Maryam Moazeni - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Maryam Moazeni

Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology, Jul 5, 2016

Background: Candida species, as opportunistic organisms, can cause various clinical manifestation... more Background: Candida species, as opportunistic organisms, can cause various clinical manifestations, ranging from mild cutaneous infections to systemic candidiasis in otherwise healthy individuals. Remarkably, the incidence and mortality rates of candidemia have significantly increased worldwide, even after advances in medical interventions and the development of novel antifungal drugs. Objectives: Given the possible resistance to antifungal agents, susceptibility testing can be useful in defining the activity spectrum of antifungals and determining the appropriate treatment regime. Materials and Methods: The in vitro susceptibilities of molecularly identified Candida strains (n = 150) belonging to seven species recovered from clinical specimens, including vaginal, cutaneous, sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and blood samples, were determined for six antifungal drugs (amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and caspofungin), based on the clinical and laboratory standards institute's M27-A3 and M27-S4 documents. Results: Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species (44.66%), followed by non-albicans Candida, including C. glabrata (20%), C. parapsilosis (13.33%), C. krusei (8%), C. tropicalis (7.3%), C. dubliniensis (4%), and C. africana (3.33%). Posaconazole had the lowest geometric mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (0.0122 µg/ml), followed by amphotericin B (0.0217 µg/mL), voriconazole (0.1022 µg/mL), itraconazole (0.1612 µg/mL), caspofungin (0.2525 µg/mL), and fluconazole (0.4874 µg/mL) against all isolated Candida species. Candida africana and C. parapsilosis were significantly more susceptible to fluconazole, compared to C. albicans and other Candida species (P < 0.001). However, their clinical effectiveness in the treatment of Candida infections remains to be determined. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of precise and correct species identification of clinical yeast isolates via molecular approaches, and of monitoring the antifungal susceptibility of Candida species recovered from clinical sources. Laboratories should consider routine MIC testing of C. glabrata isolates collected from sterile sites. Surveillance studies of Candida species and new analyses of antifungal treatment outcomes will allow more informed determinations of the value of these drugs in the antifungal armamentarium.

Medical Mycology, Sep 1, 2022

Background and objectives: The incidence of candiduria caused by Candida spp. has increased in re... more Background and objectives: The incidence of candiduria caused by Candida spp. has increased in recent years, particularly in hospitalized patients. Candiduria is most commonly caused by C. albicans ; however, an increase in the prevalence of nonalbicans species has been observed during last decades. This study aimed at molecular identification of Candida species isolated from candiduria in hospitalized patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 530 hospitalized patients in two hospitals in the Mazandaran Province, Iran. Midstream urine specimens were collected and then cultured on CHROMagar Candida medium. Molecular identification of common Candida species was carried out using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method after enzymatic digestion with MspI. C. albicans and Candida parapsilosis species complexes were identified by amplification of the HWP1 and intein-containing vacuolar ATPase precursor genes, respectively. Results: The frequency of candiduria was estimated at 14% among hospitalized patients. Of 74 samples positive for candiduria, 65 (87.8%) were isolated from females. The most common predisposing factor to candiduria was diabetes (n = 36; 48.6%). The most frequent isolates were C. albicans complex (n = 44; 59.4%) , followed by C. glabrata (n = 16; 21.6%) , C. tropicalis (n = 10; 13.5%) , C. krusei (n = 3; 4%) , and C. parapsilosis (n = 1; 1.3%). Conclusion: Based on the results, the conventional and molecular methods produced similar results for the identification of Candida species. However, accurate identification of Candida spp. requires the use of molecular techniques such as PCR-RFLP, HWP1, and intein-containing vacuolar ATPase precursor genes. Nevertheless, chromogenic methods such as CHROMagar Candida can be used for the diagnosis of Candida spp. in laboratories with limited resources. P434 Anti fungal susceptibility of Malassezia to azoles by broth microdilution method and their phylogenetic relationship based on multi-locus sequence analysis

International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents

BioImpacts

Introduction: This study was proposed to assess the potential role of efflux transporters in reve... more Introduction: This study was proposed to assess the potential role of efflux transporters in reversing fluconazole resistance in Candida glabrata isolates treated with fluconazole loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (FLZ-NLCs). Methods: The ultrasound technique was used to synthesize the FLZ-NLCs. Four fluconazole-resistant, as well as one susceptible standard C. glabrata isolates, were applied and exposed to FLZ/ FLZ-NLCs for 20 h at 37°C. Real-time PCRs were done to estimate the likely changes in ATP-binding cassette transporter genes. Results: Similar to the FLZ-exposed-susceptible standard strain which showed no alteration, the genes were not up-regulated significantly under the FLZ-NLCs treated condition. While they were over-expressed when the yeasts were treated with fluconazole. Conclusion: It is highly suggested that due to the nature of the NLCs which shields the whole conformation of the drug, FLZ is not recognized by the efflux transporter subunits and consequently the ...

Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Oct 10, 2021

Background and purpose: Removable prostheses made of polymethyl methacrylate are susceptible to C... more Background and purpose: Removable prostheses made of polymethyl methacrylate are susceptible to Candida-dependent denture stomatitis and Candida albicans is considered to be the first common cause. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antifungal effect of acrylic resin modified by zinc oxide nanoparticles. Materials and methods: In this laboratory study, 72 disks (10*4 mm) made of polymethyl methacrylate (Acropars, Marlic, Iran) were divided into three groups (n= 24). Concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were 1 (group A), 0.5 (group B), and 0 (group C, control) mg/ml. Samples were studied in laboratory using Candida albicans strains (ATCC 10231) according to CLSI M27-A3 and M27-S4 documents. For data analysis, one-way ANOVA and Scheffe's post-test were performed using SPSS V24. Results: There were significant differences in mean numbers of fungal colonies in study groups. The amount of fungal colonies in group A was lower than those in group B and in group B was lower than those in group C (P<0.05). Conclusion: Considering the limitations of this study, findings showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles have antifungal activity, which increases by increase in concentration of nanoparticles. © 2021, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Frontiers in Medicine, 2021

Background: Recent studies from multiple countries have shown a high prevalence of coronavirus di... more Background: Recent studies from multiple countries have shown a high prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) among severely ill patients. Despite providing valuable insight into the clinical management of CAPA, large-scale prospective studies are limited. Here, we report on one of the largest multicenter epidemiological studies to explore the clinical features and prevalence of COVID-19-associated pulmonary mold infections (CAPMIs) among mechanically ventilated patients.Methods: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum samples were collected for culture, galactomannan (GM), and β-D-glucan (BDG) testing. Patients were classified as probable CAPMI based on the presence of host factors, radiological findings, and mycological criteria.Results: During the study period, 302 COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), among whom 105 were mechanically ventilated for ≥4 days. Probable CAPMI was observed among 38% of patien...

Journal of Herbal Medicine, 2021

Abstract Background An essential oil derived from the evergreen plant Thymus vulgaris acts as an ... more Abstract Background An essential oil derived from the evergreen plant Thymus vulgaris acts as an antifungal agent with strong antimicrobial activity, but it has low water solubility. The current study therefore aimed to enhance the solubility of thyme essential oil by formulating it into a nanoemulsion and investigating its effectiveness on a broad range of fungi. Method The identification of the compositions of essential oils was performed using GC-MS. Thyme essential oil nanoemulsions (TV EO-NEs) were prepared by using a high-pressure homogenization method. Both viability and cytotoxicity outcomes on Human fetal foreskin fibroblast cells were gauged by different concentrations of Thymus vulgaris essential oils and TV EO-NEs after 24 and 48 h. Antifungal susceptibility tests were carried out based on the modified CLSI M60 document for yeasts and CLSI M28-A3 documents for filamentous fungi. Results Thyme essential oil was mainly composed of thymol (22.10%), p-cymene (21.31%), carvacrol (13.02%), carvacrol acetate (6.72%), and linalool (5.58 %). The TV EO-NEs were spherical with a mean diameter of 127.6 ± 62.52 nm and zeta potential of −9.82 ± 6.07 mV. The MIC90 for C. albicans and C. glabrata isolates was 0.031 µg/ml and 0.0625 µg/ml for C. parapsilosis. Also, MIC90 for both dermatophytes and Aspergillus fumigatus isolates was determined to be 0.016 µg/ml. For yeasts and filamentous fungi, a significant reduction in MIC values was observed using TV EO-NEs (p Conclusion The study highlighted T. vulgaris and thymol to be promising alternatives for the treatment of cutaneous mycoses especially when the etiological agents are resistant to conventional antifungal drugs.

Revista Iberoamericana de Micología, 2021

BACKGROUND Voriconazole (VRC) is widely recommended as the first-line therapy for invasive asperg... more BACKGROUND Voriconazole (VRC) is widely recommended as the first-line therapy for invasive aspergillosis. However, surveillance studies have demonstrated that there is an increase in the frequency of azole resistance among Aspergillus fumigates isolates. In recent years, more studies on effective synergisms between natural agents and antifungal drugs have been published. AIMS To evaluate the synergistic antifungal effect of glabridin (Gla) and VRC against A. fumigatus isolates. METHODS Potential interactions between Gla and VRC were studied by using a microdilution checkerboard method based on the CLSI reference technique. To assess the interaction of drugs the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) was calculated based on the Loewe Additivity model. RESULTS The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) obtained with Gla alone were relatively high (MIC50 16μg/ml). However, our results showed synergistic interaction between Gla and VRC against A. fumigatus strains, with FICI range values between 0.15 and 0.5. CONCLUSIONS Synergistic activity of Gla and VRC against both VRC-sensitive and -resistant A. fumigatus isolates may lead to design new antifungal agents, especially for inhibiting those azole-resistant strains.

