ISHAM NEWS! (07-01-2009)

The ISHAM Working Groups on Black Yeasts and Chromoblastomycosis have just published two special issues, with a total of 34 articles. On the CBS website you can find Studies in Mycology 61, a special issue on black yeasts entitled "Black Fungal Extremes" edited by G.S. de Hoog and M. Grube. A total of 18 papers on extremotolerant and medical black fungi can be freely downloaded. Clinically interesting papers are e.g. those on tinea nigra and on several new species of invasive cutaneous black agents; this may even be considered to be a new category in dermatology.

Medical Mycology vol 47 issue 1 is also devoted to black yeasts and allies, with the title "The dark world of black fungi - a major area of concern". The issue contains 16 papers on black fungi with medical significance, among which are several new agents of severe and fatal mycoses. As an ISHAM member you have free access to this publication via the member area of our website. For your convenience we list the contents of this issue at the bottom of this mail.

The ISHAM Working Group on Cystic Fibrosis will organize its first meeting in Angers, France, 7 and 8 June, 2009. For information, click here, and for questions, contact Jean-Philippe Bouchara (Jean-Philippe.Bouchara@univ-angers.fr).

We also would like to draw your attention to Working Group meetings at the ISHAM congress in Tokyo. The following groups have announced that they will organize a 50-minute session in addition to the regular program published in the 2nd circular: WG Rhinosinusitis, WG Chromoblastomycosis, WG Black yeasts, WG Fungiscope, WG Mycetoma, WG Scedosporium and WG Zygomycetes. Full programs will be announced in due course.

Contents of Medical Mycology Volume 47 Issue 1:

The Dark World of Black Fungi - A Major Area of Concern, edited by R.G. Vitale, F. Queiroz Telles and G.S. de Hoog

Chromoblastomycosis: an overview of clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment, Pages 3 - 15
Authors: Flavio Queiroz-Telles; Phillippe Esterre; Maigualida Perez-Blanco; Roxana G. Vitale; Claudio Guedes Salgado; Alexandro Bonifaz

Genetic diversity and species delimitation in the opportunistic genus Fonsecaea, Pages 17 - 25
Authors: M. J. Najafzadeh; C. Gueidan; H. Badali; A. H. G. Gerrits Van Den Ende; Lian Xi; G. S. De Hoog

Molecular diversity of Fonsecaea  ( Chaetothyriales ) causing chromoblastomycosis in southern China, Pages 27 - 33
Authors: Liyan Xi; Jiufeng Sun; Changming Lu; Honfang Liu; Zhi Xie; Kazutaka Fukushima; KayokoTakizawa; Mohammad Javad Najafzadeh; G. S. De Hoog

In vitro  activity of antifungal drugs against Cladophialophora  species associated with human chromoblastomycosis, Pages 35 - 40
Authors: R. G. Vitale; M. Perez-Blanco; G. S. De Hoog

Antifungal susceptibility testing of Exophiala  spp.: a head-to-head comparison of amphotericin B, itraconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole, Pages 41 - 43
Authors: Annette W. Fothergill; Michael G. Rinaldi; Deanna A. Sutton

Combined antifungal therapy in a murine model of disseminated infection by Cladophialophora bantiana, Pages 45 - 49
Authors: Marçal Mariné; F. Javier Pastor; Josep Guarro

Cladophialophora  saturnica  sp. nov., a new opportunistic species of Chaetothyriales  revealed using molecular data, Pages 51 - 62
Authors: H. Badali; V. O. Carvalho; V. Vicente; D. Attili-Angelis; I. B. Kwiatkowski; A. H. G. Gerrits Van Den Ende; G. S. De Hoog

Lipolytic activity of chromoblastomycosis agents measured by infrared spectroscopy and chemometric methods, Pages 63 - 69
Authors: Valeriano Antonio Corbellini; Maria Lúcia Scroferneker; Mariana Carissimi; Juliana Mônica da Costa; Marco Flores Ferrão

In vitro  activities of isavuconazole against opportunistic filamentous and dimorphic fungi, Pages 71 - 76
Author: Gloria M. González

Chromoblastomycosis caused by a meristematic mutant of Fonsecaea monophora, Pages 77 - 80
Authors: Liyan Xi; Changming Lu; Jiufeng Sun; Xiqing Li; Honfang Liu; Junmin Zhang; Zhi Xie; G. S. De Hoog

A skin infection mimicking chromoblastomycosis by a Capnodialean fungus, Pages 81 - 85
Authors: Sabrina S. Campolina; Rachel B. Caligiorne; Soraya Rezende-Silva; Rosane C. Hahn; G. S. De Hoog

Exophiala spinifera  as a cause of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis: Case study and review of the literature, Pages 87 - 93
Authors: John E. Harris; Deanna A. Sutton; Adam Rubin; Brian Wickes; G. S. De Hoog; Carrie Kovarik

Subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala xenobiotica  in a non-Hodgkin lymphoma patient, Pages 95 - 99
Authors: Yumi Aoyama; Masayo Nomura; Shinya Yamanaka; Yoko Ogawa; Yasuo Kitajima

Exophiala asiatica , a new species from a fatal case in China, Pages 101 - 109
Authors: Dong Ming Li; Ruo Yu Li; G.S. De Hoog; Yu Xin Wang; Duan Li Wang

Eumycetoma caused by Cladophialophora bantiana  successfully treated with itraconazole, Pages 111 - 114
Authors: Alexandro Bonifaz; Sybren De Hoog; Michael R. Mcginnis; Amado Saúl; Octavio Rodríguez-Cortés; Javier Araiza; Mariana Cruz; Patricia Mercadillo

Relationships between free living amoebae and Exophiala  dermatitidis : a preliminary study, Pages 115 - 118
Authors: Estelle Cateau; Tiphaine Mergey; Catherine Kauffmann-Lacroix; Marie-Helene Rodier