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A study on fusarium isolation, its molecular identification, clinical manifestations and risk factors

dc.contributor.authorBaharuddin, Mohd Hazwan
dc.date.accessioned2026-04-08T04:42:32Z
dc.date.available2026-04-08T04:42:32Z
dc.date.issued2020
dc.description.abstractFusarium species are ubiquitous in soil and plant debris. Fusarium species are well recognized as plant pathogens and have emerged as human pathogens affecting both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts since recent years. Conventional methods of Fusarium identification are inadequate as it only identifies Fusarium to genus level. Molecular methods by nucleotide sequences are more accurate and consistent for species identification. We reviewed 87 medical records of patients for whom fungal culture was performed on various clinical specimens in Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Terengganu and Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan from 2017 until 2019. Out of 87 cases, 43 cases were positive for Fusarium and 44 cases were non-Fusarium cases. We identified the proportion of Fusarium based on species, clinical manifestation, and risk factors from clinical isolates. Twenty four available clinical isolates were specifically identified by sequencing the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1) gene. Our results showed that keratitis (n=17, 39.5%) and onychomycosis (n=16, 37.2%) were the most common type of fusariosis, followed by fungaemia (n=7, 16.3%). Forearm skin infection, fungal pneumonia, and fungal maxillary sinusitis were presented in one case each. Based on TEF-1 sequencing, 22 of 24 isolates belong to Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), n=22; which comprised Fusarium solani (n=10), Fusarium proliferatum (n=7), and Fusarium keratoplasticum (n=5). Another two were Fusarium pseudocircinatum (n=1) which belongs to Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC), and Fusarium oxysporum (n=1) which is a member in Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC). Fusarium infection was more common in males (n=29, 67.4%), and the mean age was 51 years old. Important risk factors for Fusarium infection, including diabetes mellitus, malignancies, neutropenia, eyes trauma, and embedded foreign body, were analysed but none were statistically significant
dc.identifier.urihttps://erepo.usm.my/handle/123456789/23869
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectFusarium
dc.subjectrisk factors
dc.titleA study on fusarium isolation, its molecular identification, clinical manifestations and risk factors
dc.typeResource Types::text::thesis::master thesis
dspace.entity.typePublication
oairecerif.author.affiliationUniversiti Sains Malaysia
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