Mycoses
The antifungal activity and in vitro toxicity toward animal cells of two inhibitors of oxidosqualene cyclase, squalene bis‐diethylamine (SBD) and squalene bis‐diethylmethylammonium iodide (SBDI) were studied. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against dermatophytes and other fungi involved in cutaneous and systemic infections (12 isolates from seven species) were determined by the broth microdilution...
Dysphonia in patients with bronchial asthma is generally ascribed to vocal‐cord abnormalities or steroid myopathy secondary to inhaled corticosteroids. Herein, we report the case of a 55‐year‐old male patient – a diagnosed case of bronchial asthma being on inhaled corticosteroids – who presented with dysphonia and was diagnosed to be suffering from Aspergillus laryngotracheobronchitis.
Superficial fungal infections are expected to be more prevalent in renal transplant recipients because of graft‐preserving immunosuppressive therapy. Here we report the case of a 45‐year‐old patient with widespread erosive tinea corporis transmitted by domestic animals. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region identified Arthroderma benhamiae (teleomorph of Trichophyton mentagrophytes)...
Trichophyton mentagrophytes is one of the most common dermatophytes causing cutaneous human fungal disease worldwide. Pubic and/or vulvar localisation of dermatophytosis has rarely been reported and may often be misdiagnosed as bacterial infections. We present a connubial case of severe inflammatory tinea in the genital region caused by T. mentagrophytes. The case illustrates the importance of getting...
Typing methods to evaluate isolates in relation to their phenotypical and molecular characteristics are essential in epidemiological studies. In this study, Candida albicans biotypes were determined before and after storage in order to verify their stability. Twenty C. albicans isolates were typed by Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), production of phospholipase and proteinase exoenzymes (enzymotyping)...
Fluconazole, which is a drug of the azole family, is safely used in systemic treatment of oral and intravenous injection, but it is difficult to use fluconazole as a topical application because of its large molecular weight and strong hydrophilic property. This study is a multicentre, double‐blind, randomised, non‐inferiority study to compare the antifungal effect and safety of fluconazole cream 0...
Ayala‐Gaytán Juan Jacobo,
Petersen‐Morfín Santiago,
Guajardo‐Lara Claudia Elena,
Barbosa‐Quintana Alvaro,
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Summary We report three cases of traumatic cutaneous zygomycosis related to soil‐contaminated skin lesions occurring after automobile accidents in individuals with no underlying disorders, which showed delayed development and diagnosis in comparison with typical zygomycosis cutaneous lesions.
The biological activity of crude extract and fractions of Hymenaea martiana was evaluated against a panel of human pathogenic fungi. The crude extracts and hydroalcoholic fractions (E) showed a high activity against Cryptococcus neoformans species complex isolates with MICs between 2 and 64 μg ml−1. The methanolic (C) and butanolic (D) fractions were the most active against Trichopyton rubrum, Trichopyton mentagrophytes...
A case of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Cladosporium cladosporioides in a 50‐year‐old housewife is described. The clinical presentation was an ecthyma‐like crusted lesion on the back of her left hand. Scanning electron microscopy of the culture showed the conidiophores and the limoniform or ellipsoidal conidia, with a slightly verrucous surface. The lesion was removed surgically, with no relapses...
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), using HIV protease inhibitors, is commonly used in the management of HIV infection. HIV protease inhibitors also have a direct effect on a key virulence factor of Candida albicans, its secreted aspartyl proteinase (Sap). Although protease inhibitors can attenuate Candida adhesion to human epithelial cells, their effects on adhesion to acrylic substances,...
This study describes the isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii from patients with chronic meningitis who were admitted to 16 Malaysian hospitals, from 2003 to 2004. Of the 96 cryptococcal cases reported over the 2‐year period, 74 (77.1%) patients were male and 45 (46.9%) patients were between 30 and 39 years old. Cryptococcosis was uncommon in children. A total of 57 (59.4%)...
Candida glabrata has emerged as a common cause of fungal infection causing mucosal and systemic infections. This yeast is of concern because of its reduced antifungal susceptibility to azole antifungals such as fluconazole. A clear understanding of the epidemiology of Candida infection and colonisation required a reliable typing system for the evaluation of strain relatedness. In this study, we discuss...
Infections are a major threat for patients with haematological malignancies after intensive myelosuppressive chemotherapy. The severity and extent of neutropenia are considered a major risk factor for infections in these patients. Antibacterial treatment for patients with febrile neutropenia was standardised in the late 1990s with no further significant improvements within the last decade. Major progress...
Patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) and neutropenia after chemotherapy are at high risk for life‐threatening invasive fungal disease (IFD), in particular, invasive aspergillosis (IA). The aim of the study was to evaluate data on characteristics, risk factors, complications and additional antifungal treatment of patients with AML receiving posaconazole prophylaxis (PP) after chemotherapy...
The authors describe two cases of successful and safe posaconazole use in patients of a surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital.
Posaconazole represents an antifungal extended‐spectrum triazole whose absolute bioavailability following oral drug administration is considerably variable. Special conditions including increased gastric pH values, malabsorption syndrome, diarrhoea, intake on an empty stomach and some concomitantly administered potent enzyme‐inducing drugs may contribute to lower drug plasma levels than expected....
Invasive fungal infections (IFI) are major causes of death in high‐risk haematological patients receiving induction therapy for acute leukaemia or intensified immunosuppression due to acute or chronic graft‐vs.‐host disease (GvHD) following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Recently, two randomised studies showed the efficacy of a posaconazole prophylaxis (PP) in these patients to prevent...
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a major cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients. Substantial improvements of treatment have been achieved by the introduction of new antifungal agents including azoles (e.g. posaconazole) and echinocandins (e.g. caspofungin). However, mortality associated with treatment‐refractory aspergillosis remains high. Preliminary data suggest that the combination of azoles...
Invasive fungal diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the growing population of immunosuppressed patients. Appropriate early therapy is associated with a reduction in mortality, but relies on rapid diagnosis. Microbiological investigations are often a problem as it can take several days for a culture to mature. As a result, diagnostic imaging techniques play a larger role...