[Two cases of fungal infection of nails with participation of Cryptendoxyla hypophloia]. / Dva prípady mykotické infekce nehtu s úcastí Cryptendoxyla hypophloia.

Reported are two cases of suspected onychomycosis with participation of Cryptendoxyla hypophloia. The species C. hypophloia have not been isolated from human and animal clinical material yet. It is a rarely reported cleistothecial ascomycete that has been found to be naturally present on cellulose-rich materials. Its strains tested in a laboratory demonstrated very good susceptibility to terbinafine. The identification of isolates was verified based on rDNA sequencing and by comparison with C. hypophloia ex-type strain.

[Mycoses and diabetes]. / Mykózy a diabetes.

Generally, diabetic patients are more susceptible to skin infections. Although the overall incidence of skin mycoses in diabetics is not higher as compared with healthy population, diabetics seem to suffer from certain types of mycoses more frequently. They are not only tinea pedum and onychomycosis, but also candidoses (especially candidal balanitis). In older patients, sole tinea is often overlooked. Nevertheless, it impairs integrity of skin and lets in bacterial infections causing diabetic foot and aggravates nail infections. Onychomycosis in diabetics is far from being a cosmetic problem only. On the contrary, it is potentially a very dangerous disease. Hypertrophic and deformed nails damage adjacent skin and their pressure can result in decubital ulceration of neighbouring fingers or nail beds. This condition can even lead to finger gangrene. Therapy of onychomycosis in diabetics and seniors should be specific: the most effective therapeutic procedure proved to be the combination of systemic treatment with terbinafine and atraumatic chemical ablation with subsequent local treatment.

Chronic pyoderma vegetans triggered by Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Chronic vegetating pyoderma is usually associated with staphylococci and streptococci. A case that started as a therapeutically resistant tinea of the hand caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes is described. The vegetating skin lesion was associated with low immunoglobulin levels and impaired phagocytosis. It healed after long-term low-dose doxycycline, topical steroids and immunotherapy. An analogy between chronic vegetating pyoderma and recalcitrant tinea is discussed.

Selectins and monocyte chemotactic peptide as the markers of atherosclerosis activity.

The role of adhesive selectin molecules in the process of atherogenesis is an open question. These molecules are known as markers of atherosclerosis activity, however, only some biological mechanisms are known up to now. In this study we examined the levels of soluble forms of E-, P-selectin and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1) in the process of extracorporeal cholesterol elimination by LDL-apheresis. We measured the levels of sE-, sP-selectin and MCP-1 in the plasma before and after LDL-apheresis and in the washout solution from immunoabsorption columns Lipopak. Eighty measurements were performed repeatedly in 6 patients with severe familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) on long-term LDL-apheresis treatment. Before the procedure P-selectin levels were 204+/-179 ng/ml, E-selectin 32.1+/-33.7 ng/ml, MCP-1 323.8+/-121 pg/l, whereas after the procedure we found P-selectin levels 131.6+/-34 ng/ml, E-selectin 33.1+/-51 ng/ml, and MCP-1 200.4+/-15 pg/l. Levels of P-selectin were increased in the blood of patients with FH in spite of long-term intensive extracorporeal LDL-elimination, documenting thus the activity of atherosclerosis. The levels of P-selectin and MCP-1 decreased significantly after the hypolidemic procedure and could be used as another marker showing the effectivity of the extracorporeal LDL-cholesterol elimination (immediately after the procedure), and, after further verification, may serve as a marker for controlling the therapy efficacy.

Case reports. Tinea gladiatorum due to Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Two cases of tinea gladiatorum due to Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. quinckeanum are described. A pet rabbit was probably the primary source of infection, which was then spread further by man-to-man contact. Besides these two patients, four other members of the same wrestling team were affected by tinea corporis.

[Dermatomycoses]. / Dermatomykózy.

The author summarizes basic knowledge on the aetiology and pathogenesis of dermatomycoses and the most frequently encountered clinical pictures. The main principles of therapy, prophylaxis and prevention of mycoses are mentioned. The article concentrates also on problems encountered during examination and treatment, and tries to argue against some mycological myths.

[Effect of serum factors on the intracellular killing of Trichophyton mentagrophytes microconidia by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes]. / Einfluss von Serumfaktoren auf die intrazelluläre Abtötung von Trichophyton mentagrophytes Mikrokonidien durch menschliche polymorphkernige Neutrophile.

The rate of intracellular killing of T. mentagrophytes microconidia by polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) was investigated in 35 patients with anamnestic or actually present tinea infections under various conditions: in autologous serum, in serum of healthy controls, and in heat-inactivated serum. If the PMNL were incubated in serum from "immunologically experienced" persons, we found acceleration of the intracellular killing rate. Differences regarding killing rates were seen in the first hour of incubation (13 +/- 7.7% against 1 +/- 0.8%), becoming even more pronounced after heat-inactivation of the serum. Absorption of the patient's serum with T. mentagrophytes microconidia markedly reduced the rate of intracellular killing during the first hour of incubation, whereas microconidia pre-incubated in patients serum were readily killed even if a negative control serum was present.