Browsing by Author "Lerm, Barbra"

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    Emergomyces africanus in soil, South Africa
    (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018-02) Schwartz, Ilan S.; Lerm, Barbra; Hoving, J. Claire; Kenyon, Chris; Horsnell, William G.; Basson, W. Joan; Otieno-Odhiambo, Patricia; Govender, Nelesh P.; Colebunders, Robert; Botha, Alfred
    We detected Emergomyces africanus, a thermally dimorphic fungus that causes an HIV-associated systemic mycosis, by PCR in 18 (30%) of 60 soil samples from a wide range of habitats in South Africa. Direct and indirect culture techniques were unsuccessful. Experimental intraperitoneal inoculation of conidia induced murine disease.
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    Molecular detection of airborne Emergomyces africanus, a thermally dimorphic fungal pathogen, in Cape Town, South Africa
    (Public Library of Science, 2018) Schwartz, Ilan S.; McLoud, Josh D.; Berman, Dilys; Botha, Alfred; Lerm, Barbra; Colebunders, Robert; Levetin, Estelle; Kenyon, Chris
    Emergomyces africanus is a thermally dimorphic fungus that causes a systemic mycosis in immunocompromised persons in South Africa. Infection is presumed to follow inhalation of airborne propagules. We developed a quantitative PCR protocol able to detect as few as 5 Es. africanus propagules per day. Samples were collected in Cape Town, South Africa over 50 weeks by a Burkard spore trap with an alternate orifice. We detected Es. africanus in air samples from 34 days (10%) distributed over 11 weeks. These results suggest environmental exposure to airborne Es. africanus propagules occurs more commonly in endemic areas than previously appreciated.