Antifungal activity of a liposomal itraconazole formulation in experimental Aspergillus flavus keratitis with endophthalmitis.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of topical application of a liposomal formulation of itraconazole for the treatment of experimental keratitis with endophthalmitis caused by Aspergillus flavus. The liposomes were obtained by the lipid film hydration method followed by sonication. Adult female Wistar rats (weighing 200-220 g) were immunosuppressed by intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide 3 days before infection by exposure to the fungus A. flavus (10(7) spores/ml). Forty-eight hours later, the animals were treated with the liposomal formulation. For comparison, one group of animals (n = 6) was treated with the same drug not encapsulated. At the end of the experiment, the animals were evaluated for clinical signs and number of colony forming units (CFU/g), along with direct microscopic examination. The results indicated that the liposomal formulation of itraconazole has better antifungal activity than the unencapsulated drug in the treatment of fungal keratitis with endophthalmitis caused experimentally by A. flavus in Wistar rats.

Carbohydrate profiling of fungal cell wall surface glycoconjugates of Trichophyton tonsurans and other keratinophilic filamentous fungi using lectins.

Various researchers have concluded that lectins are useful reagents for the study of fungal cell wall surface glycoconjugates. In this study, we evaluated the expression of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, L-fucose, D-galactose and glucose/mannose on the cell wall surface of Trichophyton tonsurans and other keratinophilic filamentous fungi, using a simple lectin-binding protocol. The fungal cultures used were isolated from soils obtained from public parks by the hair-bait technique. The lectin assays used concanavalin A (Con A), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Ulex europeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) and peanut agglutinin (PNA), all conjugated with horseradish peroxidase. Adhesive tape was placed sticky-side down over the fungal colony, gently pressed and then removed. The fungal-tape samples were incubated with the lectin for 1 h at 4 °C. Lectin binding was visualised using 3,3-diaminobendizine (DAB) and hydrogen peroxidase. There was a high expression of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine on the cell wall surface of all fungi species tested, whereas the expression of L-fucose, D-galactose and glucose/mannose demonstrated inter-specific variations. The lectin-binding assay presented in this article eliminates many of the laborious steps involved in other protocols. The amount and quality of the mycelium and spores immobilised by the adhesive tapes were suitable for obtaining the carbohydrate profile in glycoconjugates of the cell wall surface of filamentous fungi.

Oral phaeohyphomycosis in a patient with squamocellular carcinoma of the lip: second case report.

This communication reports the second known case of oral phaeohyphomycosis in a patient with squamocellular carcinoma of the lip. The patient, an 82-year-old black woman, a former smoker (for more than 30 years), suffering from an ulcerous vegetative lesion in the middle third of the lower lip for approximately 12 months. The result of the histopathological analysis indicated carcinoma, with well-differentiated keratinized squamous cells and the presence of septate mycelial filaments. In the direct mycological examination, thick and dematiaceous septate mycelial filaments were observed. After the resection surgery, the patient did not need to use an antifungal drug to treat the phaeohyphomycosis, and no follow-up radiotherapy was needed to treat the squamocellular carcinoma. We stress that the presence of the squamocellular lesion of the lip was a possible contributing factor to the infection.

Antifungal activity of the piroctone olamine in experimental intra-abdominal candidiasis.

This work aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of piroctone olamine in the treatment of intra-abdominal candidiasis in an experimental model using Swiss mice. The mice (n = 6) were infected by intraperitoneal injection of 0.2 ml of C. albicans (10(7)cells/ml in saline). The animals were observed daily for clinical signs and mortality for 14 days. The treatment with piroctone olamine (0.5 mg/kg) was performed 72 h after infection by intraperitoneal administration. For comparison, a group of animals (n = 6) was treated with amphotericin B (0.5 mg/kg). The mycological diagnosis was made by collecting the liver, spleen and kidneys. Data regarding the fungal growth and mortality were analyzed statistically by Student's t test and analysis of variance (ANOVA), with level of significance set at P < 0.05. The difference in fungal growth scoring between the control group and the treatment groups (piroctone olamine and amphotericin B) was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The difference in fungal growth scoring between the treatment groups (piroctone olamine and amphotericin B) was not statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Oral phaeohyphomycosis in a patient with squamocellular carcinoma of the lip: second case report

