Clinicomycological Profile and Risk Factors for Dermatophytosis at a Teaching Tertiary Care Centre in North India: A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytosis has gained significant importance in recent years owing to increased incidence, more atypical lesions, changing mycological profile and growing antifungal resistance. Therefore, this study was planned to know the clinicomycological profile of dermatophytic infections in patients attending our tertiary care centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 700 patients with superficial fungal infections belonging to all age groups and both sexes were taken up for this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical details were noted on a prestructured proforma. Superficial lesions were clinically examined and the sample was collected by appropriate collection methods. Direct microscopy by potassium hydroxide wet mount was done to see hyphae. For culture Sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA) with chloramphenicol and cyclohexamide was used. RESULTS: Dermatophytic infections were detected in 75.8% (531/700) patients. Young people belonging to age group of 21-30 years were commonly affected. Tinea corporis was the commonest clinical picture seen in 20% of the cases. Oral antifungals were taken by 33.1% and topical creams were used by 74.2% of the patients. Direct microscopy was positive in 91.3% and culture was positive for dermatophytes in 61% of the study subjects. T. mentagrophytes was the commonest dermatophyte isolated. CONCLUSION: Irrational use of topical steroids needs to be controlled. KOH microscopy can be useful as a point of care test for rapid screening of dermatophytic infections. Culture is necessary to differentiate various dermatophytes and to guide the antifungal treatment.

Synthesis, characterization and antitumor studies of Mn(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of N-nicotinoyl-n'-o-hydroxythiobenzhydrazide.

A new ligand N-Nicotinoyl-N'-o-hydroxythiobenzhydrazide (H2Notbh) forms complexes [Mn(Notbh)(H2O)], [M(Notbh)] [M = Ni(II) Cu(II) and Zn(II)] which were characterized by various physico-chemical techniques. All the metal complexes were observed to inhibit the growth of tumor in vitro, whereas, ligand did not. In vivo administration of these complexes resulted in prolongation of survival of tumor bearing mice. Tumor bearing mice administered with metal complexes showed reversal of tumor growth associated induction of apoptosis in lymphocytes. The paper discusses the possible mechanisms and therapeutic implication of the H2Notbh and its metal complexes in tumor regression and tumor growth associated immunosuppression.

Synthesis, characterization and antitumor studies of N-aroyl-N'-thioaroylhydrazines and their Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes.

N-Salicyloyl-N'-p-hydroxythiobenzohydrazide (H2STPH) and N-benzoyl-N'-thiobenzohydrazide (H2BTBH) and their Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes were prepared and characterized by physicochemical studies. IR and NMR spectral studies imply dibasic tetradentate behaviour of the ligands bonding through 'thiolato' sulfur, enolic oxygen and the two hydrazinic nitrogens in a polymeric fashion. The electronic spectra indicate [Ni(STPH)(H2O)2], [Co(STPH)(H2O)2] to be distorted octahedral while [Cu(BTBH)] has a square-planar geometry. In vitro antitumor results of the ligand and the complexes on P-815 (murine mastocytoma) and L-929 (murine fibroblast) indicate that these compounds show significant inhibition of 3H-thymidine and 3H-uridine incorporation in DNA and RNA, respectively, in these tumor cells at dose levels of 1, 2.5 and 5 microg cm(-3). Antitumor studies suggest that [Cu(BTBH)] has significant dose dependent inhibitory effect on DNA synthesis. In vivo administration of [Cu(BTBH)] and [Ni(STPH)(H2O)2] resulted into prolongation of life span of Dalton's Lymphoma (DL) bearing mice.