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Suppression of in vitro lymphocyte transformation during an experimental dermatophyte infection.

During primary Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection of strain 2 guinea pigs, the colony-forming units (CFU) of fungi present within the lesion peaked between days 7 and 14, whereas the severity of the lesion itself peaked between days 11 and 16. Concomitant with the latter peak, a pronounced depression in the in vitro mitogenic activity of spleen cells (SPC) and lymph node cells (LNC) was observed. Only after resolution of the primary infection (day 21) did LNC show increased deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in the presence of fungal antigens. During cutaneous reinfection, there was no distinct peak fungal load and CFU appeared to decrease steadily during the accelerated course of a reinfection disease. LNC from guinea pigs with severe, ulcerated reinfection lesions generally exhibited a heightened response to fungal antigen in vitro. LNC from guinea pigs with mild reinfection dermatophytosis had depressed in vitro reactivity to mitogens and dermatophyte antigen. The suppression of blastogenic activity during dermatophyte infection appeared to be associated with autologous serum components, since increased DNA synthesis resulted when SPC or LNC were cultured with fetal calf serum. The depressed in vitro DNA synthesis of lymphocytes (cultured with dermatophyte antigens) that were harvested during reinfection was not accompanied by an impaired ability of infected guinea pigs to respond with a delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test in vivo. These results support the hypothesis that experimental T. mentagrophytes dermatophytosis is a cell-mediated hypersensitivity disease that can be modified by immunosuppressive control mechanisms elaborated or induced by the fungus.

Animals↗

Aetiological study of the presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome in the Netherlands.

AIM: To investigate whether presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome in the Netherlands is caused by Histoplasma capsulatum and whether other risk factors might play a role in the pathogenesis of this syndrome. METHODS: 23 patients were clinically diagnosed as having presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome based on the following criteria: peripapillary atrophy, punched out lesions, a macular disciform lesion or scar in one eye without vitritis. As controls, 66 sex and age matched healthy volunteers were used. Serum samples from both patients and controls were tested for the presence of antibodies against H capsulatum, Toxoplasma gondii, Toxocara canis et cati, Ascaris sp, and for the presence of antigens of Cryptococcus neoformans. Serum samples were also tested for the presence of autoantibodies against retinal or choroidal proteins. To investigate other risk factors, patients and controls were asked to fill in a health and travel related questionnaire. Ten patients with ocular toxoplasmosis were used as a disease control group. RESULTS: None of the patients with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome or controls had circulating antibodies directed against H capsulatum. No risk factors could be identified and no indications for autoimmunity and no evidence for the role of the other infectious agents could be demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: In a Dutch group of patients fulfilling the criteria of a disease currently named presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, no risk factors or relation with the fungus H capsulatum could be detected.

Adult↗

Preliminary study using an indirect ELISA for the detection of serum antibodies to Alternaria in domestic cats.

Alternaria is a saprophytic fungus that is widespread in the environment; it is an opportunistic pathogen and causes disease in human beings and domestic animals. Fungal spores gain entry to the host through skin lesions and cause slow-growing, soft to firm, subcutaneous swellings, either with or without ulcers. An indirect ELISA was developed for the detection of anti-Alternaria immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in serum to determine the prevalence of Alternaria exposure in domestic cats. Fifty-two of 63 cats had detectable levels of anti-Alternaria IgG antibody. There were no correlations between the concentration of antibody and the sex, breed or living environment of the cats, but cats less than two years of age had significantly lower concentrations than older cats. The cats with disease caused by culture-confirmed Alternaria infections did not have significantly higher concentrations of antibody than the healthy cats or cats with other diseases.

Alternaria↗

A prospective study on Candida as a gastric opportunistic germ.