Abstract This communication reports the second known case of oral phaeohyphomycosis in a patient with squamocellular carcinoma of the lip. The patient, an 82-year-old black woman, a former smoker (for more than 30 years), suffering from an ulcerous vegetative lesion in the middle third of the lower lip for approximately 12 months. The result of the histopathological analysis indicated carcinoma, with well-differentiated keratinized squamous cells and the presence of septate mycelial filaments. In the direct mycological examination, thick and dematiaceous septate mycelial filaments were observed. After the resection surgery, the patient did not need to use an antifungal drug to treat the phaeohyphomycosis, and no follow-up radiotherapy was needed to treat the squamocellular carcinoma. We stress that the presence of the squamocellular lesion of the lip was a possible contributing factor to the infection.

[Epidemiological correlation between keratinophilic fungi isolated from soil and dermatomycosis agents]. / Correlação epidemiológica entre fungos queratinofílicos isolados do solo e agentes de dermatomicoses.

This study had the aim of isolating and identifying keratinophilic fungi from soil and correlating them with dermatomycosis agents. According to our results, the predominance of Trichophyton tonsurans as a dermatomycosis agent among children in the city of Recife, PE, is probably due to children's greater contact with soil.

[Opportunistic yeast infections and enzymatic profile of the etiological agents]. / Infecções oportunistas por leveduras e perfil enzimático dos agentes etiológicos.

Yeast infections are common in immunocompromised patients, although emerging species have been changing the epidemiological profile. The ability to secrete proteinases has been associated with pathogenicity within the genus Candida. This study had the aims of diagnosing yeast infections in immunocompromised patients and evaluating the virulence of the etiological agents, based on a proteinase secretion assay using bovine serum albumin as a substrate. Out of a total of 104 patients studied, 19 presented episodes of yeast infection. The respiratory tract (63.2%), followed by the urinary tract (10.5%), were the most common sites of infection. Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis and emerging species such as Candida krusei and Candida guilliermondii were isolated. Five isolates of Candida parapsilosis and one of Candida albicans and Candida guilliermondii exhibited high enzymatic activity. We conclude that enzymatic characterization of Candida isolates may be a useful prognostic marker, especially among immunocompromised individuals, since yeast infections in such patients are generally serious.

Ocorrência de fungos filamentosos de importância médica em água de bebedouros / Filamentous fungi of medical importance in drinking water

No presente trabalho foi investigada a ocorrência de fungos de importância médica na água, torneira e pia dos bebedouros do Centro de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brasil. De cada bebedouro foram coletados 100 mL de água, e das superfícies da torneira e pia as amostras foram obtidas com swab. As amostras foram semeadas em meio ágar Sabouraud adicionado de 50mg/L de cloranfenicol, em placas de Petri. Das amostras de água, 10 culturas de fungos filamentosos foram isoladas e estas foram identificadas como Aspergillus flavus (5), A. niger (3) e Cladosporium cladosporioides (2). Das torneiras foram obtidos 21 isolados de fungos filamentosos e 164 das amostras das pias. O número de unidades formadoras de colônias (UFCs) (48h) variou de 12 a 56 em amostras de água, de 115 a 228 em amostras coletadas das torneiras e de 204 a 690 das pias. A presença de fungos com capacidade de produzir micotoxinas foi detectada nas amostras de água, bem como das torneiras. Com a finalidade de preservar a saúde dos consumidores, o monitoramento e a manutenção de equipamentos de purificação da água são práticas essenciais para garantir a qualidade microbiana e química da água.