Journal de Mycologie Médicale, 2017

The growing trends of emergence of antifungal-resistant Candida strains has recently been inspire... more The growing trends of emergence of antifungal-resistant Candida strains has recently been inspired the researchers to design new antifungal agents with novel mechanisms of action. Glabridin is an originally natural substrate with multiple biological activities which propose it as a novel anticancer, antimicrobial and antifungal agent. In the present study, the antifungal effect of glabridin against Candida glabrata isolates and its possible mechanism of action were investigated. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for glabridin against fluconazole-resistant and fluconazole-SDD strains of C. glabrata were investigated using the Clinical and laboratory standards institute document M27-A3 and M27-S4 as a guideline. Possible alternations in the expression of two critical genes involved in yeast apoptosis, MCA1 and NUC1, were assayed by real-time PCR. DNA damage and chromatin condensation was investigated using DAPI staining. Although glabridin led to a significant decrease in MICs against fluconazole-resistant C. glabrata (MIC 50 : 8 mg/mL), no significant decreased was shown for fluconazole-SDD strains. Therefore, a distinct azole-independent mechanism could be responsible for the inhibitory activity of glabridin. Overexpression of MCA1 and NUC1 genes in addition to DNA damage and chromatin condensation suggesting the involvement of apoptosis signaling in C. glabrata stains exposed to glabridin. This study Journal de Mycologie Médicale (2017) xxx, xxx-xxx

Journal of global antimicrobial resistance, 2016

Understanding the mechanisms responsible for fluconazole resistance in Candida glabrata is not on... more Understanding the mechanisms responsible for fluconazole resistance in Candida glabrata is not only crucial for the development of new antifungals but is also important in choosing appropriate antifungals for patients at the earliest stages. The aim of this study was to determine the Erg11p amino acid substitutions in fluconazole-resistant C. glabrata isolates. Sixty clinical isolates of C. glabrata were investigated. In vitro antifungal activities of fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole were determined using the broth microdilution reference method. The ERG11 gene for resistant (n=4) and susceptible (n=1) isolates were sequenced and multi-aligned using MEGA6 software. A homology model of the C. glabrata ERG11 gene was created by SWISS-MODEL software using the crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Erg11p as a template, and the predicted binding sites to fluconazole were investigated. Fluconazole and multi-azole resistance were observed in 6.7% and 3.3% of the isolates,...

Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, Jan 5, 2016

Antifungal therapy results in complications in management due to changes in the patterns of epide... more 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 yeas...

Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 2020

OBJECTIVES The rate of resistance of C. parapsilosis to echinocandins remains unexplored in Iran.... more OBJECTIVES The rate of resistance of C. parapsilosis to echinocandins remains unexplored in Iran. The main aim of the study was to investigate the susceptibility pattern and the possible mechanism of resistance in echinocandin-resistant clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis. METHODS One hundred and five isolates of C. parapsilosis sensu stricto were subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing against echinocandins using the broth microdilution reference method. The sequences of CpERG3 and also CpFKS1 genes were analyzed using MEGA6 software and alternations in CHS3, FKS1 and Rho gene expressions were evaluated using Real-time PCR. The REST® software was applied to analyze the results. RESULTS The rate of cross-echinocandin resistance was reported as 2.8%. No substitutions was detected in Fks1p except for the naturally occurring P660A amino acid substitution observed in isolates both with high and also low MIC values. The amino acid substitution G111R was not found in Erg3p, either. The expression of Rho and FKS1 genes was significantly increased while CHS3 gene showed no alternation after echinocandin exposure. CONCLUSION Alternations in the expression of some key genes may be responsible for echinocandin resistance among C. parapsilosis isolates. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for drug resistance in C. parapsilosis is not only crucial for the development of new antifungals but is also important in choosing appropriate antifungals for patients at the earliest stages.

Background: Metal nanomaterials are unique because they show optical properties that depend on su... more Background: Metal nanomaterials are unique because they show optical properties that depend on such physical properties as size, shape, and interparticle spacing. Their unique size-dependent property makes these materials better-quality in many areas of human activity. Biosynthesis of nanomaterials has been recently the aim of precious studies due to the environment-friendly nature of the biological processes and microorganisms such as fungi have been re-explored as potential bio-factories rather than the causing agents of humans and plants infections. The enzymatic activity of yeast presents them as highly competent microorganisms to precipitate of nanoparticles in external environment of the cell. This considerable ability has recently considered as worthy, applicable and available candidates for synthesis of smaller nano-sized particles. Materials and methods: A standard strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PTCC 5209 was grown in YPD medium. The yeasts were exposed to 2 m mol l⁻¹ o...

