phaeohyphomycosis identified as part of cause morgellons/ oregano oil-fungus

[10meters]

Rinsho Byori, 1999 Oct, 47(10), 976 - 9
{Subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis of the right thumb}; Maekura S et al.; Black fungi are a group of fungi that are characterized by the development of a pale brown to black color in the cell walls of their vegetative cells, conidia, or both . A mycotic infection caused by a member of black fungi can be subdivided into three clinical entities: phaeohyphomycosis, chromoblastomycosis, and mycetoma . Phaeohyphomycosis is distinguished from mycetoma by the absence of grain (organized, interwoven mycelial aggregates) formation, and from chromoblastomycosis by the absence of sclerotic bodies (thick-walled muriform cells) . Phaeohyphomycosis is a rare disease and has been sporadically reported . In the present report, phaeohyphomycosis of the right thumb of a 72-year-old man was presented . A precipitating trauma of two months earlier at the site was recalled . A solitary mass, 10 mm in diameter, was gradually formed in the palm side of the distal right thumb and finally resected . Histological examination disclosed a solitary granulomatous lesion surrounded by an incomplete fibrous capsule . The lesion mainly involved subcutaneous tissue and was composed of multiple pyogranulomas . Pigmented branched septate hyphae and yeast-like cells were sparsely found in the periphery of the abscess and within histiocytic cells of the granulomas . No sclerotic cells were detected . When pigmentation of black fungi in tissue is as faint as in the present case, Fontana-Masson staining is useful to accentuate the presence of melanin-like pigment of fungal cell walls.



Oregano essential oil in inhibiting fungus

Lett Appl Microbiol, 1999 Oct, 29(4), 238 - 41
Inhibitory effects of some spice essential oils on Aspergillus ochraceus NRRL 3174 growth and ochratoxin A production; Basilico MZ et al.; Inhibitory effects of essential oils of oregano (Origanum vulgare), mint (Menta arvensis), basil (Ocimum basilicum), sage (Salvia officinalis) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum), on the mycelial growth and ochratoxin A production by Aspergillus ochraceus NRRL 3174 were studied . Cultures were incubated on yeast extract-sucrose (YES) broth, at concentrations of 0, 500, 750 and 1000 p.p.m . of essential oils during 7, 14 and 21 d at 25 degrees C . At 1000 p.p.m., oregano and mint completely inhibited the fungal growth and ochratoxin A production up to 21 d, while basil was only effective up to 7 d . At 750 p.p.m., oregano was completely effective up to 14 d, whereas mint allowed fungal growth but no ocratoxin A production up to 14 d . At 500 p.p.m., no evident inhibition could be in observed with any of the essential oils under analysis . Sage and coriander showed no important effect at any of the concentrations studied . These inhibitory effects are interesting in connection with the prevention of mycotoxin contamination in many foods and they could be used instead of synthetic antifungal products.