Aspergillus monitoring project in a large educational hospital using molecular assay

It is important to find reliable and accessible methods for the diagnosis and identification of fungal species causing hospital
acquired infections. Our main objective was using a rapid and accessible molecular method for the monitoring of Aspergillus infections and
identification of causing agents in the level of species.
Material and Methods: The study subjects were primarily clinical specimens collected from suspected HAI patients with clinical symptoms
after hospitalization. Also some environmental specimens were collected from air and instruments of health care facilities for the investigation of
Aspergillus sources in a university hospital of UMSU, Urmia. All specimens were transported to Medical Mycology Center for the detection and
identification of Aspergillus species using morphological methods. Also molecular method, PCR-RFLP using single restriction enzyme as a rapid
and available method was performed to investigate environmental sources of Aspergillus infections.
Results: Total of 110 clinical fungal isolates included Candida and Aspergillus species and some other opportunistic fungi. Among the clinical
Aspergillus findings, Aspergillus flavus (47%), Aspergillus fumigatus (29.4%) and Aspergillus niger (23.6%) were the most frequent species
respectively and also Aspergillus niger (43.7%), Aspergillus flavus (41.8%), Aspergillus fumigatus (14.7%) were isolated as the most frequent
species from environmental sources.
Conclusion: Because of accessibility, speed and high sensitivity of diagnosis, the PCR-RFLP was very useful for the identification of medically
important Aspergillus species and epidemiological approaches.