Journal of Food Safety, 2015

In Iran, wheat is one of the most important sources of diet. Unfortunately, it is vulnerable to c... more In Iran, wheat is one of the most important sources of diet. Unfortunately, it is vulnerable to contamination with fungi consisting of aflatoxigenic moulds. Since 1997, ozone has been recognized as an effective oxidant and disinfection agent. This study demonstrates the benefits derived from ozone in the inhibition of Aspergillus parasiticus growth and aflatoxin production in wheat. Wheat samples inoculated with A. parasiticus spore suspensions (10,102 and 104 spores/g of wheat) were treated with ozonated water at various concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 2.5 mg ozone/L at different temperatures. Fungal mycelium was weighed to evaluate the effect of ozone on A. parasiticus growth. Moreover, the rate of aflatoxin production was determined using high‐performance liquid chromatography. Our results indicated that ozonated water can inhibit A. parasiticus growth as well as the accumulation of aflatoxins effectively. The best result was obtained when samples were treated with 2.5 mg/L of ozonate...

Mycopathologia, 2012

The introduction of RNA silencing machinery in fungi has led to the promising application of RNAi... more The introduction of RNA silencing machinery in fungi has led to the promising application of RNAi methodology to knock down essential vital factor or virulence factor genes in the microorganisms. Efg1p is required for development of a true hyphal growth form which is known to be essential for interactions with human host cells and for the yeast's pathogenesis. In this paper, we describe the development of a system for presenting and studying the RNAi function on the EFG1 gene in C. albicans. The 19-nucleotide siRNA was designed on the basis of the cDNA sequence of the EFG1 gene in C. albicans and transfection was performed by use of a modified-PEG/LiAc method. To investigate EFG1 gene silencing in siRNA-treated cells, the yeasts were grown in human serum; to induce germ tubes a solid medium was used with the serum. Quantitative changes in expression of the EFG1 gene were analyzed by measuring the cognate EFG1 mRNA level by use of a quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay. Compared with the positive control, true hyphae formation was significantly reduced by siRNA at concentrations of 1 lM, 500 nM, and 100 nM (P \ 0.05). In addition, siRNA at a concentration of 1 lM was revealed to inhibit expression of the EFG1 gene effectively (P \ 0.05). On the basis of the potential of post-transcriptional gene silencing to control the expression of specific genes, these techniques may be regarded as promising means of drug discovery, with applications in biomedicine and functional genomics analysis.

Medical Mycology

Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Background and objectives The incidenc... more Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Background and objectives The incidence of candiduria caused by Candida spp. has increased in recent years, particularly in hospitalized patients. Candiduria is most commonly caused by C. albicans; however, an increase in the prevalence of non-albicans species has been observed during last decades. This study aimed at molecular identification of Candida species isolated from candiduria in hospitalized patients. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 530 hospitalized patients in two hospitals in the Mazandaran Province, Iran. Midstream urine specimens were collected and then cultured on CHROMagar Candida medium. Molecular identification of common Candida species was carried out using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method after enzymatic digestion with MspI. C. albicans and Candida parapsilosis species complexes were identified by amplification of the HWP1 and intein-contain...

Medical Mycology

Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Objectives Invasive pulmonary aspergil... more Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Objectives Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is a well-known complication in COVID-19 patients. A reliable and early diagnosis is essential for the early initiation of antifungal therapy. On the other hand, conventional Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) culture may lack the specificity of differentiating between colonization and infection. Here, we aimed a comparative analysis of Galactomannan Lateral Flow Assay (GM-LFA), Galactomannan Enzyme Immunoassay (GM-EIA), and BAL culture for diagnosis of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). Methods BAL (n = 105) and serum samples (n = 101) from COVID-19 patients who were mechanically ventilated for ≥4 days in intensive care units (ICUs) were evaluated by GM-LFA and GM-EIA. All BAL samples were cultured on Sabouraud-Chloramphenicol dextrose Agar. Diagnostic performance of GM-LFA and GM-EIA in BAL (GM indexes ≥1) and serum (GM indexes >0.5) were evaluated and sensitivity, ...

International Journal of Molecular and Clinical Microbiology, 2014

Article history: Received: 2 March 2014 Accepted: 27 April 2014 Available online: 1 June 2014 Vul... more Article history: Received: 2 March 2014 Accepted: 27 April 2014 Available online: 1 June 2014 Vulvovaginal candidiasis is caused by the increasing number of Candida species as normal flora in the vagina. To assess the transmission rout as well as to determine the suitable antifungal drugs for treatment, the exact identification of Candida species is crucial. Therefore, earlier detection of infection allows quick initiation of antifungal therapy with a greater probability for improved survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the identification of Candida albicans using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and to determine the in vitro susceptibility against four antifungal drugs. In this study, 100 clinical samples were obtained from the patients with suspected Vulvovaginal Candidiasis. Early identification of the grown yeasts was performed by physiological tests. Universal primers used to amplify the internal transcribe spacer region. Subsequent restriction enzyme ...

Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology, Jul 5, 2016

Background: Candida species, as opportunistic organisms, can cause various clinical manifestation... more Background: Candida species, as opportunistic organisms, can cause various clinical manifestations, ranging from mild cutaneous infections to systemic candidiasis in otherwise healthy individuals. Remarkably, the incidence and mortality rates of candidemia have significantly increased worldwide, even after advances in medical interventions and the development of novel antifungal drugs. Objectives: Given the possible resistance to antifungal agents, susceptibility testing can be useful in defining the activity spectrum of antifungals and determining the appropriate treatment regime. Materials and Methods: The in vitro susceptibilities of molecularly identified Candida strains (n = 150) belonging to seven species recovered from clinical specimens, including vaginal, cutaneous, sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and blood samples, were determined for six antifungal drugs (amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and caspofungin), based on the clinical and laboratory standards institute's M27-A3 and M27-S4 documents. Results: Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species (44.66%), followed by non-albicans Candida, including C. glabrata (20%), C. parapsilosis (13.33%), C. krusei (8%), C. tropicalis (7.3%), C. dubliniensis (4%), and C. africana (3.33%). Posaconazole had the lowest geometric mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (0.0122 µg/ml), followed by amphotericin B (0.0217 µg/mL), voriconazole (0.1022 µg/mL), itraconazole (0.1612 µg/mL), caspofungin (0.2525 µg/mL), and fluconazole (0.4874 µg/mL) against all isolated Candida species. Candida africana and C. parapsilosis were significantly more susceptible to fluconazole, compared to C. albicans and other Candida species (P < 0.001). However, their clinical effectiveness in the treatment of Candida infections remains to be determined. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of precise and correct species identification of clinical yeast isolates via molecular approaches, and of monitoring the antifungal susceptibility of Candida species recovered from clinical sources. Laboratories should consider routine MIC testing of C. glabrata isolates collected from sterile sites. Surveillance studies of Candida species and new analyses of antifungal treatment outcomes will allow more informed determinations of the value of these drugs in the antifungal armamentarium.

Medical Mycology, Sep 1, 2022

Background and objectives: The incidence of candiduria caused by Candida spp. has increased in re... more Background and objectives: The incidence of candiduria caused by Candida spp. has increased in recent years, particularly in hospitalized patients. Candiduria is most commonly caused by C. albicans ; however, an increase in the prevalence of nonalbicans species has been observed during last decades. This study aimed at molecular identification of Candida species isolated from candiduria in hospitalized patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 530 hospitalized patients in two hospitals in the Mazandaran Province, Iran. Midstream urine specimens were collected and then cultured on CHROMagar Candida medium. Molecular identification of common Candida species was carried out using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method after enzymatic digestion with MspI. C. albicans and Candida parapsilosis species complexes were identified by amplification of the HWP1 and intein-containing vacuolar ATPase precursor genes, respectively. Results: The frequency of candiduria was estimated at 14% among hospitalized patients. Of 74 samples positive for candiduria, 65 (87.8%) were isolated from females. The most common predisposing factor to candiduria was diabetes (n = 36; 48.6%). The most frequent isolates were C. albicans complex (n = 44; 59.4%) , followed by C. glabrata (n = 16; 21.6%) , C. tropicalis (n = 10; 13.5%) , C. krusei (n = 3; 4%) , and C. parapsilosis (n = 1; 1.3%). Conclusion: Based on the results, the conventional and molecular methods produced similar results for the identification of Candida species. However, accurate identification of Candida spp. requires the use of molecular techniques such as PCR-RFLP, HWP1, and intein-containing vacuolar ATPase precursor genes. Nevertheless, chromogenic methods such as CHROMagar Candida can be used for the diagnosis of Candida spp. in laboratories with limited resources. P434 Anti fungal susceptibility of Malassezia to azoles by broth microdilution method and their phylogenetic relationship based on multi-locus sequence analysis

International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents

BioImpacts

Introduction: This study was proposed to assess the potential role of efflux transporters in reve... more Introduction: This study was proposed to assess the potential role of efflux transporters in reversing fluconazole resistance in Candida glabrata isolates treated with fluconazole loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (FLZ-NLCs). Methods: The ultrasound technique was used to synthesize the FLZ-NLCs. Four fluconazole-resistant, as well as one susceptible standard C. glabrata isolates, were applied and exposed to FLZ/ FLZ-NLCs for 20 h at 37°C. Real-time PCRs were done to estimate the likely changes in ATP-binding cassette transporter genes. Results: Similar to the FLZ-exposed-susceptible standard strain which showed no alteration, the genes were not up-regulated significantly under the FLZ-NLCs treated condition. While they were over-expressed when the yeasts were treated with fluconazole. Conclusion: It is highly suggested that due to the nature of the NLCs which shields the whole conformation of the drug, FLZ is not recognized by the efflux transporter subunits and consequently the ...

