The positive rates of dermatophytes isolated and identified by conventional methods are rather low. Moreover, clinical isolates sometimes show atypical morphology, and in such cases microscopic methods are not applicable for identification. The present study was performed to assess the utility of specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes as diagnostic tools for dermatophytoses. Both conventional morphological identification and specific PCR methods based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS)1 DNA sequence were performed to identify dermatophyte species from clinical specimens of patients who visited Kawasaki Social Insurance Hospital between 16 May and 17 August 2005. Specific PCR methods were also directly applied to clinical specimens, and the results of the two methods were compared. The clinical samples examined consisted of 126 skin scale specimens and 80 nail specimens. The positive rates of culture isolation from clinical specimens were 67% and 33% for skin scale and nail specimens, respectively. In contrast, PCR analysis yielded a positive rate of 100% for clinical isolates from both skin scales and nails, and rates of 95% and 99% were obtained by direct application to clinical specimens. The results of the present study indicated that specific PCR is highly advantageous as a diagnostic tool for detection and identification of dermatophytes on direct application to skin scale or nail specimens.

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This report is on the morphological and molecular biological identification, using 18S-and ITSI-rDNA sequences, of the "space fungi" isolated on board the Russian Mir-Space Station as the major constituents of the fungal flora. The six fungal strains were isolated from air by using an air sampler or from condensation. Strains were identified as Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus versicolor, or Penicillium sp, by both methods. The species of space fungi were common saprophytic fungi in our living environment, potential pathogens, and aUergens. This study concluded that the environment on board the space station Mir allows the growth of potentially pathogenic fungi as true in residential areas on the earth. Therefore, to prevent infection or other health disorders caused by these fungi, easy and reliable methods should be established to survey the fungal flora in a space station.Key words: Mir-Space Station, Fungal flora, DNA Sequences, Identification Space science is a new field of study that will inevitably progress in the early part of this century. Several long-term manned space missions have already been scheduled to the International Space Station, of which the completion is expected to be 2006. Humans in space are exposed both to space radiation and microgravity. Moreover, astronauts will face a variety of microorganisms, especially fungi, as partially reported in English abstracts of Russian papers (12)(13)(14) in the cases of Salyut-6 and Mir-Space Stations. It is possible that these fungi can cause unexpected infections or allergic diseases in astronauts whose immune systems are disturbed by radiation effects under the condition of microgravity or another environment of space. These "space fungi" also damaged electronic equipment on the MirSpace Station by biodeterioration. It is therefore important to study space microbiology, especially the field of medical mycology. We report here the morphological and molecular biological identification, using 18S-and ITS I-rONA sequences, of these space fungi isolated on Materials and MethodsSampling fungal strains. Six fungal strains were isolated from air by using an air sampler (Millipore, 21.1 em', 0.45 11m filter; AI-II, AI-21, BI-6, B2-1O, and B2-24), or from condensation (WI-C4) on board the Russian Mir-Space Station (Mission: JIMM, Mir-Station, 2110-3/2, 1997, National Space Development Agency, Japan). The isolation was done at the Department of Microbiology, Gifu University School of Medicine, and strains were delivered to Teikyo University Institute of Medical Mycology. Air samples were cultured with yeast and mold broth (Millipore) at room temperature (20-25 C) for one to two weeks, and condensation was cultured with Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA; %, w/v; peptone 1, glucose 1, with agar 1.5) at 30 C for two weeks.Morphological observations. The colonial characAbbreviations: EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; ITS, internal transcribed spacer; peR, polymerase chain reaction; rONA, ribosomal DNA; SDA, Sabouraud dextrose agar.

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A case of exotic myiasis caused by tumbu fly (Cordylobia anthropophaga) parasitism acquired while travelling in the Republic of Namibia is reported. This is the fifth case reported in Japan, and is very unusual in that the patient was infected with 19 larvae. This is also the first case diagnosed using molecular methods in Japan. We cultured the extracted larvae in vitro and successfully obtained pupae.