[Sensitivity to disinfectants in certain rare micromycetes]

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Antimicrobial Efficacy
• Fungal Pathogens

Context:

• Rare filamentous micromycetes, including Scedosporium apiospermum, Exophiala dermatitidis, Fusarium dimerum, Fusarium moniliforme, and Stachybotrys alternans, pose significant health and environmental risks.
• These fungi are implicated in challenging infections like ophthalmomycoses and nosocomial fungemia, and some species are known mycotoxin producers.
• Effective disinfection strategies are crucial for controlling the spread of these opportunistic and toxigenic fungi in clinical and environmental settings.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the efficacy of six different disinfectants against clinically and environmentally relevant filamentous micromycetes.
• To identify the most and least effective disinfectant agents for controlling Scedosporium apiospermum, Exophiala dermatitidis, Fusarium dimerum, Fusarium moniliforme, and Stachybotrys alternans.
• To provide data guiding the selection of appropriate disinfectants for managing infections and contamination caused by these rare fungal species.

Summary:

• Six disinfectants were tested at recommended concentrations against strains of Scedosporium apiospermum, Exophiala dermatitidis, Fusarium dimerum, Fusarium moniliforme, and Stachybotrys alternans.
• Most tested fungal strains demonstrated sensitivity to alcoholic solutions, glutaraldehyde-based preparations, inorganic peroxocompounds, and peroxoacetic acid.
• The disinfectant containing active chlorine exhibited the lowest effectiveness, and Scedosporium apiospermum emerged as the most resistant fungal strain among those tested.

Impact:

• This research identifies key disinfectants effective against specific rare fungal pathogens, informing infection control protocols in healthcare settings.
• Findings aid in selecting appropriate agents to combat ophthalmomycoses and nosocomial fungemia caused by Scedosporium apiospermum and Fusarium species.
• The study highlights the differential efficacy of disinfectants, guiding environmental decontamination strategies against toxigenic fungi like Stachybotrys alternans.