Journal of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Oct 10, 2021

Background and purpose: Removable prostheses made of polymethyl methacrylate are susceptible to C... more Background and purpose: Removable prostheses made of polymethyl methacrylate are susceptible to Candida-dependent denture stomatitis and Candida albicans is considered to be the first common cause. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antifungal effect of acrylic resin modified by zinc oxide nanoparticles. Materials and methods: In this laboratory study, 72 disks (10*4 mm) made of polymethyl methacrylate (Acropars, Marlic, Iran) were divided into three groups (n= 24). Concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were 1 (group A), 0.5 (group B), and 0 (group C, control) mg/ml. Samples were studied in laboratory using Candida albicans strains (ATCC 10231) according to CLSI M27-A3 and M27-S4 documents. For data analysis, one-way ANOVA and Scheffe's post-test were performed using SPSS V24. Results: There were significant differences in mean numbers of fungal colonies in study groups. The amount of fungal colonies in group A was lower than those in group B and in group B was lower than those in group C (P<0.05). Conclusion: Considering the limitations of this study, findings showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles have antifungal activity, which increases by increase in concentration of nanoparticles. © 2021, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Frontiers in Medicine, 2021

Background: Recent studies from multiple countries have shown a high prevalence of coronavirus di... more Background: Recent studies from multiple countries have shown a high prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) among severely ill patients. Despite providing valuable insight into the clinical management of CAPA, large-scale prospective studies are limited. Here, we report on one of the largest multicenter epidemiological studies to explore the clinical features and prevalence of COVID-19-associated pulmonary mold infections (CAPMIs) among mechanically ventilated patients.Methods: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum samples were collected for culture, galactomannan (GM), and β-D-glucan (BDG) testing. Patients were classified as probable CAPMI based on the presence of host factors, radiological findings, and mycological criteria.Results: During the study period, 302 COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), among whom 105 were mechanically ventilated for ≥4 days. Probable CAPMI was observed among 38% of patien...

Journal of Herbal Medicine, 2021

Abstract Background An essential oil derived from the evergreen plant Thymus vulgaris acts as an ... more Abstract Background An essential oil derived from the evergreen plant Thymus vulgaris acts as an antifungal agent with strong antimicrobial activity, but it has low water solubility. The current study therefore aimed to enhance the solubility of thyme essential oil by formulating it into a nanoemulsion and investigating its effectiveness on a broad range of fungi. Method The identification of the compositions of essential oils was performed using GC-MS. Thyme essential oil nanoemulsions (TV EO-NEs) were prepared by using a high-pressure homogenization method. Both viability and cytotoxicity outcomes on Human fetal foreskin fibroblast cells were gauged by different concentrations of Thymus vulgaris essential oils and TV EO-NEs after 24 and 48 h. Antifungal susceptibility tests were carried out based on the modified CLSI M60 document for yeasts and CLSI M28-A3 documents for filamentous fungi. Results Thyme essential oil was mainly composed of thymol (22.10%), p-cymene (21.31%), carvacrol (13.02%), carvacrol acetate (6.72%), and linalool (5.58 %). The TV EO-NEs were spherical with a mean diameter of 127.6 ± 62.52 nm and zeta potential of −9.82 ± 6.07 mV. The MIC90 for C. albicans and C. glabrata isolates was 0.031 µg/ml and 0.0625 µg/ml for C. parapsilosis. Also, MIC90 for both dermatophytes and Aspergillus fumigatus isolates was determined to be 0.016 µg/ml. For yeasts and filamentous fungi, a significant reduction in MIC values was observed using TV EO-NEs (p Conclusion The study highlighted T. vulgaris and thymol to be promising alternatives for the treatment of cutaneous mycoses especially when the etiological agents are resistant to conventional antifungal drugs.

Revista Iberoamericana de Micología, 2021

BACKGROUND Voriconazole (VRC) is widely recommended as the first-line therapy for invasive asperg... more BACKGROUND Voriconazole (VRC) is widely recommended as the first-line therapy for invasive aspergillosis. However, surveillance studies have demonstrated that there is an increase in the frequency of azole resistance among Aspergillus fumigates isolates. In recent years, more studies on effective synergisms between natural agents and antifungal drugs have been published. AIMS To evaluate the synergistic antifungal effect of glabridin (Gla) and VRC against A. fumigatus isolates. METHODS Potential interactions between Gla and VRC were studied by using a microdilution checkerboard method based on the CLSI reference technique. To assess the interaction of drugs the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) was calculated based on the Loewe Additivity model. RESULTS The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) obtained with Gla alone were relatively high (MIC50 16μg/ml). However, our results showed synergistic interaction between Gla and VRC against A. fumigatus strains, with FICI range values between 0.15 and 0.5. CONCLUSIONS Synergistic activity of Gla and VRC against both VRC-sensitive and -resistant A. fumigatus isolates may lead to design new antifungal agents, especially for inhibiting those azole-resistant strains.

