J Prosthet Dent, 1990 Dec, 64(6), 691 - 4 Effects of crude drugs and berberine hydrochloride on the activities of fungi; Nakamoto K et al.; The effects of crude drugs on fungi have been used for a thousand years in China and Japan . These drugs include: Saussureae radix, Magnoliae cortex, Cinnamomi cortex, Hydrangeae dulcis folium, and Artemisiae capillarius flos . The activity of Coptidis rhizoma and Phellodendri cortex was stronger than other crude drugs against the three fungi . Berberine hydrochloride, which is a component of the two crude drugs, was investigated . Minimal inhibitory concentration values of berberine hydrochloride were 1, 0.125, and 0.5 mg/ml against Candida albicans, C . tropicalis, and C . glabrata, respectively . In C . glabrata, compared with C . albicans and C . tropicalis, berberine hydrochloride greatly inhibited the growth of fungi. J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Dec, 136 ( Pt 12), 2433 - 42 Variation in the electrophoretic karyotype analysed by the assignment of DNA probes in Candida albicans; Iwaguchi S et al.; By using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, we have separated the entire chromosome bands and examined the electrophoretic karyotypes of 27 strains of Candida albicans . The electrophoretic karyotype varied widely among these strains . Their chromosomal DNAs were resolved into 7-12 bands ranging in size from 0.42 to 3.0 Mb . Most of the separated chromosomal bands were assigned by eight cloned C . albicans DNA probes . These results suggest that the haploid number of C . albicans chromosomes is eight . Each of the probes hybridized specifically to one or two bands of similar size in most strains . With the exception of the MGL1 probe, when two bands were detected by one probe, the size of one of them was very conserved whilst the other was of fairly variable size . The sizes of the chromosome bands assigned by the MGL1 probe were much more variable . As C . albicans is considered to be a diploid organism, it is inferred that the karyotype polymorphism between strains is mainly derived from wide size heterogeneity in one of the homologous chromosomes . Furthermore, we have confirmed species-specific and strain-specific variation in medically important Candida species (C . stellatoidea, C . tropicalis, C . parapsilosis, C . krusei, C . guilliermondii, C . kefyr and C . glabrata) . Electrophoretic karyotype analysis is thus useful for species assignation . The TUB2 probe, encoding C . albicans beta-tubulin, hybridized to the chromosomal DNA of all the Candida species examined, but four C . albicans probes exhibited cross-species hybridization with C . stellatoidea only . The karyotype of C . stellatoidea seems to be within the range of the intraspecies variation observed in C . albicans. J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Dec, 136 ( Pt 12), 2421 - 32 Wall mannoproteins in cells from colonial phenotypic variants of Candida albicans; Martinez JP et al.; Candida albicans ATCC 26555 switched at high frequency (10(-1) to 10(-3)) between several phenotypes identified by colony morphology on a defined mineral amino-acid-containing agar medium supplemented with arginine and zinc (LAZ medium) . When cells taken from colonies exhibiting distinct morphologies were plated directly onto LAZ agar, spontaneous conversion to all the variant phenotypes occurred at combined frequencies of 2.1 x 10(-1) to 9.5 x 10(-3) . However, when cells taken from the different colonial phenotypes were plated directly onto an undefined medium (yeast extract/peptone/dextrose; YPD medium), or first incubated in liquid YPD medium and then cloned on YPD agar, all colonies observed exhibited the same phenotype (smooth-white) . When cells from the smooth-white colonies were plated as clones on LAZ agar, the original switch phenotype reappeared . These results suggest that environmental conditions such as the growth medium (and possibly the temperature) influence switching by suppressing phenotype expression, but have no effect on genotype . The variant colony morphologies also appeared to be associated with differences in the relative proportions of yeast and mycelial cells . Zymolyase digests of wall preparations obtained from cells belonging to different colonial phenotypes were analysed by SDS-PAGE . After blotting to nitrocellulose paper, the mannoproteins were stained with Concanavalin A, with a polyclonal antiserum enriched in antibodies against mycelium-specific wall components, and with a monoclonal antibody raised against a high-molecular-mass mannoprotein band (260 kDa) specific to the walls of mycelial cells . The results suggest that phenotypic switching might be associated with changes in the degree of glycosylation in high-molecular-mass mannoproteins, or in the way these mannoproteins are bound to other cell wall components. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1990 Dec, 34(12), 2304 - 6 Effects of pentamidine alone and in combination with ketoconazole or itraconazole on the growth of Candida albicans; St-Germain G; The in vitro interaction of pentamidine with ketoconazole and with itraconazole was studied with 10 strains of Candida albicans isolated from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients and one azole-resistant strain . Although growth curves indicated that concentrations of 1 microgram or more of pentamidine per ml significantly inhibited the growth of C . albicans, MICs and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) were greater than or equal to 10 micrograms/ml . Combinations of ketoconazole and pentamidine did not appear to have any significant effect on MICs or MFCs with most strains . However, the azole-resistant strain exhibited a 2-log decrease in MIC when exposed to ketoconazole combined with 1.0 microgram or more of pentamidine per ml . Similar results were obtained with itraconazole . An Eagle, or paradoxical, effect was observed with four strains exposed to itraconazole alone and in combination with 0.01 and 0.1 microgram of pentamidine per ml . This effect was not seen when concentrations of pentamidine reached 1.0 microgram/ml . Although no fungicidal effect was observed with any of these drugs alone, itraconazole combined with 10 micrograms of pentamidine per ml was fungicidal for eight strains . No signs of antagonism between pentamidine and these two antifungal agents were observed. Infect Immun, 1990 Nov, 58(11), 3765 - 9 Recognition of binding sites on Candida albicans by monoclonal antibodies to human leukocyte antigens; Mayer CL et al.; Candida albicans exhibits examples of human molecular mimicry, including receptors resembling human steroid receptors and human complement receptor (CR)-like receptors that bind the complement fragments C3d and iC3b . To further characterize the epitopes of the Candida human CR-like molecules, a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against epitopes within the human CR3 was used . MAbs Mo1, M1/70HL, and 7C3 bound to the germ tube, as assessed by immunofluorescence . MAbs Leu15, 60.1, and 95G8 did not bind . Miscellaneous MAbs against other antigens on human leukocytes (B2, 3D9, and OKT4) did not bind . However, MY9, which recognizes a monocyte antigen, bound extensively to the germ tube . The binding of certain anti-CR3 MAbs suggested limited identity between the Candida CR3-like receptor and the human CR3 . The binding of MY9 identified an antigen recognized by a MAb to a human cell antigen not previously known to exist on C . albicans. Mycopathologia, 1990 Nov, 112(2), 105 - 12 Efficacy of brain heart infusion-egg albumen agar, yeast extract phosphate agar and peptone glucose agar media for isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis from sputum; Chaturvedi S et al.; The efficacy of brain heart infusion (BHI)-egg albumen agar, yeast extract phosphate agar and several modified peptone glucose agar media was evaluated for isolation of Blastomyces dermatitidis from sputum concomitantly seeded with the yeast form of the pathogen and Candida albicans . Based upon high per cent culture positivity of sputum, improved recovery (CFU/ml) of the seeded inoculum, faster growth rate of B . dermatitidis and low level of contamination, BHI-egg albumen agar, followed by yeast extract phosphate agar are recommended as the media of choice for the isolation of B . dermatitidis from contaminated clinical specimens. Przegl Dermatol, 1990 Nov-Dec, 77(6), 399 - 404 {The usefulness of determining specific immunoglobulins E in atopic dermatitis in light of personal investigations}; Bajcar S; In 67 patients with allergic dermatitis the levels of total IgE and specific IgEs against 14 allergens were determined by the FAST-test method . The most frequently raised levels of specific IgE were found against the following allergens: dog epidermis, timothy grass, Candida albicans, beef . Test by FAST method confirmed increased levels of total and specific IgEs in most cases of atopic dermatitis. Zhonghua Min Guo Xiao Er Ke Yi Xue Hui Za Zhi, 1990 Nov-Dec, 31(6), 396 - 401 {Congenital cutaneous candidiasis: report of two cases}; Chiou CB et al.; Congenital cutaneous candidiasis is a very rare disease . We reported two newborn infants in whom generalized skin eruption was noted at birth, characteristics of erythematous papules and pustules . The eruption involved head, face, neck, trunk and extremities . Candida albicans was demonstrated on direct KOH smear, by surface fungal cultures and skin biopsy . The disease implies a congenital intrauterine infection and is different from neonatal candidiasis which manifests as thrush, diaper dermatitis . The route of infection is ascending in congenital cutaneous candidiasis . The skin eruption is usually noted at birth or within 12 hours after delivery as a diffuse erythematous maculopapula, with pustules or vesicles distributed over head, face, neck, trunk and extremities . There is no fever; other constitutional signs are lacking . No evidence of impaired immunological responsiveness has been noted in previous study . Clinical features, direct smear examination of specimen and appropriate cultures are useful in differentiating the lesions from other more common dermatoses of the neonatal period . Topical antifungal therapy is sufficient unless systemic candidiasis is present . Prognosis for congenital cutaneous candidiasis is good. J Appl Bacteriol, 1990 Nov, 69(5), 692 - 6 A comparison of the sterol content of multiple isolates of the Candida albicans Darlington strain with other clinically azole-sensitive and -resistant strains; Howell SA et al.; The mechanism of azole resistance of Candida albicans NCPF 3310 (the deposited culture of the Darlington strain) has been investigated but never fully explained . Seven isolates of this strain, from various sources, were examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to detect changes in the sterol composition following passage through many laboratories over several years . Five of the seven, including one recently isolated from the patient, were found to be similar to each other in sterol content, containing large amounts of fecosterol . Of the remaining two, one was thought to be a sensitive variant, both produced only small quantities of fecosterol and resembled the normal clinical strains and other azole-resistant strains in sterol content . The sterol composition of the Darlington strain was unique and apparently stable to prolonged in vitro experimentation and passage through the patient. Br Vet J, 1990 Nov-Dec, 146(6), 519 - 30 The influence of a low cobalt intake on the neutrophil function and severity of Ostertagia infection in cattle; Paterson JE et al.; Two trials involving housed cattle examined the effect of Co depletion and supplementation on immune status as assessed by the neutrophil function test which measures the ability of isolated neutrophils to kill the yeast Candida albicans . A third trial investigated the extent to which Co status influenced the severity of Ostertagia ostertagi infection . In the first two trials liveweight gains were unaffected until some 40-60 weeks on the low dietary Co intake despite very low serum vitamin B12 values being recorded after 10 weeks . However, the immune status as measured by the neutrophil function test was reduced within 10 weeks of commencing the low Co diet . On administration of Ostertagia ostertagi larvae, Co-depleted cattle showed a greater weight loss than Co-supplemented cattle but showed no difference in the length of the prepatent period, worm egg production or serum gastrin and pepsinogen concentrations . After anthelmintic treatment