Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Gut-Lung Axis in COVID-19.","authors":"Imane Allali,&nbsp;Youssef Bakri,&nbsp;Saaïd Amzazi,&nbsp;Hassan Ghazal","doi":"10.1155/2021/6655380","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6655380","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>COVID-19 is a pandemic infection of the respiratory system caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) was found in many parts of the COVID-19 patients including the stool, suggesting a potential interaction with the host's gut microbiome. The gut microbiome also plays major roles in immunity and inflammation. It also impacts pulmonary functions through the gut-lung axis. There have been recent reports of the importance of the host microbiome in infection and pathogenicity. The understanding of the gut and lung microbiomes would open the gate to new therapeutic approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2021 ","pages":"6655380"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7979298/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25525003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of IL-17 and FOXP3+ Levels in Maternal and Children Leprosy Patients in Endemic and Nonendemic Areas.","authors":"Flora Ramona Sigit Prakoeswa,&nbsp;Faradiba Maharani,&nbsp;Munawaroh Fitriah,&nbsp;Jusak Nugraha,&nbsp;Hardyanto Soebono,&nbsp;Budi Prasetyo,&nbsp;Santi Martini,&nbsp;Dominicus Husada,&nbsp;Hari Basuki Notobroto,&nbsp;Muhammad Yulianto Listiawan,&nbsp;Anang Endaryanto,&nbsp;Cita Rosita Sigit Prakoeswa","doi":"10.1155/2021/8879809","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8879809","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Leprosy, a chronic infection caused by <i>M. leprae</i>, has a complex transmission problem that makes eradication programs difficult. New cases and ongoing transmission of leprosy in endemic areas make individuals living in endemic environments vulnerable to leprosy. This can be caused by the dysregulation of immune system in individuals living in leprosy-endemic areas. Although the number of male leprosy patients is higher, female leprosy patients have more impact on the family health status due to close contact with family members, roles in the household, and parenting. This could cause the increased number of children leprosy patients. We investigated the dysregulation of immune system by comparing IL-17 and FOXP3+ levels occurring in maternal and child leprosy patients in endemic and nonendemic areas. The results of the study found a statistically significant difference in IL-17 levels between the MB leprosy patient group and the control group (<i>p</i>=0.048), where higher levels of IL-17 are observed in the control group. A significant difference also was found in FOXP3+ levels between the group of healthy children living in endemic and those living in nonendemic areas (<i>p</i>=0.047), where higher FOXP3+ is observed in the healthy children living in endemic areas group.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2021 ","pages":"8879809"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7932766/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25466973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mid-Epidemic Forecasts of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths: A Bivariate Model Applied to the UK.","authors":"Peter Congdon","doi":"10.1155/2021/8847116","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2021/8847116","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic has been accompanied by efforts to provide comparable international data on new cases and deaths. There is also accumulating evidence on the epidemiological parameters underlying COVID-19. Hence, there is potential for epidemic models providing mid-term forecasts of the epidemic trajectory using such information. The effectiveness of lockdown or lockdown relaxation can also be assessed by modelling later epidemic stages, possibly using a multiphase epidemic model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Commonly applied methods to analyse epidemic trajectories or make forecasts include phenomenological growth models (e.g., the Richards family of densities) and variants of the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) compartment model. Here, we focus on a practical forecasting approach, applied to interim UK COVID data, using a bivariate Reynolds model (for cases and deaths), with implementation based on Bayesian inference. We show the utility of informative priors in developing and estimating the model and compare error densities (Poisson-gamma, Poisson-lognormal, and Poisson-log-Student) for overdispersed data on new cases and deaths. We use cross validation to assess medium-term forecasts. We also consider the longer-term postlockdown epidemic profile to assess epidemic containment, using a two-phase model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fit to interim mid-epidemic data show better fit to training data and better cross-validation performance for a Poisson-log-Student model. Estimation of longer-term epidemic data after lockdown relaxation, characterised by protracted slow downturn and then upturn in cases, casts doubt on effective containment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Many applications of phenomenological models have been to complete epidemics. However, evaluation of such models based simply on their fit to observed data may give only a partial picture, and cross validation against actual trends is also valuable. Similarly, it may be preferable to model incidence rather than cumulative data, although this raises questions about suitable error densities for modelling often erratic fluctuations. Hence, there may be utility in evaluating alternative error assumptions.