This study aimed to assess the occurrence of fungi in water sample, tap and sink from drinking fountains atthe university center, Recife-PE, Brazil. From each fountain, 100mL of water were collected, and the samplesfrom the tap and sink surfaces were obtained by using swabs. The samples were cultivated on Sabouraud agarmedium containing 50mg/L of chloramphenicol in Petri dishes. Of water samples, 10 isolates of filamentousfungi were found and identified as Aspergillus flavus (5), A. niger (3) and Cladosporium cladosporioides (2).Twenty-one strains of filamentous fungi were isolated from tap samples and 164 from sink samples. Thenumber of colony forming units (CFU) (48h) ranged from 12 to 56 in water samples, from 115 to 228 insamples collected from taps, and 204 to 690 in sink samples. Fungi capable of producing mycotoxins weredetected in both water and taps samples. Monitoring the microbial and chemical quality of water and themaintenance of water purification equipment are crucial to guarantee the consumers safety.Key-words. filamentous fungi, water, drinking fountain, microbial water quality, mycotoxins.

Infecções oportunistas por leveduras e perfil enzimático dos agentes etiológicos / Opportunistic yeast infections and enzymatic profile of the etiological agents

Infecções por leveduras são freqüentes em imunocomprometidos, contudo espécies emergentes têm alterado o perfil epidemiológico. A habilidade de secretar proteases tem sido associada à patogenicidade do gênero Candida. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivos diagnosticar leveduroses em pacientes imunocomprometidos e avaliar a virulência dos agentes etiológicos baseado em teste de secreção de protease utilizando soro de albumina bovina como substrato. Do total de 104 pacientes estudados, 19 apresentaram episódios de leveduroses. O trato respiratório (63,2 por cento), seguido pelo trato urinário (10,5 por cento) foram os locais mais comuns de infecção. Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis e espécies emergentes como Candida krusei e Candida guilliermondii foram isoladas. Cinco isolados de Candida parapsilosis e um de Candida albicans e Candida guilliermondii exibiram alta atividade enzimática. Concluímos que a caracterização enzimática de isolados de Candida pode ser um útil marcador prognóstico, especialmente em imunocomprometidos, uma vez que leveduroses nestes pacientes são geralmente graves.

Yeast infections are common in immunocompromised patients, although emerging species have been changing the epidemiological profile. The ability to secrete proteinases has been associated with pathogenicity within the genus Candida. This study had the aims of diagnosing yeast infections in immunocompromised patients and evaluating the virulence of the etiological agents, based on a proteinase secretion assay using bovine serum albumin as a substrate. Out of a total of 104 patients studied, 19 presented episodes of yeast infection. The respiratory tract (63.2 percent), followed by the urinary tract (10.5 percent), were the most common sites of infection. Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis and emerging species such as Candida krusei and Candida guilliermondii were isolated. Five isolates of Candida parapsilosis and one of Candida albicans and Candida guilliermondii exhibited high enzymatic activity. We conclude that enzymatic characterization of Candida isolates may be a useful prognostic marker, especially among immunocompromised individuals, since yeast infections in such patients are generally serious.

Correlação epidemiológica entre fungos queratinofílicos isolados do solo e agentes de dermatomicoses / Epidemiological correlation between keratinophilic fungi isolated from soil and dermatomycosis agents

Este trabalho teve como objetivo isolar e identificar os fungos queratinofílicos do solo e correlacioná-los com os agentes de dermatomicose. De acordo com nossos resultados, o predomínio de Trichophyton tonsurans como agente de dermatomicose em crianças na cidade do Recife, PE deve-se provavelmente ao maior contato destas com o solo.

This study had the aim of isolating and identifying keratinophilic fungi from soil and correlating them with dermatomycosis agents. According to our results, the predominance of Trichophyton tonsurans as a dermatomycosis agent among children in the city of Recife, PE, is probably due to children's greater contact with soil.