both groups showed a similar response . It is postulated that the lowered immune response of Co-depleted cattle resulted in the greater severity of the Ostertagia ostertagi infection. Acta Paediatr Scand, 1990 Nov, 79(11), 1031 - 8 Decreased adherence, chemotaxis and phagocytic activities of neutrophils from preterm neonates; Bektas S et al.; Using microanalytic assays various phagocytic functions of separated neutrophils from preterm neonates (mean birthweight 1,506 g, n = 13) were simultaneously studied . Adherence of neutrophils to nylon fibre was decreased in cells from preterm infants (77.1 +/- 3.1%) when compared with adult controls (86.9 +/- 2.1%, mean +/- 1 SD, p less than 0.05) . In addition neutrophil chemotaxis in response to zymosan activated serum was reduced in preterm neonates (131.9 +/- 19.7, adults 166.6 +/- 11.1, p less than 0.001); directed migration towards Formyl-Methionyl-Leucyl-Phenylalanine was also decreased (preterm neonates 93.4 +/- 15, adults 111.1 +/- 16.8, p less than 0.05) . Preterm infants had a higher percentage of slow moving neutrophils when compared with adults (p less than 0.001) . Phagocytosis of Candida albicans was reduced in neutrophils from preterm neonates (phagocytic index: preterm neonates 41.4 +/- 12.7, adults 83 +/- 7.2) . Adult neutrophils ingested more Candida per cell (p less than 0.001) . Chemiluminescence, exocytosis of elastase and lactoferrin during uptake of opsonized zymosan was also reduced in neutrophils from preterm neonates . However, random migration, phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus and production of O2- in response to Phorbol myristate acetate or opsonized zymosan were identical in cells from either source . We conclude, that these abnormalities of neutrophils could predispose the preterm infant to serious and often overwhelming bacterial and fungal infections. J Dent Res, 1990 Nov, 69(11), 1717 - 23 Primary structure and anticandidal activity of the major histatin from parotid secretion of the subhuman primate, Macaca fascicularis; Xu T et al.; A major macaque histatin (M-histatin 1) from the parotid secretion of the subhuman primate, Macaca fascicularis, was isolated by gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-2 and purified to homogeneity by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a TSK-ODS C18 column . The complete amino acid sequence of M-histatin 1, determined by automated Edman degradation, is: (formula; see text) M-histatin 1 contains 38 amino acid residues, a phosphoserine at residue 2, has a molecular weight of 4881.8, a calculated pI of 8.5, and histidine forms 26.3% of the mass . The hydropathicity plot of M-histatin 1 predicts that the molecule is entirely hydrophilic, and Chou-Fasman secondary prediction indicates that the polypeptide is devoid of alpha-helix and beta-sheet conformation in aqueous solutions but contains a series of beta turns . M-histatin 1 includes a six-amino-acid insert (residue 10-15) not present in human histatins and, with the introduction of gaps to maximize homology, it displays 89% and 91% sequence similarity with human histatins 1 and 3, respectively . M-histatin 1 exhibited fungicidal and fungistatic effects against the dimorphic pathogen, Candida albicans, in three separate bioassays . Its anticandidal effects were comparable with or greater than those of human histatins 1, 3, and 5 . M-histatins 2, 3, and 4 were not sequenced directly because insufficient materials were available, but the amino acid composition of M-histatin 3 was nearly identical to that of the N-terminal 20 amino acid residues of M-histatin 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Infect Immun, 1990 Nov, 58(11), 3810 - 2 Fab fragments from a monoclonal antibody against a germ tube mannoprotein block the yeast-to-mycelium transition in Candida albicans; Casanova M et al.; Fab fragments prepared from the immunoglobulin G monoclonal antibody (MAb) 4C12, which reacts with a determinant expressed on the hyphal extension of germ tubes of Candida albicans, inhibited germ tube formation, but intact MAb 4C12 did not . Indirect immunofluorescence showed a punctate binding pattern on cells incubated with Fab fragments but a confluent binding on cells incubated with intact MAb 4C12. Infect Immun, 1990 Nov, 58(11), 3537 - 44 Immunoreactivity of neoglycolipids constructed from oligomannosidic residues of the Candida albicans cell wall; Faille C et al.; To establish a model to study the immunoreactivity of oligosaccharidic structures from the Candida albicans cell wall, we attempted to construct neoglycolipids with these residues by using oligomannosides released after mild acid hydrolysis of the phosphopeptidomannans isolated from yeast forms . From a mixture of manno-oligosaccharides ranging from mannobiose to mannononaose, the structure of a quantitatively major component (mannotriose) was determined to be Man (beta 1-2) Man (beta 1-2) Man alpha by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance analysis . After coupling of the pool of oligosaccharides to a lipid (4-hexadecylaniline), the synthesized molecules were injected into mice and rats . Antibody responses were detected on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay plates coated with either phosphopeptidomannans or neoglycolipids . The hybrid molecules exhibited both immunogenicity and antigenicity . The kinetics of antibody responses as well as immunofluorescence patterns observed on whole C . albicans cells strongly mimicked results from the immunization of animals with natural antigens . Construction of neoglycolipids could therefore provide an interesting approach to the study of specific oligosaccharides of C . albicans and their recognition by the host immune system. Infect Immun, 1990 Nov, 58(11), 3469 - 76 Partial biochemical characterization of cell surface hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of Candida albicans; Hazen KC et al.; Hydrophobic yeast cells of Candida albicans are more virulent than hydrophilic yeast cells in mice . Results of experiments performed in vitro suggest that surface hydrophobicity contributes to virulence in multiple ways . Before definitive studies in vivo concerning the contribution of fungal surface hydrophobicity to pathogenesis can be performed, biochemical, physiological, and immunochemical characterization of the macromolecules responsible for surface hydrophobicity must be accomplished . This report describes our initial progress toward this goal . When hydrophobic and hydrophilic yeast cells of C . albicans were exposed to various enzymes, only proteases caused any change in surface hydrophobicity . Hydrophobic cell surfaces were sensitive to trypsin, chymotrypsin, pronase E, and pepsin . This indicates that surface hydrophobicity is due to protein . Papain, however, had no significant effect . The hydrophobicity of hydrophilic cells was altered only by papain . The proteins responsible for surface hydrophobicity could be removed by exposure to lyticase, a beta 1-3 glucanase, for 30 to 60 min . When 60-min lyticase digests of hydrophobic and hydrophilic cell walls were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) with a 12.5% resolving gel, each protein population contained a single unique protein that was not evident in the other protein population . However, when the cell wall surface proteins of hydrophobic and hydrophilic cells were first labeled with 125I and then removed by lyticase and analyzed by SDS-PAGE, at least four low-molecular-mass (less than 65 kilodaltons) proteins associated with hydrophobic cells were either absent or much less abundant in the hydrophilic cell digests . This result was seen for both C . albicans strains that we tested . When late-exponential-phase hydrophilic cells were treated with tunicamycin, high levels of surface hydrophobicity were obtained by stationary phase . These results indicate that the surface hydrophobicity of C . albicans reflects changes in external surface protein exposure and that protein mannosylation may influence exposure of hydrophobic surface proteins. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1990 Nov, 56(11), 3482 - 4 Effect of aflatoxins on rat peritoneal macrophages; Cusumano V et al.; Phagocytosis, intracellular killing of Candida albicans, and superoxide production by rat peritoneal macrophages exposed to aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, B2a, and M1 at several times and concentrations were analyzed to evaluate the intensity of a depressive effect for each mycotoxin . All aflatoxins used at very low concentrations had a depressive effect on the functions of macrophages . The biggest impairment of phagocytosis, intracellular killing, and spontaneous superoxide production was observed in macrophages exposed to aflatoxins B1 and M1. Mycoses, 1990 Nov-Dec, 33(11-12), 567 - 73 Clotrimazole and bifonazole in the topical treatment of Candida keratitis in rabbits; Behrens-Baumann W et al.; Using a reproducible model of Candida albicans keratitis in rabbits we studied the effect of topical clotrimazole and bifonazole . Candida albicans DSM 70010 (2.5 X 10(5) cells) was injected into the corneal stroma of both eyes of 28 rabbits . All eyes developed a corneal ulcer . Fourty-eight hours after inoculation the animals were divided into four groups: I (14 eyes) receiving 10 X clotrimazole 1% drops and subsequently removing the epithelium; II (14 eyes) receiving only clotrimazole drops; III (8 eyes) receiving 6 x bifonazole 1% drops and IV (19 eyes) serving as control (0.9% NaCl castor oil, untreated), 6 eyes of this group were also debrided . A further 6 rabbits were used respectively to judge if the drugs penetrated into the cornea and aqueous humor . There was a significant difference between the clotrimazole group with debridement (I) and the bifonazole group (IV) concerning hypopyon and complications (descemetocele, corneal perforation) . Clotrimazole penetrated into the cornea and after debridement into the aqueous humor . Bifonazole could not be identified in the cornea or aqueous humor. Mycoses, 1990 Nov-Dec, 33(11-12), 527 - 37 Biotyping of Candida strains with regard to the epidemiology of candidosis . A practical approach; Tomsikova A et al.; In 62 strains of Candida albicans cultivated from specimens of patients with recurrent vaginal candidosis or with renal transplants, the biotypes were determined according to several characters: colony morphology, production of chlamydospores, auxanogram of C- and N-substances, zymogram, growth kinetics, adherence capability, proteolytic activity, sensitivity to 6 antimycotics, and serotypes . On the basis of this typing system the endogenous and exogenous sources of chronic vaginal candidosis as well as the sources of systemic candidosis in patients with renal transplants could be evaluated. Mycoses, 1990 Nov-Dec, 33(11-12), 519 - 26 Indirect immunofluorescence staining and crossed immunoelectrophoresis for differentiation of Candida albicans and Geotrichum candidum; Jensen HE et al.; Rabbit hyperimmune antisera were used for differential diagnosis of Candida albicans and Geotrichum candidum in murine and bovine tissues by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) staining . Although the antisera did not detect common antigens by crossed immunoelectrophoresis (XIE) a marked cross-reactivity of fungal cells was observed in the IIF assay . Following liquid phase absorption with heterologous antigenic preparations the hyperimmune antisera were rendered specific for each species thus making possible an unequivocal differentiation of the two species. Zhonghua Min Guo Wei Sheng Wu Ji Mian Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1990 Nov, 23(4), 271 - 6 Effect of exogenous fat emulsion on phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear cells in septic rats; Chen WJ et al.; The effect of exogenous fat emulsion on phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells in sepsis was studied in rats . The rats were divided into four groups . Group I, non-septic rats received saline infusion; group II, non-septic rats received exogenous fat emulsion; group III, septic rats received saline infusion; and group IV, septic rats received exogenous fat emulsion . Twenty hours after operation to induce sepsis, normal saline or exogenous fat emulsion was injected . Two hours later, the animal was sacrificed and the blood harvested . PMN cells were isolated from the blood, and phagocytic activity of the cells was studied by culture with Candida albicans . The results revealed that although sepsis led to a suppression of phagocytic function of PMN