyte Purge and Rapid Recovery Is a Resilience Reaction of the Gut Epithelium to Pore-Forming Toxin Attack.

International audience; Besides digesting nutrients, the gut protects the host against invasion by pathogens. Enterocytes may be subjected to damage by both microbial and host defensive responses, causing their death. Here, we report a rapid epithelial response that alleviates infection stress and protects the enterocytes from the action of microbial virulence factors. Intestinal epithelia exposed to hemolysin, a pore-forming toxin secreted by Serratia marcescens, undergo an evolutionarily conserved process of thinning followed by the recovery of their initial thickness within a few hours. In response to hemolysin attack, Drosophila melanogaster enterocytes extrude most of their apical cyto…

Les cellules M : une porte d’entrée pour le franchissement de la barrière intestinale par Candida albicans

Candida albicans est un pathogene opportuniste pouvant provoquer des infections systemiques chez des patients immunodeprimes. L’origine de ces infections est principalement d’origine endogene, notamment a partir du tractus gastro-intestinal, ou le champignon peut penetrer a travers la barriere epitheliale intestinale pour gagner ensuite la circulation sanguine. Au niveau de la muqueuse intestinale, les enterocytes forment une monocouche de cellules assurant l’integrite et l’impermeabilite du tissu digestif. Au niveau des plaques de Peyer notamment, les cellules Microfold (ou cellules M) sont associees aux enterocytes et jouent un role important dans l’homeostasie digestive. En effet, ces ce…

A Clonal Lineage of Fusarium oxysporum Circulates in the Tap Water of Different French Hospitals.

ABSTRACT Fusarium oxysporum is typically a soilborne fungus but can also be found in aquatic environments. In hospitals, water distribution systems may be reservoirs for the fungi responsible for nosocomial infections. F. oxysporum was previously detected in the water distribution systems of five French hospitals. Sixty-eight isolates from water representative of all hospital units that were previously sampled and characterized by translation elongation factor 1α sequence typing were subjected to microsatellite analysis and full-length ribosomal intergenic spacer (IGS) sequence typing. All but three isolates shared common microsatellite loci and a common two-locus sequence type (ST). This S…

Molecular Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompromised Patients: a 3-Year Multicenter Retrospective Study

ABSTRACT Toxoplasmosis is a life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients (ICPs). The definitive diagnosis relies on parasite DNA detection, but little is known about the incidence and burden of disease in HIV-negative patients. A 3-year retrospective study was conducted in 15 reference laboratories from the network of the French National Reference Center for Toxoplasmosis, in order to record the frequency of Toxoplasma gondii DNA detection in ICPs and to review the molecular methods used for diagnosis and the prevention measures implemented in transplant patients. During the study period, of 31,640 PCRs performed on samples from ICPs, 610 were positive (323 patients). Blood ( n …

Comparison of MALDI-TOF mass spectra with microsatellite length polymorphisms inCandida albicans

Candida albicans is the most frequent yeast involved in human infections. Its population structure can be divided into several genetic clades, some of which have been associated with antifungal susceptibility. Therefore, detecting and monitoring fungal clones in a routine laboratory setting would be a major epidemiological advance. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectra results are now widely used as bar codes to identify microorganisms in clinical microbiology laboratories. This study aimed at testing MALDI-TOF mass spectra bar codes to identify clades among a set of C. albicans isolates. Accordingly, 102 clinical strains were genotyped using 10…

Mise en place d’un modèle in vivo de colonisation digestive stable à C. albicans chez la souris immunocompétente

Systematic gene overexpression in Candida albicans identifies a regulator of early adaptation to the mammalian gut.

International audience; Candida albicans is part of the human gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota. To better understand how C. albicans efficiently establishes GI colonisation, we competitively challenged growth of 572 signature-tagged strains (~10% genome coverage), each conditionally overexpressing a single gene, in the murine gut. We identified CRZ2, a transcription factor whose overexpression and deletion respectively increased and decreased early GI colonisation. Using clues from genome-wide expression and gene-set enrichment analyses, we found that the optimal activity of Crz2p occurs under hypoxia at 37°C, as evidenced by both phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses following CRZ2 geneti…

Myélite et ténosynovite attribuées à une toxocarose

Modulation of autophagy by probiotic bacteria: selecting and engineering strains able to stimulate autophagy in intestinal epithelial cells

National audience

Tight Junctions as a Key for Pathogens Invasion in Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Tight junctions play a major role in maintaining the integrity and impermeability of the intestinal barrier. As such, they act as an ideal target for pathogens to promote their translocation through the intestinal mucosa and invade their host. Different strategies are used by pathogens, aimed at directly destabilizing the junctional network or modulating the different signaling pathways involved in the modulation of these junctions. After a brief presentation of the organization and modulation of tight junctions, we provide the state of the art of the molecular mechanisms leading to permeability breakdown of the gut barrier as a consequence of tight junctions’ attack by pathogens, including…

Comparaison de deux témoins d’inhibition de la PCR diagnostique

National audience

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 …

Contamination des circuits d’alimentation en eau par Fusarium

La decouverte de micromycetes du genre Fusarium dans le reseau hydrique du CHU de Dijon nous a conduit a mettre en place un protocole hospitalier de recherche clinique (PHRC) dont l’objectif a ete de decrire en prospectif, dans le temps et dans l’espace, la contamination par Fusarium dans l’eau de 2 CHU francais (Dijon et Nancy), a des periodes d’activites de restructuration et de construction. Cette etude a ainsi permis de mettre en evidence la presence chronique de Fusarium spp. dans les circuits de distribution de l’eau de certains bâtiments hospitaliers. Nous avons en effet observe que ces micromycetes etaient « installes » dans le reseau, que leur densite de population variait au cours…

Additional file 1: of Oestrus ovis external ophtalmomyiasis: a case report in Burgundy France

Figure S1. Parasite cycle of Oestrus ovis. Oestrus ovis exerts a strict parasitism of the nasal cavities of small sheep and goat ruminants. The viviparous females of Oestrus ovis deposit first-stage larvae (L1) directly in the nasal orifices of sheep and goats. L1 actively penetrate through the nasal orifices and colonize the cornets and septum where they will develop. Once located at the ethmoid level, L1 molt to stage 2 larvae (L2). L2 further ascend from the nasal cavity to the frontal sinuses where they molt to stage 3 larvae (L3). Thereafter, L3 are expelled from the nasal cavity of the host by sneezing via the nasal mucus that subsequently contaminate the soils. Then, L3 turn into a p…