Objectives:To detect the virulence factors of yeasts which are proteinase and phospholipase which have important role in the pathogenesis of oral lesions. Patients and methods:This study included 120 children manifested with oral lesions admitted to the Consultating Clinic and Medical Wards of Ibn -Sina and Ibn Al -Ather Teaching Hospitals in addition to Neonatal Care Unit of Al -Battol Teaching Hospital. Samples collected during the period from December 2012 -May 2013. Control group was 60 apparently healthy children from whom oral swabs 'were obtained. Identification' of' the isolated yeasts were conceded by "direct examination, culture, biochemical tests and API -20 C system, then detection of' protienase and phospholipase of yeasts isolated from oral lesions". Results: Candida albicans isolates have a high expression rate for the production of proteinase (95.3%) and phospholipase(97.1%) in comparison to the other candida and yeast species with a significant difference (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The isolates produce two important virulence factors namely proteinase and phospholipase significantly more in Candida albicans than other yeasts.

One hundred and fifty immunocompetent and 150 presumably immunocompromised patients suffering from lower respiratory tract infections were enrolled in this study. The clinical specimens were collected from April 2007 to June 2008 and included sputum (247), bronchial wash (80), and blood (300) samples. The identification process employed direct examination, culture, conversion test, and serological study. Among 218 fungal isolates only six were categorized as true pathogenic fungi; two Histoplasma capsulatum, and four Blastomyces dermatitidis. The former isolates were detected in two immunocompromised patients, while the latter isolates were detected in two immunocompetent and two immunocompromised patients.

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Objectives:(1) to identify the opportunistic fungi from sputum and bronchial wash of patients with lower respiratory tract (LRT) infections in immunocompromised (IC) and immunocompetent (IP) patients, and apparently healthy controls, (2) to detect antibodies against Aspergillus species by double immunodiffusion test (ID). Subjects and methods: Three hundred patients suffering from LRT infections of both IC (150/300) and IP (150/300) patients were included in the study. The clinical specimens collected were samples of sputum (247), bronchial wash (80), and blood (300). The control group was 50 apparently healthy individuals, from whom sputum and blood were obtained. The identification of the isolated fungi was carried out by direct fluorescent and/or light microscopy, culture on different media, and biochemical tests. Moreover, the serums of patients with Aspergillus isolates were tested by double ID test for the detection of specific antibody. Results: One hundred eighty patients showed fungal elements in their clinical specimens (60%). Two hundred four funguses were detected, including 24 samples with 2 types of isolates. The identified fungi were encountered from both IC (60.9%) and IP (39.1%) patients with a significant difference between them (p< 0.001). Nine opportunistic genus-species were identified. Five were filamentous type namely Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp., Fusarium spp., and Geotrichum spp., while the other 4 were unicellular organisms including Candida spp., Saccharomyces cereviciae, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Rhodotorula rubra. In the control group, 36% showed fungal isolates in their sputa, and the ID test showed a positive result for antibody in only one patient with Aspergillus isolate. Conclusions: Many opportunistic fungi are important uncommon pathogens in LRT infections in IC patients. The ID test is of limited value for the detection of specific antibody of Aspergillus spp.