cells, infusion of exogenous fat emulsion had no deterious effect on the cell phagocytic activity in either septic or non-septic rats. Immunobiology, 1990 Nov, 181(4-5), 276 - 87 Comparative activation states of tumor-associated and peritoneal macrophages from mice bearing an induced fibrosarcoma; Valdez JC et al.; Balb/c mice bearing a methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma were used to compare the activation levels of tumor-associated and peritoneal macrophages . Two stages of tumor growth were examined, namely "small" and "large" tumors, with average diameters of 10 and 30 mm, respectively . The activation state, determined by measurement of both phagocytic index and beta-glucuronidase content, was found to be markedly higher in tumor-associated macrophages than in their peritoneal counterparts and it was, in addition, independent of tumor progression . The percentage of tumor-associated macrophages, which were detected on the basis of Fc receptor expression, remained constant in the growing neoplasm, at approximately 23% of total cell population . None of these parameters were affected by inoculation with an immunopotentiating dose of heat-killed Candida albicans which, on the other hand, seemed not to alter the course of the tumor . These data suggest that within the tumor microenvironment macrophages would somehow be maintained at a constant proportion and at a highly activated state, while outside the tumor they would be at a lower activation level . Our results also suggest that TAM would not possess antitumor activity in vivo, although we have found this activity in vitro. J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Nov, 136 ( Pt 11), 2149 - 54 Involvement of calcium, calmodulin and protein phosphorylation in morphogenesis of Candida albicans; Paranjape V et al.; N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine-induced germ tube formation in Candida albicans at 37 degrees C was accompanied by an increase in the rate of protein phosphorylation . The calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine and the Ca2+ ionophore A23187, which inhibited germ tube formation, also reduced the rate of phosphorylation . The rate of phosphorylation was also reduced when cells were incubated at 25 degrees C, which favoured yeast-phase growth . Two-dimensional SDS-PAGE analysis of phosphoproteins from germ-tube-forming and yeast cells revealed two germ-tube-specific and three yeast-specific phosphoproteins . Germ tubes and hyphae had more calmodulin activity than yeast cells, irrespective of the germ-tube-inducing condition used . As a first step towards understanding the inhibitory effect of trifluoperazine on germ tube formation, calmodulin from C . albicans was purified to homogeneity . It was heat stable, and displayed a pronounced Ca2(+)-induced shift in electrophoretic mobility. J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Nov, 136 ( Pt 11), 2143 - 8 Receptor-mediated elevation of adenylate cyclase by luteinizing hormone in Candida albicans; Williams RJ et al.; Human luteinizing hormone (hLH) and the GTP analogue guanosine 5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate stimulated morphogenesis in the dimorphic fungal pathogen Candida albicans . hLH bound specifically to subcellular fractions from C . albicans and stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in C . albicans microsomes . We provide the first demonstration of guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) in C . albicans, and propose that the stimulation of C . albicans morphogenesis by hLH is mediated by a receptor-coupled adenylate cyclase system involving G-proteins. Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi, 1990 Nov, 94(11), 1007 - 11 {The suppressive effect of intravenous fluconazole against endogenous candida endophthalmitis in rabbits}; Isobe Y et al.; The therapeutic effect of intravenous fluconazole against endogenous candida endophthalmitis was investigated in rabbits . Twelve albino rabbits and a candida strain isolated from the human vitreous were used . Endogenous candida endophthalmitis was made by intravenous inoculation of 8 x 10(5) candida albicans spores in rabbits . In the first of two series of experiments, three rabbits out of six were injected intravenously with 5 mg/kg.b.w . of fluconazole at 30 minutes, 1 day and 2 days after inoculation . Another three control rabbits received no medication . The clinical course of the eyes was observed for a week and the viable cell numbers of candida in the eye were counted at 7 days after inoculation . Three rabbits treated with fluconazole developed no ocular lesions and no candida spores whatsoever were isolated from the eyes . In contrast, three rabbits in the control group developed bilateral chorioretinitis and candida albicans was isolated from each of 6 eyes . In the second series, three out of six rabbits were injected intravenously of the same dose of fluconazole as described above for four days starting at 3 days after inoculation, when chorioretinitis was first observed . No medication was given to another three rabbits as a control . All six rabbits in this series developed chorioretinitis similarly and candida spores were isolated from all eyes at 7 days after inoculation . These results show that intravenous fluconazole is effective in the prevention of the endogenous candida endophthalmitis in rabbits but ineffective for these short term therapeutic applications after onset. J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Nov, 136 ( Pt 11), 2155 - 63 Lymphoproliferative and cytotoxic responses of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to mannoprotein constituents of Candida albicans; Torosantucci A et al.; Two major proteoglycan constituents (designated F1 and F2) of the cell wall of Candida albicans were separated by ion-exchange chromatography from a crude carbohydrate-rich extract (GMP), and investigated for their chemical and molecular composition, antigenicity and immunomodulatory properties in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) . Both fractions consisted predominantly of Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and concanavalin A (Con A)-reactive material consisting of greater than 90% mannose, 3-5% protein and small amounts of phosphorus; each was recognized by an anti-Candida rabbit serum as well as by a monoclonal antibody (mAb AF1) directed against an oligosaccharide epitope present on the fungal cell surface . When F1 and F2 were subjected to SDS-PAGE, transblotted and stained with enzyme-conjugated mAb AF1 or Con A, most of the antibody or lectin bound to high molecular mass (greater than 200 kDa) polydisperse material, some of which was present in F2 (as in the starting GMP extract) but absent in F1 . This difference was also observed in PAS-stained gels of the two fractions . The F2, but not the F1, constituent was as active as the unfractionated GMP extract in inducing lymphoproliferation, production of the cytokines interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma, and generation of cytotoxicity against a natural-killer-sensitive target cell line (K562) . These immunomodulatory properties were, like those possessed by GMP, protease-sensitive and heat-stable . Treatment of PMBC cultures with a modulatory anti-T-cell receptor antibody abolished the lymphoproliferation induced by GMP and F2 but not that induced by phytohaemagglutinin, showing that the mannoprotein materials of C . albicans acted through interaction with the antigen receptor complex. N Z Med J, 1990 Oct 24, 103(900), 505 - 7 The spectrum of systemic candidiasis at Auckland Hospital; Fraser AG et al.; Systemic candidiasis is uncommon . We reviewed our experience with this disease from the infectious disease unit, Auckland Hospital, between 1982 and 1988, because many of these patients are referred to us . We then selected 11 of them to highlight particular presentations, diagnostic or management issues . We included both compromised and noncompromised patients from medical and surgical services . Candida albicans was the most common cause, but we also saw patients infected with C glabrata, C parapsilosis, and C tropicalis and present them to exemplify their different clinical presentations . Demonstrable fungaemia is uncommon in patients with systemic candidiasis, serological techniques are both insensitive and nonspecific and patients are often too ill from underlying disease to allow for invasive diagnostic procedures . Thus diagnosis is often difficult . Parenteral amphotericin B with or without 5-fluorocytosine is still the main antifungal treatment . Triazole antifungals may change that in the future . Systemic candidiasis retains a high mortality: careful individualised management of patients may improve mortality and morbidity. Blood, 1990 Oct 15, 76(8), 1580 - 5 Effect of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor administration on the lymphocyte subsets of patients with refractory aplastic anemia; Faisal M et al.; Human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) was administered to 14 patients with refractory aplastic anemia (AA) . The effect of rhGM-CSF therapy on the lymphocyte phenotype; on the proliferative responses to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin, Candida albicans, and tetanus toxoid antigens; and on the natural killer (NK) activity of the circulating lymphocytes was studied . Samples were collected before (baseline) and twice during the rhGM-CSF administration . The absolute number of circulating lymphocytes remained relatively constant during the first period, but experienced a significant increase (P less than .001) during the second period . The increase was most prominent in the B cells (P less than .001), but the T cells (P less than .016) also increased . Detailed investigation of lymphocyte subsets showed an increase of the markers CD38 (Leu17), HLA-DR, and the transferrin receptor throughout the treatment course giving evidence of lymphoid cell activation . The NK cell activity was suppressed (P less than .008) throughout the treatment . However, proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin, Candida antigen, and tetanus toxoid were unaffected . Although the mechanism is not yet defined, GM-CSF does induce activation and increase in absolute lymphoid cell number, especially B cells, together with a decrease in NK cytotoxicity . The implication of these immune cell changes in relation to host resistance to microorganisms remains to be established. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen, 1990 Oct 10, 110(24), 3123 - 4 {Intraocular Candida albicans infection}; Bakken A; The article discusses three patients with an intraocular Candida albicans-infection . Vitrectomy was performed on two patients in whom the infection occurred after abdominal surgery . Both had significant corpus vitreum involvement . One of these patients regained good visual acuity, while in the other patient preretinal proliferation caused permanently reduced vision . The third patient had only chorioretinal involvement . After intracranial surgery for acusticus neurinoma his general condition deteriorated and he developed septicemia . He was treated with intravenous amphotericin B and visual acuity returned to normal . Early diagnosis and treatment are important for satisfactorily preservation of vision . Therefore patients in risk groups with ocular complaints should be referred immediately to an ophthalmologist . Early diagnostic and therapeutic vitrectomy should be considered for all patients with suspected vitreous involvement. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1990 Oct, 34(10), 1996 - 2006 19F nuclear magnetic resonance study of fluoropyrimidine metabolism in strains of Candida glabrata with specific defects in pyrimidine metabolism; Fasoli MO et al.; Flucytosine (5-FC)-resistant strains were isolated from the haploid opportunistic pathogen Candida glabrata by UV-induced mutation and fluoropyrimidine selection . These strains were characterized biochemically, and the metabolism of fluorinated pyrimidines was studied by 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy . No evidence was obtained from these studies for degradative metabolism of the fluorinated derivatives . In the parental susceptible strain of C . glabrata, 5-fluorouracil but not 5-FC was detected within the cells . 