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2021 ","pages":"8847116"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7881738/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25402409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between Clinical Characteristics and Laboratory Findings with Outcome of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Report from Northeast Iran.","authors":"Sahar Sobhani,&nbsp;Reihaneh Aryan,&nbsp;Elham Kalantari,&nbsp;Salman Soltani,&nbsp;Nafise Malek,&nbsp;Parisa Pirzadeh,&nbsp;Amir Yarahmadi,&nbsp;Atena Aghaee","doi":"10.1155/2021/5552138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5552138","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first discovered in December 2019 in China and has rapidly spread worldwide. Clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and their association with the outcome of patients with COVID-19 can be decisive in management and early diagnosis. Data were obtained retrospectively from medical records of 397 hospitalized COVID-19 patients between February and May 2020 in Imam Reza Hospital, northeast Iran. Clinical and laboratory features were evaluated among survivors and nonsurvivors. The correlation between variables and duration of hospitalization and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) was determined. Male sex, age, hospitalization duration, and admission to ICU were significantly related to mortality rate. Headache was a more common feature in patients who survived (<i>p</i>=0.017). It was also related to a shorter stay in the hospital (<i>p</i>=0.032) as opposed to patients who experienced chest pain (<i>p</i>=0.033). Decreased levels of consciousness and dyspnea were statistically more frequent in nonsurvivors (<i>p</i>=0.003 and <i>p</i>=0.011, respectively). Baseline white blood cell (WBC) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were significantly higher in nonsurvivors (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Patients with higher WBC and CRP levels were more likely to be admitted to ICU (<i>p</i>=0.009 and <i>p</i>=0.001, respectively). Evaluating clinical and laboratory features can help clinicians find ways for risk stratifying patients and even make predictive tools. Chest pain, decreased level of consciousness, dyspnea, and increased CRP and WBC levels seem to be the most potent predictors of severe prognosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2021 ","pages":"5552138"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7874843/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25402408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intestinal Parasites Infection in Children with Cancer in Ahvaz, Southwest Iran.","authors":"Roya Salehi Kahyesh,&nbsp;Arash Alghasi,&nbsp;Shekoufe Haddadi,&nbsp;Asaad Sharhani","doi":"10.1155/2020/8839740","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8839740","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Infection with intestinal parasites is widespread worldwide, especially in developing countries. Intestinal parasites are known as one of the leading causes of diarrhea in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised subjects, but cancer patients are highly susceptible to contamination, and it can be deadly for them. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in immunocompromised patients in Ahvaz. <i>Material and Methods</i>. In this descriptive cross-sectional pilot case-control study, fecal samples were collected from 52 children with malignancies hospitalized in Baqaei2 hospital in Ahvaz. A questionnaire including demographic information, type of cancer, type of gastrointestinal symptoms, and laboratory diagnosis was completed for each patient. The collected specimens were examined by direct smear, Logul staining, and concentration.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>The 52 stool samples were collected, 46% were female and 54% male. The age range of children enrolled in the study was from 4 months to 16 years. Of these stool samples, 38.38% were infected with a variety of parasitic intestinal infections (helminths and protozoa). In this study, protozoan parasites, <i>Blastocystis</i> (23%), <i>Chilomastix mesnili</i> (1.92%), <i>Endolimax nana</i> (7.7%), and <i>Entamoeba coli</i> (1.92%), and helminth infection, <i>Strongyloides stercoralis</i> (3.84%), were observed and statistical analysis showed that there was a significant relationship between gastrointestinal symptoms and parasitic infection in children with cancer.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong><i>Blastocystis</i> and <i>Endolimax nana</i> are the most prevalent gastrointestinal parasitic protozoans that infect individuals admitted to Baqaei2 Hospital of Ahvaz, Iran. Since parasitic intestinal infections in immunocompromised patients lead to fatal diarrhea, children with parasitic infections must be carefully identified and treated.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2020 ","pages":"8839740"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7775128/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38802929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modeling the Effects of Nonpharmaceutical Interventions on COVID-19 Spread in Kenya.","authors":"Duncan K Gathungu,&nbsp;Viona N Ojiambo,&nbsp;Mark E M Kimathi,&nbsp;Samuel M Mwalili","doi":"10.1155/2020/6231461","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6231461","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mathematical modeling of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Kenya is presented. A susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (SEIR) compartment model is considered with additional compartments of hospitalized population whose condition is severe or critical and the fatality compartment. The basic reproduction number (<i>R</i> ₀) is computed by the next-generation matrix approach and later expressed as a time-dependent function so as to incorporate the NPIs into the model. The resulting system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is solved using fourth-order and fifth-order Runge-Kutta methods. Different intervention scenarios are considered, and the results show that implementation of closure of education institutions, curfew, and partial lockdown yields predicted delayed peaks of the overall infections, severe cases, and fatalities and subsequently containment of the pandemic in the country.