Prototheca species are achlorophyllous algae ubiquitous in nature. Prototheca is a heterotrophic unicellular alga, phylogenetically correlated with the chlorella genus. Es una infeccion ocasionada por algas acloricas, del genero prototheca, en especial prototheca wickerhamii y prototheca zopfii, las cuales llegan a ser patogenas primarias u oportunistas. Prototheca species are achlorophyllous algae with phylogenetic affinities to the genus chlorella. Utex 1533 prototheca wickerhamii utex culture collection. Maldityping of infectious algae of the genus prototheca. Protothecosis usually involves the skin but may also cause systemic infection. After growth on pim for 35 days at 25c, white or offwhite yeastlike colonies develop. This indicates that prototheca are widely dispersed in the environment of dairy cows on both dairies with and without prototheca problems.
The two most common species are prototheca wickerhamii and prototheca zopfii. Original article detection of cutaneous protothecosis by. So far, there are six recognized species in the genus, namely. Most prototheca infected cows have had sccs greater than 300,000 cells per milliliter. Prototheca wickerhamii pol1 strain, originally isolated at the department of clinical microbiology, childrens university hospital of krakow, from the cerebrospinal fluid of a 6month child with the signs of neuroinfection, which was proved to be the first case of human protothecosis in poland, was used in this study cell growth condition. Although identification of the prototheca species in clinical specimens is a challenge, there are an increasing number of cases in which molecular techniques have successfully been used for diagnosis. The patient was successfully treated with ketoconazole. Prototheca species are generally considered to be achlorophyllic algae and are ubiquitous in nature. Prototheca is also believed to be responsible for ulcerative dermatitis in the platypus. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. We present a case of fatal infection in a 78yearold cardiac transplant recipient and discuss pitfalls in the clinical and laboratory diagnoses.
Prototheca is a colorless algae commonly found in manure, soil and water. In immunocompromised individuals, infection with prototheca can become widespread. First bloodstream infection due to prototheca zopfii var. Identification of prototheca zopfii from bovine mastitis article pdf available in iranian journal of public health 418. Get a printable copy pdf file of the complete article 1. Prototheca wickerhamii cutaneous and systemic infections. In ontario, prototheca has been routinely isolated from milk samples from 30 to 40 herds annually. Prototheca wickerhamii and prototheca zopfii have been associated with human disease. You also get unlimited file sizes as well as the ability to upload and convert several files to pdf at the same time.
Get a printable copy pdf file of the complete article 625k, or click on a page image below to browse page by page. Prototheca wickerhamii cutaneous and systemic infections ncbi. Prototheca species are achlorophyllous algae ubiquitous in nature and known to cause localized and systemic infection both in humans and animals. Prototheca wickerhamii, an achlorophyllous algae, was previously found to induce massive epithelioid cell granulomas in the skin of mice. Prototecosis infeccion por algas o algosis micologia.
Not fungi but similar features first recognized as human pathogen in 1964. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of prototheca wickerhamii and. Serologic survey of rotavirus, norwalk agent and prototheca wickerhamii in wastewater workers. Ontario dairy herd improvements cow scc reports cannot be used to identify all prototheca suspect cows, though they may give guidance. Ping ren, proficiency testing program coordinator mycology laboratory wadsworth center new york state department of health 120 new scotland avenue albany, ny 12208. Oct 01, 2014 prototheca wickerhamii, an environmental alga, rarely causes human infections. With a free trial of our online pdf converter, you can convert files to and from pdf for free, or sign up for one of our memberships for limitless access to our file converters full suite of tools. Ribosomal internal transcribed spacer of prototheca. Protothecosis definition of protothecosis by medical. Our first job is to listen to and observe what our customers need, and meet those needs with. Molecular characterization of prototheca strains isolated. Epidemiological analysis of worldwide bovine, canine and.
Protothecosis is a disease found in dogs, cats, cattle, and humans caused by a type of green alga known as prototheca that lacks chlorophyll. Prototheca wickerhamii hand infection successfully treated by. Feb 12, 2019 localized infection of the skin is most common and typically results from primary inoculation through a wound or abrasion. Prototheca wickerhamii, prototheca zopfii, prototheca blaschkeae, prototheca cutis, prototheca ulema, and prototheca stagnora. The purpose of the study was to report a case of ulcerative keratitis caused by an unusual algae prototheca wickerhamii in a diabetic patient. For agar cultures, strains are transferred to the surface of fresh agar slants in 20 mm diamter glass screwcap tubes in preparation for shipment. Media in category protothecosis the following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. Prototheca have been isolated from environmental sites on dairies that have cows infected with prototheca and dairies that do not have mastitis caused by prototheca. Prototheca wickerhamii 5 5% 0 0% total 12 12% 0 0% discussion algae of the genus prototheca are one of the few plantlike organisms that cause infections in humans and animals matsuda and matsumoto, 1992. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page.
