FUNGAL INFECTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19

To study fungal infections such as Mucormycosis, Aspergillosis, Candidiasis, Cryptococcosis associated with Covid-19. A detailed study was done with the information gathered from the articles in specified databases, online sources, and online published materials to have current details of the situation of fungal infections in covid patients. Fungal infections were seen among covid-19 patients mostly due to opportunistic fungal pathogens such as Mucor, Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus. The reason behind rising opportunistic fungal infections among covid-19 patients may be the immunocompromised host. The most common species responsible for fungal infections in covid-19 were noticed to be of genus Mucor, A. flavus, and A. fumigatus species of genus Aspergillus, C. albicans species of genus Candida, C. neoformans, and C. gattii species of genus Cryptococcus. Patients suffering or recovered from covid-19 are now facing numerous Secondary Infections. The majority of secondary infections associated with covid-19 are Fungal Infections. Mucormycosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, cryptococcosis as opportunistic infections are seen widely in the covid-19 treated patients. Rapid progression of such fungal infections is required to be controlled by early diagnosis of infection and by identifying the underlying risk parameters. Protocols for disease management will be beneficial too.

BIODIVERSITY OF MOLD FUNGI IN THE AREAS OF THE CITY OF CHEBOKSARY

A study of 12 soil samples in the summer period in the districts of the city of Cheboksary was conducted. The aim of the research was to conduct a mycological analysis of the soil and isolate particularly dangerous micromycetes in the urban environment. Soil samples were taken from the Moskovsky, Kalininsky, Leninsky districts of Cheboksary and Marposadsky highway. The pH of the soil environment of the city of Cheboksary was: Embankment of the Moskovsky district – 7.67, Kirovsky – 7.23; Leninsky – 7.28; Marposadskoe highway – 7.51. In mycological analysis of soil samples on agarized media of Chapek, the highest concentration of micromycetes was recorded in soil samples from the Moskovsky district on the Embankment, where the concentration of fungi of the genus Aspergillus fumigates was 27 %, fungi of the genus Fusarium sporotrichioides and Fusarium graminearum was 15 %. The soil of the Leninsky district was dominated by fungi of the genus Penicillium, their concentration was 23 %, Aspergillus flavus – 18 %. Isolates of fungi of the genus Penicillium spp. were isolated in the soil of the Kalininsky district, and their concentration was – 7 %, Aspergillus flavus – 21 %. The soil from the Marpasad highway was dominated by fungi of the genus Mucor sp. Testing on Paramecium caudatum infusoria showed that the field isolate of Aspergillus fumigates had toxic properties, the evaluation criterion for biotesting was 38 %. Aspergillus flavus showed a 78 % survival rate when tested on infusoria.

Isolasi dan Identifikasi Cendawan Patogen pada Umbi Talas (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) Pasca Penyimpanan

Organisme Pengganggu Tumbuhan (OPT) merupakan salah satu faktor yang menentukan keberhasilan agribisnis. Pengelolaan OPT pascapanen dan pasca penyimpanan yang tepat dapat mempertahankan kualitas produk yang baik. Infeksi OPT yang sering muncul pada umbi talas adalah cendawan. Adanya jeda waktu dari pemanenan hingga ke tangan konsumen dimungkinkan adanya cendawan yang berasosiasi dengan busuk penyimpanan pada umbi talas tersebut. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengisolasi dan mengidentifikasi cendawan patogen yang terdapat pada umbi talas setelah penyimpanan. Metode yang digunakan adalah identifikasi secara makroskopis dan mikroskopis. Hasil identifikasi secara morfologi menunjukkan cendawan yang berasosiasi dengan busuk penyimpanan pada umbi talas adalah genus Mucor, Fusarium, dan Alternaria.

Biodiversitas Mikroba Rizosfer Tanaman Jeruk Keprok Borneo Prima (Citrus reticulata cv Borneo Prima)

Borneo Prima tangerine (Citrus reticulata cv Borneo Prima) is an indigenous plant from Tanjung Labu Village, Rantau Pulung District, East Kutai District, East Kalimantan Province. In the cultivation of these plants, there are pathogens that can cause a decrease in crop yields. This study aims to identify the diversity of rhizosphere microbial populations in Borneo Prima tangerine plants. The study was conducted at the Laboratory of Plant Pests and Diseases of the Faculty of Agriculture, Mulawarman University Samarinda in February-April 2018. This study was descriptive, using a survey method. The study consisted of two stages, namely (1) soil sampling on Borneo Prima tangerine citrus land in Makroman Village, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan (2) isolation, characterization, identification, gram test, in the Laboratory of Pests and Plant Diseases. The data obtained were analyzed using quantitative descriptive analysis. The results of the study of the isolation of rhizosphere microbes in Borneo Prima tangerine citrus plants obtained 1 family of bacteria namely Azotobacteraceae and 4 fungal genera including Aspergilus, Mucor, Penicillium and Trichoderma. Microbes that belong to the group that benefit the soil ecosystem are Azotobacteraceae because they play a role in fixing (fixation) N2 or as biofertilizers. While the genus Mucor and Penicillium act as decomposers and Trichoderma acts as a controller of pathogens or biological agents and biological pesticides (biopestiside).

Circinella simplex—a misapplied name of Mucor circinatus sp. nov.

Circinella (Mucorales, Mucoromycotina) is morphologically similar to Mucor, differing by the production of circinate sporangiophores and sporangia with a persistent and incrusted sporangial wall. During a study on the diversity of Mucorales in areas of the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil, we isolated a strain that fits the current morphological concept of C. simplex of Hesseltine and Fennell (1955) by forming simple circinate sporangiophores with secondary branches and angular sporangiospores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on three different markers (ITS, LSU and MCM7) confirmed conspecificity of the Brazilian strain with other angular spored strains of the CBS collection including the strain studied by Hesseltine & Fennell (1955). The molecular phylogenetic analyses clearly placed these strains in the genus Mucor in the close relationship to M. laxorrhizus and M. fuscus. However, in his original description van Tieghem (1875) described and illustrated C. simplex with sporangiophores without secondary branches and globose sporangiospores. Based on these striking morphological differences combined with a differing geographic distribution, we conclude that the angular-spored strains represent a separate undescribed species for which we propose the name Mucor circinatus sp. nov.

MYCOSIS OF THE BOVINE FETAL MEMBRANES DUE TO A MOULD OF THE GENUS MUCOR

A mucor, closely resembling Lichtheim's Mucor rhizopodiformis, was isolated from the diseased chorion of a cow and from the lungs and digestive tract of the fetus. No other microorganisms were detected. The mucor was demonstrated in teased preparations from the fresh cotyledons as well as in sections of tissues suitably hardened. It produced focal lesions in rabbits following the intravenous injection of spores. The condition of the amniotic fluid and the contents of the rumen of the fetus justify the inference that premature expulsion was impending.