5-Fluorouracil was also present in the culture supernatant after incubation of the cells with 5-FC . The distribution of fluorinated derivatives within the 5-FC-resistant strains was consistent with their genotype . Two strains of C . glabrata which had only a partial loss of cytosine deaminase and UMP pyrophosphorylase activity had high levels of resistance to 5-FC . Both C . glabrata and Candida albicans were susceptible to 5-fluorouridine . This compound but not the anticancer drug 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine was shown to be transported into susceptible cells by a specific uridine permease. J Clin Pharm Ther, 1990 Oct, 15(5), 365 - 9 Microbial contamination and preservation efficacy of cough preparations; Na'was TE et al.; Cough syrups, manufactured by four different Jordanian pharmaceutical companies, were examined for microbial contents and efficacy of preservation from fungal and bacterial contamination . Five per cent of the tested samples were found to be contaminated by Candida albicans and 30% of the products examined did not comply with the pharmacopoeial requirements for optimal preservation from fungal contamination . All the products tested were free from bacteria and were efficiently preserved against accidental bacterial contamination. J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Oct, 136 ( Pt 10), 1937 - 43 Inhibition of the dimorphic transition of Candida albicans by the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor 1,4-diaminobutanone: alterations in the glycoprotein composition of the cell wall; Martinez JP et al.; Hyphal development in Candida albicans was selectively blocked by the ornithine decarboxylase competitive inhibitor 1,4-diaminobutanone (DAB) . Inhibition of hyphal development required DAB during both yeast inoculum growth and subsequent incubation at 37 degrees C to induce mycelial growth . This effect was not due to general growth inhibition since DAB did not inhibit yeast growth, and reduced protein synthesis by 30% at most . Moreover, protein synthesis was unaffected by DAB when cells were pre-grown in drug-containing media . Since DAB inhibited dimorphic transition at 37 degrees C, morphology- and temperature-dependent protein synthesis could be distinguished . DAB stimulated the synthesis of several yeast wall-proteins, irrespective of morphology or growth temperature, and two at 37 degrees C only, but it inhibited the synthesis of a single mycelial-specific glycoprotein species. J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Oct, 136 ( Pt 10), 1925 - 36 Switching at the cellular level in the white-opaque transition of Candida albicans; Bergen MS et al.; The 'white-opaque transition' in Candida albicans strain WO-1 provides a unique system for analysing high-frequency switching at the cellular level because of the difference in the budding phenotypes of the white and opaque phases . Single white and opaque cells were placed on agar and monitored for the dynamics of cell division, microcolony genesis and switching to the alternative phase . It is demonstrated that at 24 degrees C, opaque cells can switch directly to white cells but white cells first generate an elongate, pseudohyphal-shaped precursor in the transition to an opaque cell . Cells in either phase can generate a daughter cell in the alternative phase, then revert immediately to the genesis of subsequent daughter cells in the original phase . By developing a mathematical model for switching at the cellular level which subtracts mother cells and switched daughter cells from the pool of switching candidates, the probability for an opaque cell to generate a white daughter cell in any single generation was calculated to be 1.0 x 10(-1) and the probability for a white cell to generate an opaque daughter cell in any single generation was calculated to be 1.7 x 10(-5) at 24 degrees C on nutrient agar . The mean number of generations before an opaque cell generated a white daughter cell was calculated to be 3.4 and the mean number before a white cell formed an opaque cell was calculated to be 15.8 at 24 degrees C on nutrient agar . Finally, high-temperature induction of the opaque to white transition was analysed at the cellular level and demonstrated to involve frequent bipolar formation of white daughter cells on the original opaque mother cell, and in some cases intermediate phenotypes. FEMS Microbiol Immunol, 1990 Oct, 2(3), 147 - 53 Structures involved in the binding of human fibrinogen to Candida albicans germ tubes; Annaix V et al.; Recent evidence for the interaction between human fibrinogen and Candida albicans germ tubes have led us to attempt to characterize the structures involved . Using 125I-radiolabeled proteins, fibrinogen purified by affinity chromatography and its plasmin degradation products, the binding sites on the fibrinogen molecule appeared to be located specifically in the D-domain . Conversely to the fibrinogen and the fragment D, radiolabeled fragment E, however, did not interact with cells . The binding was time-dependent, saturable and reversible . Scatchard analysis of the data obtained revealed an average of 6000 binding sites per germ tube with dissociation constant (Kd) of 5.2 X 10(-8) M . No potent competition was observed for a range of different proteins and carbohydrates . Fibrinogen fragment D binding proteins were identified using a dithiothreitol-iodoacetamide extract of the fungus . By sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting, one component of 68 kDa was detected . Thus, the presence of fibrinogen binding proteins specifically localized on the cell wall surface of C . albicans germ tubes may constitute one of the factors involved in the development of candidosis. J Autoimmun, 1990 Oct, 3(5), 523 - 30 Spontaneous antibody-secreting cells against DNA and common environmental antigens in systemic lupus erythematosus; Dar O et al.; Cells spontaneously secreting IgG or IgM antibodies to DNA or to common environmental antigens--influenza virus haemagglutinin, adenovirus hexon and mannan from Candida albicans--have been enumerated by ELISA spot in blood from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and normal donors . Mean values were raised for all antigens in the disease, with those for DNA being no greater than for the other antigens . In normal donors, levels of IgM-secreting cells were similar for DNA and the environmental antigens whereas virtually no IgG anti-DNA secreting cells were found . When results were expressed relative to total numbers of IgG or IgM-secreting cells, the differences between the groups disappeared or were greatly reduced in all systems except IgG anti-DNA . These findings are consistent with a requirement for both polyclonal activation and a self-antigen response in the production of IgG autoantibodies in SLE. Ophthalmic Surg, 1990 Oct, 21(10), 726 - 8 Retinal toxicity and in vitro efficacy study of cilofungin (LY121019); Shahsavari M et al.; We assessed the retinal toxicity of a new antifungal agent, cilofungin, by injecting it into the vitreous body of albino rabbit eyes in dosages of 2.5 micrograms to 320 micrograms . The maximum intravitreal drug concentration (320 micrograms) produced no histological evidence of retinal toxicity . Electroretinography data showed some variations, but no toxicity at the highest dose (320 micrograms) . When efficacy was evaluated in vitro against Candida albicans, the minimal inhibitory concentration was 2.50 micrograms/mL, using Sabouraud's broth or M3 medium . The minimal fungicidal concentration was 5 micrograms/mL with Sabouraud's broth, and 10 micrograms/mL with M3 medium . Cilofungin is a potentially safe antifungal for the treatment of candida endophthalmitis. Genitourin Med, 1990 Oct, 66(5), 357 - 60 Intermittent prophylactic treatment of recurrent vaginal candidiasis by postmenstrual application of a 500 mg clotrimazole vaginal tablet; Roth AC et al.; The therapeutic efficacy of intermittent, monthly, postmenstrual prophylaxis with a single 500 mg clotrimazole vaginal tablet (n = 33) was compared with placebo tablets (n = 29) in 62 woman (age 28.1, SD 7.2 years) with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis . The number of episodes of acute vulvovaginal candidiasis experienced during the year prior to inclusion was 6.3, SD 1.9 . The cumulative recurrence frequency after 6 months intermittent prophylaxis with clotrimazole (30.3%) was lower (p less than 0.001) than that recorded for the women who received placebo (79.3%) . After an additional 6 months observation period without treatment there was no significant difference in the cumulative recurrence frequency between the groups (clotrimazole 84.9%; placebo 86.2%) . The vagina was recolonised with Candida albicans in 70% of the women after 6 months prophylactic treatment with clotrimazole and in 86% of the women who had received placebo . Thus, this study has demonstrated that postmenstrual prophylactic treatment with a single 500 mg clotrimazole vaginal tablet, applied monthly, prevents recurrence of symptoms, although it does not eliminate yeasts from the vagina. Ann Surg, 1990 Oct, 212(4), 496 - 510; discussion 511-2 The process of microbial translocation; Alexander JW et al.; The process of microbial translocation was studied using Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, or endotoxin instilled into Thiry-Vella loops of thermally injured guinea pigs and rats . Translocation of C . albicans occurred by direct penetration of enterocytes by a unique process different from classical phagocytosis . Translocation between enterocytes was not observed . Internalization was associated with a disturbance of the plasma membrane and brush border, but most internalized organisms were not surrounded by a plasma membrane . Passage of the candida into the lamina propria appeared to be associated with disruption of the basal membrane with extrusion of cytoplasm of the cell and candida . Organisms in the lamina propria were commonly phagocytized by macrophages but also were found free in lymphatics and blood vessels . Translocation of E . coli and endotoxin also occurred directly through enterocytes rather than between them, but translocated endotoxin diffused through the lamina propria and muscular wall of the bowel wall by passing between rather than through the myocytes . These descriptive phenomena provide new insight into the role of the enterocyte and intestinal immune cells in the translocation process. Arch Dermatol, 1990 Oct, 126(10), 1334 - 6 Severe phototoxic burn following celery ingestion; Ljunggren B; A 65-year-old woman developed a severe, generalized phototoxic reaction following a visit to a suntan parlor . History taking revealed that she had consumed a large quantity of celery root (Apium graveolens) 1 hour earlier . With the use of thin-layer chromatography, methoxsalen (8-methoxypsoralen) and 5-methoxypsoralen were identified in the extract from a similar celery root . The biologic activity of this extract, as evaluated with the semiquantitative Candida albicans inhibition technique, indicated a total psoralen dose of approximately 45 mg . Substantial amounts of psoralen may be absorbed from vegetables, such as celery, and under unusual circumstances, this may constitute a health hazard. Obstet Gynecol, 1990 Oct, 76(4), 651 - 5 Torulopsis glabrata vaginitis: clinical aspects and susceptibility to antifungal agents; Redondo-Lopez V et al.; Torulopsis glabrata is second only to Candida albicans in frequency of isolation from the vagina in both asymptomatic women and patients with yeast vaginitis . We retrospectively studied 33 patients from whom vaginal isolates of T glabrata were obtained . Torulopsis glabrata caused symptomatic vaginitis in 42% of the patients but was unassociated with symptoms in 30%; in 27% of patients, its importance was uncertain because of concomitant pathology . Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed on 39 T glabrata strains isolated from 39 patients . The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the majority of T glabrata isolates fell within the sensitive range of the antimycotic drugs tested; however, no correlation was found between in vitro antifungal MICs and the response to azole drug therapy . Clinical success was achieved in 67% of the patients although mycologic cure occurred in only 33% . A small number of patients developed recurrent and often chronic Torulopsis vaginitis unresponsive to conventional therapy . Limited experience suggests that vaginal boric acid therapy may be of value in these recalcitrant cases. CMAJ, 1990 Oct 1, 143(7), 641 - 6 Gastrointestinal function and structure in HIV-positive patients; Sutherland LR et al.; We examined 19 patients (17 men) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and gastrointestinal symptoms to determine whether those symptoms were due to either a gastrointestinal tract infection or a defect in mucosal absorption because of an enteropathy . The erythrocyte folate and serum vitamin B12 levels were within normal limits in all of the patients . The serum ferritin level was elevated in 12 . The xylose absorption test results were abnormal in 8 of the 13 patients able to complete the study . None of the duodenal aspirates yielded a pathogen . Light microscopy revealed nonspecific lymphocytic inflammation without infection in the stomach (in seven patients), the esophagus (in five), the duodenum (in two) and the rectum (in two) . However, biopsy specimens were positive for Candida albicans in the esophagus (four patients), cytomegalovirus in the esophagus (one) and the rectum (two), Helicobacter pylori in the antrum (two), Treponema infection in the rectum (two) and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare in the small intestine (one) . Only three patients had a normal series of biopsy specimens . All of the patients had similar ultrastructural changes at the epithelial-stromal junction of the antral glands and in the intestinal crypts . We conclude that abnormal biochemical and endoscopic findings are common in HIV-positive patients with gastrointestinal symptoms . Defects in carbohydrate absorption and ultrastructural changes may be responsible for some aspects of HIV enteropathy. Blood, 1990 Oct 1, 76(7), 1405 - 9 Release of tumor necrosis factor by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes; Djeu JY et al.; Evidence is presented that human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) can be induced to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) . Other investigators have previously reported that TNF has been induced from macrophages by bacteria and, more recently, from natural killer cells by certain tumor cells . Our laboratory has reported that the opportunistic fungi, Candida albicans, can induce TNF, not only from human monocytes, but also from Percoll-fractionated large granular lymphocytes . We now report that incubation of PMN with C albicans for 3 hours was sufficient for detection of TNF release, and peak induction was observed at 8 to 18 hours . This release was inhibitable by actinomycin D, an inhibitor of RNA synthesis, as well as by emetine and cycloheximide, which block protein synthesis . The TNF produced by PMN was neutralized by specific monoclonal antibodies against human TNF . These results represent an important finding that TNF production is a normal response of PMN to stimulation by fungi such as C albicans and suggest that the release of TNF may be related to autocrine activation of PMN effector function to control Candida growth. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei), 1990 Oct, 46(4), 195 - 201 Cross-reactivity among antigens of different air-borne fungi detected by ELISA using five monoclonal antibodies against Penicillium notatum; Shen HD et al.; Cross-reactivity among antigens of 12 genera of air-borne fungi, 13 species of Penicillium, and 5 species of Aspergillus was studied by ELISA using five monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against Penicillium notatum . Epitopes recognized by all the five MoAbs were susceptible to treatment of mild periodate oxidation and may therefore be associated with carbohydrates . Furthermore, our results showed that there is cross-reactivity among antigens of Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Eurotium species . By using these MoAbs, cross reactivity was not detected between antigens of Penicillium notatum and antigens of Fusarium solani, Alternaria porri, Cladosporium cladosporoides, Curvularia species, Nigrospora species, Aureobasidium pullulans, Wallemia species, Rhizopus arrhizus, and Candida albicans . Cross-reactivity among antigens of 11 species of Penicillium and 5 species of Aspergillus could be detected by ELISA using one of the five MoAbs (MoAb P15) . The fact that there may be cross-reactivity among antigens of closely related fungi species should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of mold allergic diseases. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1990 Oct, (10), 109 - 12 {The phenotypic expression of the genes controlling the yield of a factor suppressing macrophage migration to Candida albicans antigens and tuberculin in mice}; Vorob'ev KV et al.; The regulation of the synthesis of factor inhibiting the migration of macrophages in response to C . albicans antigen in CBA (H-2k) and C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice has been studied . The low level of macrophage migration inhibition factor in response to this antigen is due to the existence of cyclophosphamide-inhibited specific suppressors . Differences between various strains of mice ensue from different activity of suppressors of thymic origin, whose nature has been revealed as the result of the transfer of marrow cells treated with anti-Thy-1 serum. Biochem Int, 1990 Oct, 22(1), 11 - 20 Defective plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase or orthovanadate resistant mutants from Candida albicans, a pathogenic yeast; Mahanty SK et al.; Orthovanadate-resistant mutants of diploid yeast Candida albicans were isolated by using two step mutational process . Such mutants had altered plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase activity . Based on the levels of PM-ATPase activity, these mutants could be grouped into two categories; one group included those mutants which did not exhibit reduction in PM-ATPase activity while the other displayed a reduction of upto 40% in enzyme activity . These mutants exhibited a number of distinct phenotypic characteristics and altered abilities with regard to phenotypic divergence . Results demonstrate the importance of PM-ATPase in overall physiology of this pathogenic yeast. Infect Immun, 1990 Oct, 58(10), 3319 - 24 Role of granulocytes in increased host resistance to Candida albicans induced by recombinant interleukin-1; Kullberg BJ et al.; The effect of human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) on a systemic candidal infection in mice under various conditions of immunosuppression was investigated . In normal mice and in mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide, hydrocortisone acetate, or sublethal total body irradiation, the outgrowth of Candida albicans in the kidney was significantly reduced by the administration of a single intraperitoneal dose of 80 ng of IL-1 (P less than 0.05) . In mice treated with either cyclophosphamide or irradiation, IL-1 also significantly reduced the outgrowth of C . albicans in the spleen . The protective effect of IL-1 was present when given 24 h before injection of C . albicans but also when IL-1 was given simultaneously with or 6 h after injection of C . albicans in cyclophosphamide-treated mice . The effect of IL-1 was independent of the presence or recruitment of granulocytes, since IL-1 inhibited the outgrowth of C . albicans in the kidneys and spleens of mice that were rendered severely granulocytopenic (less than 50 granulocytes per mm3) throughout the duration of the infection by either repeated injections of cyclophosphamide or sublethal total body irradiation . These results indicate that the enhancement of host resistance by IL-1 is not due solely to increased granulocytopoiesis or chemotaxis of granulocytes but strongly suggest that other mechanisms play a role in the protective effect of IL-1 against systemic infections. J Med Chem, 1990 Oct, 33(10), 2755 - 9 Antimicrobial properties of N3-(iodoacetyl)-L-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid-peptide conjugates; Andruszkiewicz R et al.; Six peptide conjugates consisting of either norvaline, methionine, or lysine and N3-(iodoacetyl)-L-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid--a strong, irreversible inactivator of bacterial and fungal glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase--were synthesized and their antibacterial and antifungal activities were evaluated . Antimicrobial potencies of these peptides were correlated with their transport and cleavage rates inside the cells . Bacteriolysis of Bacillus pumilus cells and inhibition of {14C}glucose incorporation into cell-wall polysaccharides of Candida albicans as a result of glucosamine 6-phosphate inactivation were also observed . Reversal of growth inhibitory effect of these peptides by N-acetylglucosamine in bacteria and fungi suggests the effective delivery of N3-iodoacetyl-L-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid into the cell by a peptide-transport system. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents, 1990 Oct-Dec, 4(4), 142 - 9 A mannoprotein constituent of Candida albicans cooperates with antigen in the induction of a specific primary antibody response in cultures of human lymphocytes; Luzzati AL et al.; The effects of Candida albicans mannoproteins on the induction of a primary antibody response to a T-dependent antigen, sheep erythrocytes (SRBC), in cultures of human blood lymphocytes, were investigated . Two experimental systems (bulk and limiting dilution cultures) allowing the detection of both enhancing and inhibitory effects, were used . In bulk cultures, antigen alone elicited a small number of specific antibody forming cells, unless IL-2 was supplied . Addition of the fungal mannoprotein extract or of a purified constituent of it increased 5 to more than 10 times the specific response . When limiting dilution analysis was performed, we observed that: a) a similar number of specific precursor cells was induced by antigen and either IL-2 or mannoprotein; b) the plot of the number of seeded cells versus the log of the fraction of negative cultures was linear in antigen and IL-2 triggered cultures but constantly deviated from linearity when the candidal stimulant was added . Thus, more than one type of precursor cell was limiting in these cultures, and the immunoenhancing effect of mannoprotein may involve multiple cellular interactions. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1990 Oct, (10), 35 - 8 {The interaction of neutrophilic granulocytes with Candida albicans fungi in the formation of mycotic foci under conditions of immunodepression}; Khokhlov SE et al.; In the electron-microscopic study of the interaction of neutrophil granulocytes with the fungal species C . albicans in the process of the formation of mycotic foci in mice under the conditions of cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression, mouse leukocytes have been found to retain their capacity for migration to the focus of inflammation and for the phagocytosis of fungal cells . At the same time the fungicidal activity of leukocytes is decreased, which is manifested by the prevalence of viable fungal cells with the partially digested cell wall in the cytoplasm of leukocytes. J Formos Med Assoc, 1990 Oct, 89(10), 863 - 7 Fungemia: analysis of 43 cases; Lin HH et al.; This report reviews the cases of 43 patients with 48 episodes of fungemia, and examines the clinical significance of fungemia and the results of treatment . All episodes were nosocomial infections . Candida albicans (60.4%), Candida parapsilosis (16.7%), and Candida tropicals (14.6%) were the most common fungal pathogens isolated from blood cultures . Patients with Candida albicans had a better survival rate than those with other species (p = 0.011) . Polymicrobial fungemia was noted in 5 patients (11.6%) . Most patients had underlying diseases and predisposing factors . Intravascular catheters (100%), broad-spectrum antibiotics administration (100%), surgical procedures (46.5%) and total parental alimentation (41.9%) were the most common predisposing factors . The clinical manifestations were not characteristic and consisted of nonspecific signs of sepsis . The overall mortality rate was 79% . We did not find any improvement in the mortality rate of our patients treated with amphotericin B . Early recognization, immediate removal of predisposing factors, and correction of underlying conditions is most important for patients with fungemia . We also suggest that fungal infection should be considered early when a febrile patient at high risk dose not improve with broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy. Clin Microbiol Rev, 1990 Oct, 3(4), 321 - 34 Candida albicans strain delineation; Merz WG; Candida albicans is a major opportunistic pathogen causing a wide spectrum of disease in human beings . Methods for strain delineation of this species to assess or predict virulence or to conduct epidemiologic or pathogenetic investigations have