Journal de Mycologie Médicale, 2017

The growing trends of emergence of antifungal-resistant Candida strains has recently been inspire... more The growing trends of emergence of antifungal-resistant Candida strains has recently been inspired the researchers to design new antifungal agents with novel mechanisms of action. Glabridin is an originally natural substrate with multiple biological activities which propose it as a novel anticancer, antimicrobial and antifungal agent. In the present study, the antifungal effect of glabridin against Candida glabrata isolates and its possible mechanism of action were investigated. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for glabridin against fluconazole-resistant and fluconazole-SDD strains of C. glabrata were investigated using the Clinical and laboratory standards institute document M27-A3 and M27-S4 as a guideline. Possible alternations in the expression of two critical genes involved in yeast apoptosis, MCA1 and NUC1, were assayed by real-time PCR. DNA damage and chromatin condensation was investigated using DAPI staining. Although glabridin led to a significant decrease in MICs against fluconazole-resistant C. glabrata (MIC 50 : 8 mg/mL), no significant decreased was shown for fluconazole-SDD strains. Therefore, a distinct azole-independent mechanism could be responsible for the inhibitory activity of glabridin. Overexpression of MCA1 and NUC1 genes in addition to DNA damage and chromatin condensation suggesting the involvement of apoptosis signaling in C. glabrata stains exposed to glabridin. This study Journal de Mycologie Médicale (2017) xxx, xxx-xxx

Journal of global antimicrobial resistance, 2016

Understanding the mechanisms responsible for fluconazole resistance in Candida glabrata is not on... more Understanding the mechanisms responsible for fluconazole resistance in Candida glabrata is not only crucial for the development of new antifungals but is also important in choosing appropriate antifungals for patients at the earliest stages. The aim of this study was to determine the Erg11p amino acid substitutions in fluconazole-resistant C. glabrata isolates. Sixty clinical isolates of C. glabrata were investigated. In vitro antifungal activities of fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole were determined using the broth microdilution reference method. The ERG11 gene for resistant (n=4) and susceptible (n=1) isolates were sequenced and multi-aligned using MEGA6 software. A homology model of the C. glabrata ERG11 gene was created by SWISS-MODEL software using the crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Erg11p as a template, and the predicted binding sites to fluconazole were investigated. Fluconazole and multi-azole resistance were observed in 6.7% and 3.3% of the isolates,...

Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, Jan 5, 2016

Antifungal therapy results in complications in management due to changes in the patterns of epide... more 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 yeas...

Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 2020

OBJECTIVES The rate of resistance of C. parapsilosis to echinocandins remains unexplored in Iran.... more OBJECTIVES The rate of resistance of C. parapsilosis to echinocandins remains unexplored in Iran. The main aim of the study was to investigate the susceptibility pattern and the possible mechanism of resistance in echinocandin-resistant clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis. METHODS One hundred and five isolates of C. parapsilosis sensu stricto were subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing against echinocandins using the broth microdilution reference method. The sequences of CpERG3 and also CpFKS1 genes were analyzed using MEGA6 software and alternations in CHS3, FKS1 and Rho gene expressions were evaluated using Real-time PCR. The REST® software was applied to analyze the results. RESULTS The rate of cross-echinocandin resistance was reported as 2.8%. No substitutions was detected in Fks1p except for the naturally occurring P660A amino acid substitution observed in isolates both with high and also low MIC values. The amino acid substitution G111R was not found in Erg3p, either. The expression of Rho and FKS1 genes was significantly increased while CHS3 gene showed no alternation after echinocandin exposure. CONCLUSION Alternations in the expression of some key genes may be responsible for echinocandin resistance among C. parapsilosis isolates. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for drug resistance in C. parapsilosis is not only crucial for the development of new antifungals but is also important in choosing appropriate antifungals for patients at the earliest stages.

Background: Metal nanomaterials are unique because they show optical properties that depend on su... more Background: Metal nanomaterials are unique because they show optical properties that depend on such physical properties as size, shape, and interparticle spacing. Their unique size-dependent property makes these materials better-quality in many areas of human activity. Biosynthesis of nanomaterials has been recently the aim of precious studies due to the environment-friendly nature of the biological processes and microorganisms such as fungi have been re-explored as potential bio-factories rather than the causing agents of humans and plants infections. The enzymatic activity of yeast presents them as highly competent microorganisms to precipitate of nanoparticles in external environment of the cell. This considerable ability has recently considered as worthy, applicable and available candidates for synthesis of smaller nano-sized particles. Materials and methods: A standard strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae PTCC 5209 was grown in YPD medium. The yeasts were exposed to 2 m mol l⁻¹ o...