Report of results from a study on the presence of Candida as a stomach opportunistic germ in 149 patients consecutively undergoing gastroscopy. Candida was isolated in 23 patients (15.4%). None of the following factors influenced the appearance of the fungus as an opportunist in the stomach: age, sex, smoking, alcohol intake, associated systemic diseases, concomitant gastroduodenal diseases or gastric histological findings. The only favoring factor revealed was that of cardiotonic treatment in 43.5% of the patients with a positive outcome, and in 15.1% of those with a negative outcome (p less than 0.01). Species isolated were Candida albicans in 15 patients (65.2%), Candida tropicalis, Candida pseudo-tropicalis and Candida glabrata in 2 patients each (8.7%), Candida krusei and Candida guillermondi in 1 patient each.

Age Factors↗

Acute rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis.

Report of the typical clinical course and pathological findings in acute rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis following diabetic coma. Invasion of orbital nerves by the fungus with neural and perineural changes may contribute to the neuroophthalmological symptoms in this disease besides the predilection for blood vessels with consequent thrombosis.

Acute Disease↗

[Large crusted ulceration of the scalp: first manifestation of cryptococcosis in an AIDS patient].

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcosis is an infection caused by the yeast-like fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. It primarily occurs in immunocompromised hosts. Crytptococcosis is usually a systemic disease and may be serious if the lungs or the central nervous system are involved. CASE REPORT: We describe a case of cutaneous cryptococcosis without systemic involvement occurring as the first manifestation of AIDS. The skin lesion in our patient consisted of a large crusted ulceration on the scalp. Fluconazole was successful. DISCUSSION: This case is a new observation of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis in a patient with AIDS. Clinical appearance may be misleading; skin lesions may be the primary sign in immunocompromised patients. Rapid treatment and secondary prophylaxis are required.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Preliminary field trials with Culicinomyces clavosporus against some Egyptian mosquitoes in selected habitats.

Culicinomyces clavosporus was isolated from diseased larvae of Culex pipiens collected from brackish water habitat. Pure cultures of the fungus were grown on nutrient agar media. In the laboratory, the Egyptian isolate of the fungus was bioassayed against first instar larvae of Aedes caspius, Cx. antennatus and Cx. pipiens. The estimated LC50's for Ae. caspius, Cx. antennatus and Cx. pipiens were 4.4 x 10(2), 7.6 x 10(2) and 11.8 x 10(2) conidia/ml, respectively. Field studies were undertaken in a variety of habitats supporting populations of mosquitoes in Mahalet Marhoom, El-Gharbia Governorate, in the summer of 1999. Evaluations included artificial pool studies and field trials. The fungus was applied once to 3 different natural breeding habitats of mosquitoes at a dose rate of 10(10) conidia/m2. Cx. clavosporus introduction into unpolluted rice field that had high densities of Cx. antennatus and low densities of Anopheles tenebrosus Doenitz and Cx. perexiguus resulted in 100% control of the larvae 5 days post treatment. Introduction of the fungus into brackish water habitat supporting large brood of Ae. caspius, and few numbers of Culiseta longiareolata (Macquart), Cx. Pusillus, Cx. perexiguus and Cx. pipiens was equally effective. Dissection and examinations of larvae from both sites confirmed infection by the fungus. However, introduction of the fungus into a drain supporting high population density of Cx. pipiens was not effective. Microscopic examination of larvae removed from this site revealed that the conidia failed to germinate and penetrate the host cuticle. The presence of organic pollution in the breeding site drastically reduced the infectivity of the fungus. Thus, the fungus appears promising as a possible limiting factor for mosquito populations, and eventually its use in control of mosquitoes merits further investigations.

Aedes↗

[Procalcitonin--marker of infectious inflammation: clinical value and application].

The development of septic shock is accompanied by an essential increase of the level of Procalcitonin (PCT). The growth of the PCT level in blood is often associated with bacteremia. A-->2 ng/ml PCT increase in patients with agranulocytosis makes it possible to distinguish between the pneumonia as a local focus of infection and the pneumonia in sepsis. A high PCT level in bacterial and fungus infections makes it possible to distinguish them from viral and non-infection diseases.

Biomarkers↗