PAPER OCCURANCE OF FUNGAL INFECTIONS IN CANCER PATIENTS & THEIR ENVIRONMENT:Prof. (Dr.) Karuna S. Verma & Vishank Aeroallergens & Immunology Lab Department Of Post Graduate Studies And Research In Biological Sciences. Rani Durgawati University, Jabalpur. 482001.
Abstract:
In an attempt to estimate the frequency of fungal infections among cancer patients, a four month clinicomycological study on how much these air borne fungal infections effects cancer patients have been done. A variety of Fungal infections were identified most often in these cancer patients. Seventy percent (70%) of fungal infections were caused Aspergillus spp. & fifteen percentage (15%) caused by Candida spp. which were present more frequently around the surrounding environment of that cancer patients. There was considerable variability in the frequency of fungal infections in different type of cancer patients & the type of sample source. Nevertheless, this study clearly demonstrates that how much the surrounding environmental fungal pathogens effects the immunocompromized cancer patients.
Introduction : “Cancer” (medical term: malignant neoplasm) is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood).
this directly influences the a important system of body called as immune system which is termed as Immunocompromization. “Immunocompromization” states that the loss of immune system or immuno-deficiency (ability to fight infectious disease is compromised or entirely absent) due to neoplasmic growth (Cancer) or HIV or may be due to hereditary diseases like
As Cancer defined as uncontrolled growth of normal cells,
1
autoimmunity which decreases the chances of survivllence towards secondary infections like fungal or bacterial diseases.
Agar (Sabouraud et. al. ,1892) & Potato Dextrose Agar (Tsuchiya and Kimura , 1978) with a following conditions of Selected media was
Generally most common fungal infections which is likely to happened more are Candidiasis & Aspergillosis . “Candidiasis” whish are caused by Candia Spp. like Candida albicans whereas “Aspergillosis” were generally caused by Aspergillus fumigatus & Aspergillus niger & other Aspergillus spp. like Aspergillus flavus & Aspergillus terreus in a very low occurance.( Lass-Florl C. et.al. (2006) Department of Hygiene, Innsbruck University )
prepared
and
sterilized
by
autoclaving at 121 oC for 30 min. glasswares were sterilized at 180±2 o
C for 30 min. this media was poured
in sterilized Petri plates in aseptic condition. After the incubation at 28
0
C for 48 hours the different
fungal colonies were came which are then identified by following methods like Slide method (Franck M.M. et.
Material & methods: This study was conducted in the
al. ,2000), Lacto phenol mount
cancer wards of Netaji Subhash
method (D’Antoni J. S. et. al. ,1937)
Chandra
College,
& Slide culture method (Ellis J. J. &
Jabalpur. The various steps under
Ajello L. ,1982) .Finally the results
material and methods are discussed
have been interpreted.
follows. There were type of sampling
Results: A four month clinicomycological study have been performed on cancer patients to see the occurrence of fungal infection in cancer patients & their environment.
Bose
Medical
done that is air sampling (Anderson A. A. ,1958 ) both cancer male & female wards, blood sampling , sputum sampling & urine sampling
The study showed that about 50% of aeromycoflora of surrounding environment of cancer patients contains Aspergillus fumigatus & 15% Aspergillus niger. Which revealed the hygine of surrounding environment cancer patients.
also done in male & female cancer wards. The samples were then diluted upto 10
-3
dilution. The diluted
samples were then poured in required media i.e. Sabouraduds Dextrose 2
Rhodotorula. During this course of study of urine also there were a slight occurrence of Geotrichum (4%) which are soil fungi & sometime may be pathogenic for immunocompromized patients (HIV & Cancer patients).
On further study to see how much these fungal mycoflora influences the immunocompromized cancer patients (0n 25 patients), for this following samples have been tested which are sputum , blood & urine.
Summary: The result of aermycological survey showed that spore of Aspergillus spp. & Candida spp. were predominant in all sampling sites. The spore concentration of other fungal spp. was found low. Though the concentration of A.fumigatus spores/conidia was more inside the cancer male and female ward than extramural atmosphere but this increase concentration of Aspergillus spores in cnacer wards has not been sufficiently correlated with increase no. of patients infected with aspergillus infection. But the result of sputum, blood and urine culturing gave strong evidence that mycoflora in the surrounding environment in the wards had its influence on patients common respiratory tract microflora.
On interpretating the result of Sputum , out off total fungalmycoflora out put 23.12% Aspergillus infection in which Aspergillus fumigatus shares more percentage, also 18.75% Candida albicans. Whereas on interpretating the result of Blood, out off total fungalmycoflora out put 20.11% Aspergillus infection in which Aspergillus niger shares more percentage whereas 16.1% Candia albicans. On other hand during interpretating the result of Urine, out off total mycoflora 24% Aspergillus infection have been found in which Aspergillus niger shares more percentage. Also during study of urine samples 26.1% non candida albicans have been found that is
3
GRAPH REPRESENTING PERCENTAGE OCCURANCE OF FOLLOWING MICROORGANISM IN SPUTUM, BLOOD & URINE CULTURE:-
URINE SPUTUM
4 BLOOD
% AGE
(GRAPH NO. 1) RELATIVE SPORE CONTAMINATION IN SAMPLING SITES
50
TYPE
COLONY TYPE
45
40
5
References: Tsuchiya & Kimura (1978). Institute of Oncology & fungal Diagnostic center, Turkey. Mm. Med. Vol-12: pp.213
Lass-Florl C., Georg M ., Thomas S., Walter R., Hanno U. & Manfred P. (2006) Department of Hygiene, Innsbruck University, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Innsbruck University Hospital, Department of Forensic Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, Innsbruck University .
Franck M.M. et. al. ,2000. D’Antoni J. S. (1937) Standardization of the iodine stain for wet preparation of intestinal protozoa. Am. J. Trop. Med. Vol-17: pp.79.
Anderson A. A. (1958) A sampler for respiratory health hazard assessment American industrial hygine. Ass. Journal. Vol-27: pp.260265. Sabouraud R. ( 1892) Microbiology.vol-3: pp.1061.
Ellis J. J. & L. Ajello (1982) An unusual source for Apophysomyces elegans and a method for stimulating sporulation of Saksenaea vasiformis. Mycologia. Vol-74: pp.144-145.
BBL.
6
7