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2020 ","pages":"6231461"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7757117/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38767656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study of <i>Lophomonas blattarum</i> Infection in Kidney Transplant Patients in Mashhad City, Iran.","authors":"Zahra Gheisari,&nbsp;Fariba Berenji,&nbsp;Fatemeh Nazemian,&nbsp;Seyed Ali Akbar Shamsian,&nbsp;Lida Jarahi,&nbsp;Mahmoud Parian,&nbsp;Bibi Razieh Hosseini Farash,&nbsp;Ghodratollah Salehi Sangani","doi":"10.1155/2020/6631224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6631224","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong><i>Lophomonas blattarum</i> is a flagellate protozoan which is known as an emerging parasite in the human respiratory system. Organ transplant recipients are considered as immunocompromised patients due to prescription of immunosuppressive drugs. This group of patients is susceptible to opportunistic infection as well as lophomoniasis. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and clinical manifestation of pulmonary infections caused by <i>L. blattarum</i> in kidney transplant recipients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a case-control study including 50 kidney transplant recipients and 50 controls. The sputum samples were collected from 50 kidney transplant recipients with bronchopulmonary infection signs suspected to lophomoniasis admitted in Montaserieh and Imam Reza hospitals, Mashhad, Iran. 50 healthy individuals as the control group were matched for sex and age with case ones. The consent form, checklist, and required information were provided for each patient. All samples were microscopically examined for the flagellated protozoan, <i>L. blattarum</i>, using direct smear.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 50 kidney transplant recipients suspected to lophomoniasis, <i>L. blattarum</i> was identified in sputum samples of 4 (8%) participants of the case group including one female and three males. None of the samples were positive among the control group. Symptoms in patients of this study were high fever (4 out of 4 patients), cough (3 out of 4 patients), and dyspnea (2 out of 4 patients). Three patients showed a positive response to metronidazole treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this study suggest that <i>L. blattarum</i> should be considered as a pathogenic agent in kidney transplant recipients. It is necessary to examine sputum samples in posttransplant pneumonia patients, especially in those resistant to antibacterial therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2020 ","pages":"6631224"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/6631224","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38767657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nasal Carriage by <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> among Healthcare Workers and Students Attending a University Hospital in Southern Brazil: Prevalence, Phenotypic, and Molecular Characteristics.","authors":"Tiago Danelli, Felipe Crepaldi Duarte, Thilara Alessandra de Oliveira, Raquel Soares da Silva, Daniela Frizon Alfieri, Guilherme Bartolomeu Gonçalves, Caio Ferreira de Oliveira, Eliandro Reis Tavares, Lucy Megumi Yamauchi, Marcia Regina Eches Perugini, Sueli Fumie Yamada-Ogatta","doi":"10.1155/2020/3808036","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2020/3808036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong><i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> can asymptomatically colonize the human anterior nares and skin, and nasal colonization by this bacterium represents a potential risk for development of invasive infections. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of <i>S. aureus</i> nasal carriage among healthcare workers and students attending a university hospital and to characterize the isolates phenotypically and molecularly.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was performed with 324 volunteers. Cultures from nasal samples were obtained and <i>S. aureus</i> isolates were characterized according to their antimicrobial susceptibility profile and four virulence factors-encoding genes. MRSA isolates were characterized regarding their oxacillin/cefoxitin susceptibility, SCC<i>mec,</i> and REP-PCR types. Potential risks for <i>S. aureus</i> and MRSA carriage were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 324 nasal samples, 42.9% were identified as <i>S. aureus</i>, of which 28.8% were MRSA. <i>S. aureus</i> carriers were significantly higher in males and students (OR = 2.898, 95%CI 1.553-5.410); however, no variables were associated with MRSA carriage. All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and the highest rate of resistance was observed for penicillin (90.6%). All isolates harbored the <i>coa</i> gene, and 97.8%, the <i>icaA</i> gene; 15.8% and 6.5% were positive for <i>tst</i> and <i>lukS-PV/lukF-PV</i> genes, respectively. Among MRSA isolates, 45% carried the <i>mecA</i> gene but were phenotypically susceptible to oxacillin/cefoxitin; two harbored the <i>tst</i> and none had <i>lukS-PV/lukF-PV</i> genes. All MRSAs were distributed into six SCC<i>mec</i> types and type I (62.5%) was the most frequent. REP-PCR typing identified four main clusters among MRSA isolates.