The occurrence of protothecosis can be local or disseminated and acute or chronic, with the latter being more common. The species most often associated with bovine mastitis are p. Ontario dairy herd improvements cow scc reports cannot be used to identify all protothecasuspect cows, though they may give guidance. By means of light microscopy, examination was made of the histological reactions involved in epithelioid cell granulomas induced by intrader mal andor subcutaneous inoculation of prototheca wickerhamii in. Pdf susceptibility of prototheca species to antifungal. An optimized method for high quality dna extraction from. We present a case of prototheca wickerhamii cutaneous and systemic. Pdf prototheca wickerhamii cutaneous and systemic infections. This alga reproduces asexually, does not photosynthesise and is widely distributed in the environment. It is widely present in the environment and is a rare cause of infection in humans protothecosis and most commonly presents as nodules of the skin. Prototheca wickerhamii and prototheca zopfii have been associated with human.
Pdf simple test for rapid differentiation of prototheca wickerhamii. Prototheca medical definition merriamwebster medical. The first case of prototheca infection was reported in cattle with mastitis in 1952. Complete sequence of the mitochondrial dna of the chlorophyte alga prototheca wickerhamii. Prototheca organisms may eventually spread to the lymph glands from these subcutaneous lesions. Most cases reported have a suppressed immune system from drugs or disease. It and its close relative helicosporidium are unusual in that they are actually green algae that have become parasites. Like many mastitis cases caused by organisms in the cows environment, prototheca infections are opportunistic.
Prototheca wickerhamii tubaki and soneda atcc 16529d. Activity of serbian aronia prunifolia against prototheca. The pathogenesis of prototheca organisms remains unclear, but they prototheca to the genus level. Intelligent prevention and control of prototheca in dairy. Pdf a simple new test to differentiate prototheca wickerhamii from prototheca zopfii by determining susceptibility to clotrimazole is described. Pdf prototheca wickerhamii, an environmental alga, rarely causes human infections. University of minnesota college of veterinary medicine.
Prototheca was first linked to bovine mastitis in 1952, but was not considered a significant pathogen until relatively recently. The manual lysis centrifugation method was superior to other methods in. The genus prototheca include the following species. Prototheca wickerhamii tubaki and soneda, 1959 morphology. Prototheca wickerhamii, an environmental alga, rarely causes human infections.
Prototheca definition of prototheca by medical dictionary. Herd outbreaks infecting more than three per cent of cows are rare. Epithelioid cell granulomas experimentally induced by. Antibiotics are unsuccessful in treating prototheca since it isnt a bacterial organism.
We report the susceptibility of bovine isolates of prototheca wickerhamii and prototheca zopfii to amphotericin. Trehalose assimilation is a key test to differentiate p. Prototheca, yeast, and bacillus as a cause of mastitis. Although such infections are infrequent, they can manifest themselves clinically as cutaneous lesions, olecranon bursitis, and, even more rarely, as disseminated or systemic infections. It is a stationary microorganism, oval or spherical in shape, and 710 microns in diameter. Prototheca wickerhamii is a ubiquitous green alga that does not have chlorophyll. The fresh inocula are grown in a diurnal light cycle for at least 3 days until a macroscopically visible lawn appears. Summary human protothecosis is a rare infection caused by members of the genus prototheca. Cutaneous pro tothecosis has various clinical manifestations, including. Prototheca wickerhamii tubaki and soneda atcc 16523. Y4 prototheca wickerhamii prototheca wickerhamii 5353 100. However, prototheca species were not isolated from the milk house water, milk pipeline, ponds, creeks, ditches, swamps, heifer barn water, pelleted feed cow and calf, high moisture.
This page was last edited on 28 january 2012, at 22. Afectan a animales y al humano, en general produciendo cuadros cutaneos, subcutaneos y en raras ocasiones enfermedad diseminada. Both are known to cause disease in dogs, while most human. Wound infection by prototheca wickerhamii, a saprophytic alga. Candida lusitaniae prototheca wickerhamii candida norvegensis prototheca zopfii candida parapsilosis species complex rhodotorula glutinis. We present a case of prototheca wickerhamii cutaneous and systemic infections in an 85yearold male with adrenal insufficiency. Prototheca was first linked to mastitis in dairy cows in 1952. Almost all prototheca isolates from bovine milk in europe and asia belong to p. Diseases have been classified as i cutaneous lesions, ii olecranon bursitis, or. Mycology proficiency testing program wadsworth center. Currently, six species are included in the genus prototheca.
This organism was identified by morphological features and microbiological tests. Maldityping of infectious algae of the genus prototheca using som portraits henry wirth a,b,c. Prototheca wickerhamii an overview sciencedirect topics. Prototheca are best visualized in tissue specimens stained with gomori. Protothecosis occurs in europe, asia, africa, oceania, and in north america. Members of the colorless and unicellular green algae genus prototheca are the only known plants that cause infections in humans and animals. Prototheca wickerhamii prototheca zopfii rhodotorula glutinis rhodotorula mucilaginosa rhodotorula minuta saccharomyces cerevisiae saprochaete capitata geotrichum capitatum sporobolomyces salmonicolor stephanoascus ciferrii trichosporon asahii trichosporon inkin trichosporon mucoides zygosaccharomyces bailii anaerobe.