Browsing by Author "Oliveira, Paula A."
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- First morphological and molecular isolation of Talaromyces marneffei in beech marten (Martes foina) in PortugalPublication . Matos, Ana Cristina; Baptista, Catarina Jota; Oliveira, Paula A.; Soares, Ana Sofia; Figueira, Luís; Matos, Manuela; Coelho, Ana CláudiaTalaromyces marneffei is a zoonotic fungus that mostly infects immunocompromised individuals. For the first time, this fungus was isolated in an adult beech marten (Martes foina) hit by a car, found dead in Penamacor, Portugal. During the necropsy, different samples (skin, fur, lymph nodes, lung, spleen, kidneys, and brain) were collected and processed for microbiology (including mycology) and molecular biology. T. marneffei was identified through its mycological characteristics and confirmed by PCR in hair samples. No other lesions or alterations were reported, except a concomitant presence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in lung, kidney and brain samples. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first description of this fungus beech marten, as well as the first case of co-infection with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in wildlife fauna. These results suggest a sylvatic lifecycle of T. marneffei, involving beech martens, in Portugal.
- Talaromyces marneffeiisolated from nasal swabs in PortugalPublication . Matos, Manuela; Baptista, Catarina Jota; Oliveira, Paula A.; Matos, Ana Cristina; Soares, Ana Sofia; Santos, Marlene; Figueira, Luís; Coelho, Ana CláudiaMycobiota are essential to the health of any living being, creating a balanced and complex interaction between bacteria, the immune system, and the tissue cells of the host. Talaromyces marneffei (also known as Penicillium marneffei) is a dimorphic fungus, endemic in South Asia, which often causes a life-threatening systemic fungal infection (called penicilliosis), particularly in immunocompromised hosts. Nasal swabs from 73 healthy volunteers were analysed to characterize their mycobiota, through its cultural characteristics, morphology, and molecular methods (PCR). All volunteers were also asked to answer to an anonymous questionnaire. Three women were positive (and asymptomatic) for T. marneffei. One of them was reported to have lupus. This study contributes to improving our knowledge about human normal mycobiota, identifying mycotic agents that may cause complicated systemic infections (as T. marneffei), especially in immunosuppressed patients, as well as other possible risk factors of exposure or prognosis.