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>High prevalence of healthcare workers and students were identified as nasal carriers of <i>S. aureus</i> exhibiting different antimicrobial resistance profiles, including <i>mecA</i>-positive oxacillin-susceptible <i>S. aureus</i> (OS-MRSA) and the presence of virulence-encoding genes. Both cohorts may represent potential sources for the emergence of a successful <i>S. aureus</i> strain highly adapted to the hospital environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2020 ","pages":"3808036"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7732402/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38738203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Level of Knowledge and Risk Factors for Visceral Leishmaniasis in a Mining Area of Minas Gerais State, Brazil.","authors":"Carina Margonari,&nbsp;Júlia Alves Menezes,&nbsp;Gustavo Mayr de Lima Carvalho,&nbsp;Júlia Bahia Miranda,&nbsp;Fabrizio Furtado de Sousa,&nbsp;Felipe Dutra Rêgo,&nbsp;Aldenise Martins Campos,&nbsp;Carolina Cunha Monteiro,&nbsp;Ana Paula Madureira,&nbsp;José Dilermando Andrade Filho","doi":"10.1155/2020/6301310","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6301310","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aiming to optimize and adjust leishmaniasis prevention and control measures for the resident population of Pains, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a structured questionnaire containing conceptual questions and questions about household characteristics was used to evaluate knowledge level and exposure risk. A total of 396 individuals were interviewed revealing unscientific and fragmented knowledge about the subject for most of the studied population. The female population was found to have 1.68 times more chance of knowing about the disease than the male population, while highly educated individuals were found to have 2.92 times more chances of knowing about leishmaniasis compared to basic educated individuals. All of the respondents reported the presence of, at least, one risk factor, while ages ≥40 years were considered a protective factor compared to younger ages, indicating that older individuals are more likely to recognize risks and protect themselves against leishmaniasis. These results will contribute to the production of didactic materials for the population with respect to their previous knowledge and will provide a basis for control and prophylactic measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2020 ","pages":"6301310"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/6301310","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38673173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fungal Infection among Diabetic and Nondiabetic Individuals in Nepal.","authors":"Bhuvan Saud,&nbsp;Prajuna Bajgain,&nbsp;Govinda Paudel,&nbsp;Vikram Shrestha,&nbsp;Dipendra Bajracharya,&nbsp;Saroj Adhikari,&nbsp;Gunaraj Dhungana,&nbsp;Mamata Sherpa Awasthi","doi":"10.1155/2020/7949868","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7949868","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Low immunity, comorbid clinical conditions, and metabolic disorders may be the underlying factors that determine the severity of infection. Diabetes increases the risk of infection and multiple organ damage. In Nepal, the actual burden of fungal infections has not been estimated or is in a limited progress. This study aimed to investigate the status of fungal infection in diabetic and nondiabetic individuals in Bhaktapur, Nepal.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A total of 670 samples were collected from 134 participants. From each participant, five samples were collected from different sites like an oral wash, toe swab, midstream urine, hair shaft, and nail scrapings. All samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar. Gram stain was used to observe yeast cells and lactophenol cotton blue stain was used for hyphae. Chlamydospore production by <i>Candida</i> species was observed in cornmeal agar medium by Dalmau Plate method. <i>Candida</i> species isolated were characterized by germ-tube test and differentiated using CHROM agar <i>Candida</i> medium. <i>Candida</i> species isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 19.4% of the samples showed fungal growth. The prevalence of fungal infection was higher in diabetic (34.0%) than nondiabetic individuals (4.7%). Fungal growth was found to be higher in oral wash followed by toe, urine, hair, and nail samples. Predominant fungi were <i>Candida</i> species (57.5%), <i>Aspergillus</i> species (28.4%), and <i>Trichophyton</i> species (10.7%). Oral wash, toe, and urine samples in diabetics had a significantly higher fungal prevalence when compared between both groups, <i>p</i> value < 0.05. In <i>Candida</i> isolates, higher resistance was seen against fluconazole 36.8% and ketoconazole 28.9%, whereas other drugs showed low resistance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Diabetic participants are more susceptible to fungal infection than the nondiabetics. Overall, <i>Candida</i> species and <i>Aspergillus</i> species are highly predominant fungi. <i>Candida</i> species are highly resistant to fluconazole and ketoconazole.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2020 ","pages":"7949868"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2020/7949868","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38689318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}