Mycoses
The increasing incidence of fungal infections together with the emergence of strains resistant to currently available antifungal drugs calls for the development of new classes of antimycotics. Naturally occurring antifungal proteins and peptides are of interest because of low toxicity, immunomodulatory potential and mechanisms of action distinct from those of currently available drugs. In this study,...
The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of Malassezia species in pityriasis versicolor lesions and to examine if the range of species varies with patients characteristics such as: age, sex and family history and also clinical findings such as site and number of the lesions. In a prospective study from July 2006 to July 2007, the patients with a clinical diagnosis of pityriasis versicolor...
Pyomyositis is an infection of skeletal muscle that, by definition, arises intramuscularly rather than secondarily from adjacent infection. It is usually associated with bacterial infection, particularly Staphylcococcus aureus. Fungi are rare causes, and Blastomyces dermatitidis has not been reported previously. In this case series, we report two cases of pyomyositis caused by B. dermatitidis. Cases...
Previous studies have not systematically assessed the effect of fungal biomass on polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN)‐induced hyphal damage (HD) of filamentous fungi. We hypothesised that fungal biomass is a significant factor affecting PMN‐induced HD. One isolate each consisting of a volume of 2 × 104 conidia ml−1 of Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus, Rhizopus oryzae, Rhizopus microsporus...
We provide the first report of rhinofacial conidiobolomycosis caused by Conidiobolus coronatus in China. The patient was a 36‐year‐old male rice farmer from Jiang Xi province who presented with diffuse swelling with classical centrofacial distribution and involvement of the right paranasal sinuses. Histopathology showed granulomas with hyphae surrounded by an eosinophilic sheath (Splendore–Hoeppli...
Candida species are common pathogens causing superficial mycoses primarily affecting the mucosa and the skin in humans. Crucial steps during pathogenesis of superficial candidiasis comprise fungal adhesion, colonisation and subsequent penetration of the respective tissues. Exploring these pathological events and perhaps fungal and tissue responses towards drug treatment is imperative in the management...
A ‘trailing’ effect has been commonly observed when azole antifungals are tested against Candida spp. Previous experience with fluconazole indicates that 24‐h minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values are more compatible endpoints when compared with clinical outcomes. We evaluated the trailing effect of Candida isolates tested with itraconazole in a guinea pig model of systemic candidiasis. Survival...
For the specialist, the management of invasive candidiasis infections, from diagnosis to selection of the therapeutic protocol, is often a challenge. Although early diagnosis and treatment are associated with a better prognosis, apart from cases with positive blood cultures or fluid/tissue biopsy, diagnosis is neither sensitive nor specific, relying on many different factors, clinical and laboratory...
Miconazole (MICON) has long been used for the topical treatment of mucosal candidiasis. However, the preponderance of MICON susceptibility data was generated before standard methodology was established, and prior to the emergence of fluconazole (FLU)‐resistant strains. The objective of this study was to determine the antifungal activity of MICON and comparators against recent clinical isolates of...
Tinea incognito is a dermatophytosis of atypical clinical character, usually misdiagnosed and treated with corticosteroids. We report a case of tinea faciei modified by high potency topical corticosteroids in a 54‐year‐old woman. Deep, intense inflammatory plaque with boggy, pustular surface located on the right cheek was found. Direct microscopy and culture confirmed dermatophytosis and led to the...
Kodamaea ohmeri was isolated from a 38‐year‐old HIV seropositive woman with pseudomembranous oral candidiasis. The isolate was identified by the API 20 C yeast identification system and confirmed by sequence analysis. Antifungal susceptibility testing done by E‐test showed that the isolate was susceptible to voriconazole, amphotericin B and caspofungin.
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a major opportunistic infection in haematology patients. Preventive measures are important to control IA because diagnosis is difficult and the outcome of treatment is poor. We prospectively examined the environmental contamination by Aspergillus and other fungal species and evaluated the prevalence of invasive aspergillosis in the protect unit of haematology. A three‐year...
Aspergillus pleural empyema is a rare but often fatal infection complicating thoracic surgery. Three men and one woman aged 23–47 years were diagnosed with Aspergillus pleural empyema after lung resection. Underlying diseases were lung cancer (n = 2), Hodgkin’s disease (n = 1) and thoracic trauma (n = 1). The treatment protocol consisted of systemic anti‐fungal treatment with caspofungin and voriconazole,...
We report a case of fungaemia resulting from Candida norvegensis in a patient with acute non‐lymphoblastic leukaemia‐M4 from Turkey. Candida norvegensis was isolated from two different peripheral blood samples that were taken at 2‐day intervals. Despite treatment with liposomal amphotericin B, the patient died of multi‐organ system failure.
Tinea faciei is an uncommon dermatophytosis affecting the glabrous skin of the face. Between 1988 and 2007 at the Dermatology Department of Cagliari University, 107 cases of tinea faciei have been diagnosed, involving 72 females and 35 males, aged 2–72 years. Incidence peaks were observed between 6 and 15 years (48.59%) and between 36 and 45 years (17.76%). Males below and females above 15 years of...
Metergoline, a serotonin receptor antagonist, was evaluated for its antifungal activity against the opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida krusei by a broth microdilution assay. The minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal fungicidal concentration of metergoline against C. krusei were 4 and 8 μg ml−1 respectively. Significant synergism was found in combination of metergoline with amphotericin...
We investigated the incidence of trailing growth with fluconazole in 101 clinical Candida isolates (49 C. albicans and 52 C. tropicalis) and tried to establish the convenient susceptibility testing method and medium for fluconazole minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination. MICs were determined by CLSI M27‐A2 broth microdilution (BMD) and Etest methods on RPMI‐1640 agar supplemented with...
We report a kidney transplant recipient with severe skin‐ and soft‐tissue infection mimicking necrotising fasciitis. Patient failed to respond to empirical antibiotic therapy for presumed bacterial cellulitis. Culture of aspirate from the wound and tissue samples revealed Cryptococcus neoformans. No signs of systemic cryptococcal infection were found. After antifungal treatment and surgical intervention,...
Various studies have documented a shift in species distribution in Candida bloodstream infections (BSI), but there are little data from Southeast Asia. This study was performed to determine the species epidemiology and antifungal susceptibilities of Candida species BSI in Singapore. Candida spp. from BSI were collected from a tertiary and secondary referral hospital, and an obstetrics/paediatric hospital...