Journal of Food Safety, 2015

In Iran, wheat is one of the most important sources of diet. Unfortunately, it is vulnerable to c... more In Iran, wheat is one of the most important sources of diet. Unfortunately, it is vulnerable to contamination with fungi consisting of aflatoxigenic moulds. Since 1997, ozone has been recognized as an effective oxidant and disinfection agent. This study demonstrates the benefits derived from ozone in the inhibition of Aspergillus parasiticus growth and aflatoxin production in wheat. Wheat samples inoculated with A. parasiticus spore suspensions (10,102 and 104 spores/g of wheat) were treated with ozonated water at various concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 2.5 mg ozone/L at different temperatures. Fungal mycelium was weighed to evaluate the effect of ozone on A. parasiticus growth. Moreover, the rate of aflatoxin production was determined using high‐performance liquid chromatography. Our results indicated that ozonated water can inhibit A. parasiticus growth as well as the accumulation of aflatoxins effectively. The best result was obtained when samples were treated with 2.5 mg/L of ozonate...

Mycopathologia, 2012

The introduction of RNA silencing machinery in fungi has led to the promising application of RNAi... more The introduction of RNA silencing machinery in fungi has led to the promising application of RNAi methodology to knock down essential vital factor or virulence factor genes in the microorganisms. Efg1p is required for development of a true hyphal growth form which is known to be essential for interactions with human host cells and for the yeast's pathogenesis. In this paper, we describe the development of a system for presenting and studying the RNAi function on the EFG1 gene in C. albicans. The 19-nucleotide siRNA was designed on the basis of the cDNA sequence of the EFG1 gene in C. albicans and transfection was performed by use of a modified-PEG/LiAc method. To investigate EFG1 gene silencing in siRNA-treated cells, the yeasts were grown in human serum; to induce germ tubes a solid medium was used with the serum. Quantitative changes in expression of the EFG1 gene were analyzed by measuring the cognate EFG1 mRNA level by use of a quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay. Compared with the positive control, true hyphae formation was significantly reduced by siRNA at concentrations of 1 lM, 500 nM, and 100 nM (P \ 0.05). In addition, siRNA at a concentration of 1 lM was revealed to inhibit expression of the EFG1 gene effectively (P \ 0.05). On the basis of the potential of post-transcriptional gene silencing to control the expression of specific genes, these techniques may be regarded as promising means of drug discovery, with applications in biomedicine and functional genomics analysis.

Medical Mycology

Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Background and objectives The incidenc... more Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Background and objectives The incidence of candiduria caused by Candida spp. has increased in recent years, particularly in hospitalized patients. Candiduria is most commonly caused by C. albicans; however, an increase in the prevalence of non-albicans species has been observed during last decades. This study aimed at molecular identification of Candida species isolated from candiduria in hospitalized patients. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 530 hospitalized patients in two hospitals in the Mazandaran Province, Iran. Midstream urine specimens were collected and then cultured on CHROMagar Candida medium. Molecular identification of common Candida species was carried out using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method after enzymatic digestion with MspI. C. albicans and Candida parapsilosis species complexes were identified by amplification of the HWP1 and intein-contain...

Medical Mycology

Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Objectives Invasive pulmonary aspergil... more Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Objectives Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is a well-known complication in COVID-19 patients. A reliable and early diagnosis is essential for the early initiation of antifungal therapy. On the other hand, conventional Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) culture may lack the specificity of differentiating between colonization and infection. Here, we aimed a comparative analysis of Galactomannan Lateral Flow Assay (GM-LFA), Galactomannan Enzyme Immunoassay (GM-EIA), and BAL culture for diagnosis of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). Methods BAL (n = 105) and serum samples (n = 101) from COVID-19 patients who were mechanically ventilated for ≥4 days in intensive care units (ICUs) were evaluated by GM-LFA and GM-EIA. All BAL samples were cultured on Sabouraud-Chloramphenicol dextrose Agar. Diagnostic performance of GM-LFA and GM-EIA in BAL (GM indexes ≥1) and serum (GM indexes >0.5) were evaluated and sensitivity, ...

International Journal of Molecular and Clinical Microbiology, 2014

Article history: Received: 2 March 2014 Accepted: 27 April 2014 Available online: 1 June 2014 Vul... more Article history: Received: 2 March 2014 Accepted: 27 April 2014 Available online: 1 June 2014 Vulvovaginal candidiasis is caused by the increasing number of Candida species as normal flora in the vagina. To assess the transmission rout as well as to determine the suitable antifungal drugs for treatment, the exact identification of Candida species is crucial. Therefore, earlier detection of infection allows quick initiation of antifungal therapy with a greater probability for improved survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the identification of Candida albicans using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and to determine the in vitro susceptibility against four antifungal drugs. In this study, 100 clinical samples were obtained from the patients with suspected Vulvovaginal Candidiasis. Early identification of the grown yeasts was performed by physiological tests. Universal primers used to amplify the internal transcribe spacer region. Subsequent restriction enzyme ...