been developed . Although factors associated with virulence have been identified, there is no rapid system to quantitate them in a clinical laboratory . Therefore, many typing methods are based on variable phenotypic characteristics within this species including morphotyping, serotyping, antibiogram, resistogram typing, biotyping, biotyping based on commercial carbon assimilation patterns, enzyme profiles, sensitivity to yeast killer toxins, and typing based on protein variability . Phenotypically defined strains generally do not correlate with the pathogenic potential of a strain with the exception of morphotyping . However, these methods can be useful in epidemiologic investigations; for example, they have revealed that most individuals harbor one strain and that infections are frequently due to an endogenous strain . Problems with these methods usually relate to their discriminatory power . When this is maximized, reproducibility (especially between laboratories) suffers . Recently, methods based on differences in DNA structure (genotyping) for strain delineation have been developed, including electrophoretic karyotyping and restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphisms . The development of a computer-assisted data bank and analysis for these genotypic strain delineators will open investigations into the pathogenesis of this infection and permit epidemiologic studies previously not possible with this important human pathogen. Microbiologica, 1990 Oct, 13(4), 347 - 51 Antifungal chemoprophylaxis in cancer children: a prospective randomized controlled study; Caselli D et al.; We report a prospective, randomized, controlled study of antifungal chemoprophylaxis in forty immunocompromised children with hematologic malignancies, receiving respectively itraconazole, ketoconazole, amphotericin-B and no prophylaxis . Fungal isolates from patients' saliva or stools were obtained from 19/40 patients (Candida albicans from 15 patients) . Disseminated infection was never observed . Fungal isolates were significantly less frequent in the ketoconazole group of patients vs any other group . Systemic antifungal chemoprophylaxis with ketoconazole appears more effective even than the recently introduced itraconazole. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1990 Oct, (10), 106 - 9 {Cross-reacting Candida albicans antigens in the pathogenesis of candidiasis}; Karaev ZO et al.; Organ- and tissue-specific antigens with affinity to C . albicans have been detected in some organs and tissues of the body . The occurrence of C . albicans colonization of different organs correlates with the presence of cross-reacting antigens in these organs. J Immunol Methods, 1990 Sep 14, 132(2), 205 - 9 Detection by immunofluorescent anti-idiotypic antibodies of yeast killer toxin cell wall receptors of Candida albicans; Polonelli L et al.; Yeast killer toxin cell wall receptors of Candida albicans were observed by indirect immunofluorescence using an affinity purified rabbit anti-idiotypic antiserum . The antiserum had been raised against a monoclonal antibody neutralizing the in vitro activity of a killer toxin produced by a selected strain of Hansenula anomala UCSC 25F . This simple procedure permitted the location of killer toxin cell wall receptors in various morphological phases of the yeast cells . The use of the indirect immunofluorescence technique with anti-idiotypic antibodies may have potential value in determining the occurrence of killer toxin receptors in other microbial systems. Arch Intern Med, 1990 Sep, 150(9), 1929 - 33 The limited value of symptoms and signs in the diagnosis of vaginal infections; Schaaf VM et al.; The etiology of vaginitis can be difficult to prove . To determine the relationship between clinical criteria (symptoms and signs) and three causes of vaginitis, we prospectively evaluated 22 criteria in 123 unselected symptomatic patients . Diagnoses of Candida albicans and Trichomonas vaginalis infection were based on culture . Bacterial vaginosis was defined by the presence of 3 of 4 clinical criteria . Only 49% of our patients received diagnoses, and itching was the only symptom more frequently noted among those with diagnoses . Symptoms did not differ among the three infections, and lack of vaginal odor in yeast infection was the only significantly different physical sign . Yeast and trichomonads were seen on microscopy in 63% and 75% of culture-positive specimens . Bacterial vaginosis had no significant clinical criteria beyond those that defined the diagnosis . We conclude that presenting symptoms and signs in vaginitis evaluation have limited value, and that half of the women with vaginitis may lack a microbiologic diagnosis. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo), 1990 Sep, 38(9), 2476 - 86 Triazole antifungals . II . Synthesis and antifungal activities of 3-acyl-4-methyloxazolidine derivatives; Konosu T et al.; Triazole compounds with an oxazolidine ring were designed and synthesized as a potential inhibitor of the fungal cytochrome P450 14 alpha-demethylase . In testing for antifungal activity against a mouse systemic Candida albicans infection, (4R,5R)-3-acyl-4-methyloxazolidine derivatives 4 exhibited remarkably high efficacy after oral or parenteral dosing . The potent activity of 4 is hypothesized to be a consequence of a structural similarity between 4 and lanosterol, a target molecule of the cytochrome P450 14 alpha-demethylase . Highly stereoselective synthesis of these oxazolidines is also described. J Int Med Res, 1990 Sep-Oct, 18(5), 389 - 99 A comparison of butoconazole nitrate cream with econazole nitrate cream for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis; Ruf H et al.; In a randomized, single-blind, parallel study the safety and efficacy of 2% butoconazole nitrate cream used for 3 days were compared with those of 1% econazole nitrate cream used for 7 days at night in patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis . Patients in both treatment groups had positive potassium hydroxide smears and fungal cultures, and were similar in age, disease duration and history, obstetric history and contraceptive use . Of the 75 patients enrolled, 63 with a Candida albicans infection were included in the efficacy analyses . Evaluations were made at the start of the study (visit 1), after 10-23 days (visit 2) and after 24-45 days (visit 3) . Both drugs significantly reduced all signs and symptoms, and at visits 2 and 3 the percentages of patients considered microbiologically, clinically and therapeutically cured were consistently higher for butoconazole- than for econazole-treated patients, although differences were not statistically different . Although both drugs were safe and well tolerated, it is concluded that butoconazole because of its much shorter regimen and superior clinical and microbiological performance was the drug of choice. Clin Exp Allergy, 1990 Sep, 20(5), 549 - 54 IgE, IgA and IgG antibodies and delayed skin response towards Candida albicans antigens in atopics with and without saprophytic growth; Savolainen J et al.; Immunoblotting and RAST were used to analyse IgE, IgA and IgG responses to antigens of Candida albicans . These were compared with the delayed skin response and C . albicans carriage in 40 atopic subjects . The majority of the atopic patients showed a strong IgG and IgA antibody response towards mannan, a carbohydrate, but only occasionally to proteins . Altogether 22 of the 40 patients showed specific IgE towards C . albicans by immunoblotting . The IgE response was mainly towards proteins, particularly to ones with molecular weights of 29 kD and 46 kD, and only in eight out of 22 IgE-positive subjects towards mannan . The IgG and IgA responses to mannan and the total IgE response towards C . albicans assessed by RAST showed an association with C . albicans carriage, whereas the delayed skin response showed an inverse relationship . The immunological parameters characteristic of C . albicans carriage were found to be C . albicans-specific depressed delayed skin response and elevated IgE, IgA and IgG responses . This situation in the atopics presenting such parameters may favour simultaneous sensitization and exposure by colonization . The degree of sensitization may be sufficiently high to produce symptomatic allergy, such as asthma, in some individuals during occasional overgrowth of C . albicans, e.g . due to antibiotic therapy. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1990 Sep, 38(7), 719 - 22 {In vitro antifungal activity of mercurobutol}; Boiron P; Mercurobutol, in its commercial form, exhibits fungistatic and fungicidal activities against both yeasts: Candida albicans, C . tropicalis, Torulopsis glabrata, Pityrosporum spp., and filamentous fungi: dermatophytes, Aspergillus fumigatus, mainly saprophytic or potentially pathogenic fungi of the cutaneo-mucous flora . Minimal inhibitory concentrations on this antiseptic indicate a high susceptibility of the species tested, that could justify the enlargement of the indication of the drug to the complementary treatment of most cutaneous mycosis. Mycopathologia, 1990 Sep, 111(3), 165 - 8 The effect of mycophenolic acid on the cell cycle of Candida albicans; Quinn CM et al.; Mycophenolic acid inhibited the growth of Candida albicans . Cultures exposed to a concentration of 8.4 micrograms ml-1 mycophenolic acid were found to exhibit cell cycle arrest with two or more buds . Nuclear staining revealed that these were nucleate implying a possible defect in cytokinesis . The results are discussed in relation to the possible mode of action of mycophenolic acid. J Med Microbiol, 1990 Sep, 33(1), 43 - 9 The relationship between colonisation, secretor status and in-vitro adhesion of Candida albicans to buccal epithelial cells from diabetics; Darwazeh AM et al.; This study investigated whether oral candida infection in diabetics and adhesion of Candida albicans to buccal epithelial cells in vitro were related . Buccal cells from 50 patients with diabetes mellitus showed a significant increase in adhesion of C . albicans strain CDS 88 compared with those collected from 50 non-diabetic controls matched for age, sex and denture status . Oral candida carriage, candida infection and secretor status were also investigated in both groups . The frequency of carriage was increased, but not significantly, and there was a significantly higher incidence of candida infection in diabetic patients compared with controls . Diabetic patients who were non-secretors had a significantly increased frequency of oral candida carriage. Microbiol Rev, 1990 Sep, 54(3), 226 - 41 Genetics of Candida albicans; Scherer S et al.; Candida albicans is among the most common fungal pathogens . Infections caused by C . albicans and other Candida species can be life threatening in individuals with impaired immune function . Genetic analysis of C . albicans pathogenesis is complicated by the diploid nature of the species and the absence of a known sexual cycle . Through a combination of parasexual techniques and molecular approaches, an effective genetic system has been developed . The close relationship of C . albicans to the more extensively studied Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been of great utility in the isolation of Candida genes and development of the C . albicans DNA transformation system . Molecular methods have been used for clarification of taxonomic relationships and more precise epidemiologic investigations . Analysis of the physical and genetic maps of C . albicans and the closely related Candida stellatoidea has provided much information on the highly fluid nature of the Candida genome . The genetic system is seeing increased application to biological questions such as drug resistance, virulence determinants, and the phenomenon of phenotypic variation . Although most molecular analysis to data has been with C . albicans, the same methodologies are proving highly effective with other Candida species. Transplantation, 1990 Sep, 50(3), 506 - 10 Evaluation of amphotericin B-cyclosporine interaction in the rat; Langston JD et al.; Although a significant interaction between cyclosporine and amphotericin-B (AmpB) has been observed clinically, these findings have not been duplicated in animal studies . A total of 64 male albino rats were used in single- and multiple-dose experiments with AmpB and CsA in the absence or presence of systemic Candida infection . No significant differences in glomerular filtration rate were found in rats given single i.v . doses of AmpB 1 mg/kg compared with AmpB and CsA . Furthermore, rats given i.p . AmpB 1 mg/kg and CsA 10 mg/kg daily for 10 days showed no significant differences in GFR compared with animals given CsA alone . Morphology and CsA whole-blood pharmacokinetics were not different between groups administered single-dose CsA, AmpB, or the combination; similarities also existed with multiple-dose studies . In an attempt to mimic the clinical setting, 2 groups of rats were administered i.p . CsA 10 mg/kg/day for 10 days followed by inoculation of Candida albicans . After 48 hr, a single i.v . dose of AmpB 1.0 mg/kg was associated with a 33% decline in GFR compared with those given sterile water (P less than 0.05) . Systemic clearance of CsA was markedly reduced in candidiasis rats administered AmpB compared with controls given sterile water . A significant reduction in renal Candida colony-forming units was found in rats given CsA and AmpB compared with those administered CsA alone . These data suggest that the presence of systemic Candida highlights the interaction of CsA and AmpB in the rat model. Infect Immun, 1990 Sep, 58(9), 2750 - 4 Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is induced in mice by Candida albicans: role of TNF in fibrinogen increase; Riipi L et al.; One intraperitoneal dose of Candida albicans (10(8) CFU) caused a chronic (longer than 2 months), significant elevation of plasma fibrinogen levels (Clauss method) in mice of strain C3H/HeN . Even a small dose (10(6) CFU) resulted in a significant increase in fibrinogen level for 5 days following injection, whereas other blood parameters (leukocytes, erythrocytes, platelets, hematocrit, hemoglobin, blood urea nitrogen, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, antithrombin III, glucose, calcium, and total protein) measured by standard methods were normal . Blood taken during this period was negative for C . albicans . The role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in C . albicans infections was investigated by measuring the fibrinogen response after the administration of C . albicans or recombinant mouse TNF-alpha . Both challenges resulted in an elevated fibrinogen level . When polyclonal antibodies to mouse TNF-alpha were given prior to challenge with C . albicans or mouse TNF-alpha, the fibrinogen increase was significantly inhibited . C . albicans injections were found to significantly elevate endogenous TNF levels in mice (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) . It was concluded that C . albicans induces TNF in the mouse . Furthermore, these data give evidence which supports a relationship between TNF and the fibrinogen increase induced by C . albicans. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1990 Sep, 34(9), 1672 - 7 Effects of antiretroviral dideoxynucleosides on polymorphonuclear leukocyte function; Roilides E et al.; Dideoxynucleosides (zidovudine{AZT}, dideoxycytidine{ddC}, and dideoxyinosine{ddI}) are promising new agents for the management of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections . In light of recent data demonstrating defects in the polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) bactericidal activity of HIV-1-infected patients and since many chemotherapeutic agents affect PMN function, we examined their effects on the function of PMNs from both healthy and HIV-1-infected individuals in vitro . AZT (0.1 to 25 microM), ddC (0.01 to 1 microM), and ddI (0.2 to 50 microM) had no effect on viability, chemotaxis to N-fromylmethionyl leucyl phenylalanine, phagocytosis of Candida albicans or Staphylococcus aureus, or superoxide production following stimulation by N-formylmethionyl leucyl phenylalanine . Killing of C . albicans was not affected by AZT but was enhanced by 0.1 and 1 microM ddc (a 1 microM, killing was 26.0 +/- 2.02% compared with 17.0 +/- 0.73% for controls: P = 0.006) and 0.2 to 50 microM ddI (at 10 microM, killing was 25.0 +/- 0.68% compared with 17.8 +/- 0.91% for controls; P = 0.002) . Killing of S . aureus was unchanged by AZT and ddC but was significantly enhanced by ddI at 0.2 to 20 microM (at 2 microM, killing was 71.2 +/- 5.57% compared with 51.4 +/- 6.29% for controls; P = 0.0045) . In addition, the preexisting defective bactericidal capacity of PMNs from HIV-1-infected patients was enhanced by ddI (P less than 0.025) . Potential enhancement by these dideoxynucleosides of certain PMN functions of HIV-1-infected patients deserves further study. Cell Immunol, 1990 Sep, 129(2), 271 - 87 Induction of LAK-like cells in the peritoneal cavity of mice by inactivated Candida albicans; Scaringi L et al.; We have investigated the effect of multiple administrations of inactivated Candida albicans (CA) cells on induction of non-MHC-restricted antitumor cytotoxic responses both in normal and congenitally athymic (nude) mice . Intraperitoneal inoculation of CD2F1 mice with five doses of 2 x 10(7) CA cells over a 2-week interval was associated with the induction of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) that mediated natural killer cell activity . These cells, in contrast to those elicited by a single dose of CA, killed both NK-sensitive and NK-resistant tumor target cells in vitro . This broad-spectrum, antitumor cytotoxicity peaked 1 day after the last injection of CA, and decreased to control values within 6 (NK-resistant) or 14 (NK-sensitive target cells) days . Cytotoxicity could be recalled to a high level by a boosting injection of CA or a major mannoprotein-soluble antigen (MP) from the Candida cell wall, given 30 days after multiple CA treatment . Upon a 24-hr in vitro incubation, CA-induced peritoneal immunoeffectors lost their killing activity unless human recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) was added to cultures . The non-MHC-restricted cytotoxic PEC activity induced by CA was mainly associated with nonadherent, nonphagocytic large granular lymphocytes (LGL) which exhibited the following phenotypes: (i) asialo GM1+, Lyt 2.2-, and partially Thy 1.2+ (effectors active against NK-sensitive targets) and (ii) asialo GM1+, Lyt 2.2-, and Thy 1.2+ (effectors active against NK-resistant targets) . Nude mice also responded to multiple CA inoculations by displaying high cytotoxic activity against NK-sensitive targets and significant cytotoxicity against NK-resistant targets . This cytotoxicity could be recalled on Day +30, and the cytotoxic effectors involved were highly sensitive to anti-asialo GM1 plus complement treatment . Overall, the results add further experimental evidence to the wide range of immunomodulatory properties possessed by C . albicans, and demonstrate that the majority of antitumor cytotoxic activity induced by fungal cells was due to lymphokine-activated killer (LAK)-like effectors. Cesk Epidemiol Mikrobiol Imunol, 1990 Sep, 39(5), 294 - 302 {Serological identification of medically significant yeasts}; Tomsikova A et al.; The authors describe possibilities of serological identification of medically significant yeasts by means of agglutination with specific monofactorial sera . This method permits identification of different species within several minutes and has, as compared with laborious biochemical methods which take several days, considerable advantages . The authors examined 265 clinical isolates of yeasts by means of slide agglutination and 11 morphological and biochemical tests . Agreement between results of serological and conventional identifications was recorded in 98.5% of the tested strains . One of the advantages of serological assessment of yeasts is also the possibility of rapid differentation of serotypes of the very frequently occurring species Candida albicans. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1990 Sep, 26(3), 399 - 409 Relation between the therapeutic efficacy of imipenem in an experimental infection in granulocytopenic mice and its effect on murine intestinal microbial ecology; van Ogtrop ML et al.; A study was performed to assess the effect of parenteral administration of imipenem on the intestinal microbial ecology of mice in relation to the therapeutic efficacy of the drug . The therapeutic effect of imipenem was assessed in a short-term experimental thigh muscle infection with Escherichia coli in irradiated mice . The maximum antibacterial effect of imipenem was approached at a single dose of 80 mg/kg . At this dose of imipenem the number of viable E . coli in the thigh muscle decreased from 9 x 10(6) to 4 x 10(5), whereas in untreated controls this number increased from 9 x 10(6) to 2 x 10(8) . Daily administration of a dose of 80 mg/kg imipenem caused significant changes in the intestinal flora of conventional mice, despite the low concentrations of the drug (about 1 mg/kg) found in the caecum 30 min after infection of this dose . These changes consisted of an increase in the number of E . coli and enterococci and a decrease in the number of Staphylococcus aureus in the faeces . Furthermore, at this dose of imipenem, the number of Candida albicans recovered from the faeces after oral contamination with this organism was increased . We conclude from these animal experiments that the use of imipenem in high doses causes ecological changes in the intestinal bacterial flora with the potential to promote colonization by candida. Tokai J Exp Clin Med, 1990 Sep, 15(5), 395 - 9 Heat production due to intracellular killing activity; Hayatsu H et al.; Using Saccharomyces ceravisiae, Candida albicans and Stapylococcus aureus, heat production during phagocytosis was measured in U937 cells which are capable of differentiating to monocytic phagocytes . No increase in heat production of non-differentiated U937 was observed since they were not phagocytic cells . However after differentiation to monocytic phagocytes by lymphokine, U937 cells produced a remarkable amount of heat during phagocytosis . Although Ehrlich ascites tumor cells sensitized with antibody were capable of engulfing S . aureus, no increase in heat nor in superoxide anion production during phagocytosis was detected . It was also found that no heat increase occurred in neutrophils from a patient with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) . It can thus be concluded that the heat production during phagocytosis is due to the intercellular killing process of phagocytic cells. Infect Immun, 1990 Sep, 58(9), 2869 - 74 Altered hepatic clearance and killing of Candida albicans in the isolated perfused mouse liver model; Sawyer RT et al.; The adherence of Candida albicans was studied in situ by using the perfused mouse liver model . After exhaustive washing, 10(6) C . albicans were infused into mouse livers . At the time of recovery, 62 +/- 5% (mean +/- standard error of the mean) of the infused C . albicans were recovered from the liver and 14 +/- 3% were recovered from the effluent for a total recovery of 76 +/- 4% . This indicates that 86 +/- 3% of the original inoculum was trapped by the liver and that 24 +/- 4% was killed within the liver . Chemical pretreatment of C . albicans with 8 M urea, 12 mM dithiothreitol, 2% beta-mercaptoethanol, 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 10% Triton X-100, or 3 M potassium chloride or enzyme pretreatment with alpha-mannosidase, alpha-chymotrypsin, subtilisin, beta-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, pronase, trypsin, papain, or lipase did not alter adherence of C . albicans to hepatic tissue . By contrast, pepsin pretreatment significantly decreased hepatic trapping . Simultaneous perfusion with either 100 mg of C . albicans glycoprotein per liter or 100 mg of C . albicans mannan per liter also decreased trapping . Furthermore, both substances eluted previously trapped C . albicans from hepatic tissue . Chemical pretreatment with 8 M urea, 12 mM dithiothreitol, or 3 M KCI or enzymatic pretreatment with alpha-mannosidase, subtilisin, alpha-chymotrypsin, or papain increased killing of C . albicans three- to fivefold within hepatic tissue . The data suggest that mannose-containing structures on the surface of C . albicans, for example . mannans or glucomannoproteins, mediate adherence of C . albicans within the liver . Indirectly, chemical and enzymatic pretreatment renders C . albicans more susceptible to hepatic killing. Mycoses, 1990 Sep-Oct, 33(9-10), 435 - 40 Fluconazole in the treatment of oropharyngeal candidosis in HIV-positive patients; Just-Nubling G et al.; 106 HIV-positive patients with 129 episodes of oropharyngeal Candida infection were treated with fluconazole (50-300 mg/d) . Treatment lasted from 4 to 23 days . The majority of patients were in more advanced stages of HIV infection (82% AIDS cases) . Therapy with fluconazole led to complete healing or improvement of clinical symptoms in 93% of all treatment courses . However, according to cultural findings, an elimination or recession of pathogens was achieved in only 70% of cases . Cultural monitoring showed a slow reduction of pathogens, as opposed to a fairly rapid clinical improvement . Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated Candida species (n = 128); the most selected Candida species during treatment were C . glabrata, C . krusei, and C . inconspicua . It is remarkable that C . glabrata, a low-grade pathogen, caused enanthema in 2 patients and a typical oral thrush in 1 patient . Fluconazole was well-tolerated, and apart from mild gastro-intestinal symptoms in 1 patient, no severe side effects were observed. Mycoses, 1990 Sep-Oct, 33(9-10), 431 - 4 Oral carriage of yeasts in two villages in Papua New Guinea; Clayton YM et al.; Oral swabs were taken from 194 subjects in two villages in Papua New Guinea . Yeasts were isolated from 103 (53.1%) individuals of which 41 (21.1%) were Candida albicans . A wide variety of other yeasts were also identified. Brain Behav Immun, 1990 Sep, 4(3), 180 - 8 Evaluation of immunologic assays to determine the effects of differential housing on immune reactivity; Salvin SB et al.; The mechanism is being investigated to determine specifically how an environmental variation such as differential housing can influence the multiple components of the host defense mechanism . Male C3H/HeJ mice were housed either one or five per cage . Cells and sera from these mice were analyzed and compared by several immunologic techniques to determine in which cells or tissues the effect of differential housing was most pronounced . The individually housed mice (a) had a greater capacity to phagocytose dead cells of Candida albicans . (b) had spleens that produced more macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) . (c) were more responsive to M-CSF, (d) had peritoneal macrophages that released greater quantities of interleukin-1 in vitro into the surrounding medium and that had a greater capacity to migrate toward a chemotactic stimulus, and (e) had higher titers of IgM hemagglutination antibody to sheep erythrocytes . Differential housing of mice may therefore be a highly important modulator and indicator of the nature and extent of an animal's immunologic response to an environmental stimulus. Arzneimittelforschung, 1990 Sep, 40(9), 1068 - 72 {Immunomodulating effect of lysed immunoactive fractions of selected Escherichia coli strains on the macrophage system . An in vitro study}; Hockertz S; The immunomodulator Uro-Vaxom (an immunoactive fraction of E . coli, FEC) is a therapeutic agent used to control bacterial infections . FEC was applied to macrophages of C57BL/6 mice to investigate the in vitro activation of these cells of the unspecific immune system . Experiments were designed to test the secretory, immuno-regulatory and cytotoxic function of macrophages after application of FEC . As presented here, production of Interleukin-6 and tumor-necrosis-factor were significantly and dose-dependent way increased, whereas it was not possible to induce a secretion of Interleukin-1 . In addition, FEC activated macrophages kill Leishmania donovani promastigotes, Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus . In comparison to a pressed echinaceae-preparation, FEC activated mouse macrophages secrete Interleukin-6 and tumor-necrosis-factor and kill protozoa, fungi and bacteria, with higher efficiency. Arzneimittelforschung, 1990 Sep, 40(9), 1044 - 7 Interaction of fluconazole and human phagocytic cells . Uptake of the antifungal agent and its effects on the survival of ingested fungi in phagocytes; Wildfeuer A et al.; 3H-labelled fluconazole (CAS 86386-73-4) very rapidly penetrated into polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNLs) and macrophages (monocytes) isolated from volunteers . The concentration of the antimycotic in the PMNLs was about 28% and in the macrophages even 63% above that in the extracellular medium . At the concentrations examined (5, 10 and 20 micrograms/ml) fluconazole damaged cells of Candida albicans which had been phagocytized by PMNLs or macrophages . There is an evident synergism between therapeutically attainable concentrations of fluconazole and phagocytic cells and this militates against the intracellular survival of the fungus. Infect Immun, 1990 Sep, 58(9), 2804 - 8 Evidence that Candida stellatoidea type II is a mutant of Candida albicans that does not express sucrose-inhibitable alpha-glucosidase; Kwon-Chung KJ et al.; Candida stellatoidea is classically distinguished from C . albicans by the ability of the latter species to assimilate sucrose . We show here that sucrose-positive revertants of C . stellatoidea type II are readily isolated and that C . stellatoidea type II strains probably resulted from a mutation in the sucrase gene of C . albicans . The revertants were not laboratory contaminants, as determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and retention of an auxotrophic marker . The reversion of three tested strains was accompanied by 16 to 110-fold increases in expression of a sucrase/alpha-glucosidase but not an invertase, with a Km for sucrose of about 1 mM . The enzyme activity was assayable in intact cells . The drastically increased expression of such an enzyme would allow extracellular sucrose hydrolysis and assimilation of the monosaccharide products. Zhonghua Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1990 Sep, 25(5), 294 - 6, 318 {The laboratory examination of Candida albicans}; Wang BY; This study compares the laboratory methods in detecting candidas causing oral candidiasis and suggests that smear method is the main one . PAS stain is the best for diagnosis, and the potassium hydroxide method is the easiest and quickest in handling . As to those uncertained by smear method, culture should be done . For those positive on Sabouraud's medium, the germ tube test should be performed and positive results can be regarded as candida albicans . If negative the chlamydospore production as well as the carbohydrate fermentation and assimilation should be done. J Immunol Methods, 1990 Aug 7, 131(2), 269 - 75 A fast and easy method to determine the production of reactive oxygen intermediates by human and murine phagocytes using dihydrorhodamine 123; Emmendorffer A et al.; Analysis of the functional activity of phagocytes is of great importance in the differential diagnosis of patients with recurrent bacterial infections . Here we describe a method to determine the production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) by microcytofluorometry using dihydrorhodamine 123, a derivative of rhodamine 123 . Using this method the ROI production of erythrocyte-depleted whole blood samples can be measured without further time-consuming purification steps . Possible harmful manipulation of the isolated cells can also be avoided and highly reproducible and significant results are obtained in the minimum of time . This assay provides a very sensitive alternative to the clinically used NBT test in the diagnosis of patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) . Moreover, the analysis of oxygen-dependent effector functions of murine effector cells and cell lines may be important in investigating resistance to certain microbes (e.g., Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus or different protozoa such as Toxoplasma gondii or Leishmania species). J Pediatr Surg, 1990 Aug, 25(8), 878 - 80 The diagnosis of pneumonia in the immunocompromised child: use of bronchoalveolar lavage; Winthrop AL et al.; Between January 1987 and December 1988, 26 immunocompromised children (aged 15 months to 17 years) underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for evaluation of pneumonia (chemotherapy for malignancy, 12; orthotopic liver transplantation, 9; other hematologic disease, 5) . Bilateral diffuse pulmonary disease was present in 25 children . All were receiving broad spectrum antibiotics . In addition, five were receiving antiviral therapy and two were receiving antifungal therapy . Sixteen patients underwent rigid and 10 underwent flexible bronchoscopy . Two lavages of 10 to 20 mL of normal saline were obtained from involved subsegmental bronchi of both lungs in each patient . Second wash samples from each lung were sent for bacterial and viral cultures, silver staining for pneumocystis, and direct electronmicroscopy analysis for viral particles . Samples were considered satisfactory if they contained an abundance of alveolar macrophages and only small numbers of upper respiratory tract epithelial cells . Alveolar macrophages were present in 21 (81%) of the BAL samples . A specific infectious agent was identified in 15 of these patients (cytomegalovirus {CMV}, 6; Pneumocystis carinii, 4; gram-positive cocci, 3; Candida albicans, 2), and therapy was modified in 12 . In the five patients in whom BAL samples were contaminated with upper respiratory tract cells no infectious agents were isolated . Because of continued clinical deterioration, open-lung biopsies were performed in three patients in whom BAL had identified CMV and in three patients in whom no organisms had been obtained . Lung biopsies did not identify any new infectious agents, although in the latter group specific histological diagnosis of a noninfectious process was made (hemorrhagic infarct, bronchiolitis obliterans, and lymphoma).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Clin Microbiol, 1990 Aug, 28(8), 1828 - 41 Evaluation of a murine model of hepatic candidiasis; Cole GT et al.; A murine model of focal hepatic candidiasis which we suggest simulates certain conditions of this clinical variant of systemic candidiasis in leukemic patients is described . We have shown that outbred mice inoculated with Candida albicans by the oral-intragastric route as infants (6 days old) and then immunocompromised by cyclophosphamide and cortisone acetate treatment 2 weeks later demonstrate systemic spread of the opportunistic pathogen to the liver, lungs, spleen, and kidneys . Treatment with the immunosuppressive drugs cyclophosphamide and cortisone acetate resulted in alteration of the normal integrity of the mucosal epithelium of the gut as well as in granulocytopenia . Approximately 55% of the animals with C . albicans infections in the liver demonstrated hepatic abscesses . After these same infected, immunocompromised animals were treated with suboptimal dosages of antifungal agents (cilofungin or amphotericin B), either by intraperitoneal or subcutaneous (s.c.) routes, persistent hepatic abscesses were fewer in number and delimited by a distinct outer layer of host tissue but still contained large numbers of the viable pathogen . Blood cell counts indicated that these antifungal drug-treated animals had reestablished approximately the same number of leukocytes per microliter of blood as estimated prior to the immunocompromising drug treatment . Similar conditions in leukemic patients who were in remission and who were undergoing antifungal drug therapy for systemic candidiasis have been reported . Clearance of hepatic infections in mice was accomplished by using appropriate concentrations of amphotericin B administered by daily intraperitoneal or s.c . injection for 5 to 7 days or cilofungin by continuous s.c . infusion for 7 days . However, systemic antifungal therapy did not significantly reduce numbers of C . albicans cells in the stomach and esophagus . Persistent foci of gastrointestinal colonization by C . albicans, especially in the region of the cardial-atrium fold of the stomach of these mice, are reservoirs of the opportunistic pathogen from which reinfection may occur, leading to relapse of systemic candidiasis. Agents Actions, 1990 Aug, 31(1-2), 86 - 95 Phagocytic function and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of human neutrophils in the presence of N-formimidoyl thienamycin; Rodriguez AB et al.; The efficacy of an antibiotic in the treatment of bacterial infections depends upon the interactions of the drug, bacteria and phagocytes . We have studied "in vitro" the effect of N-formimidoyl thienamycin (Imipenem), a novel beta-lactamic antibiotic, on the phagocytic function and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of human neutrophil leukocytes . The incubation of these cells with 50 micrograms/ml of Imipenem similar to the therapeutic levels reached in plasma results in an increase of their adherence capacity to nylon fiber and to substrate, induced mobility or chemotaxis, opsonization, phagocytosis of Candida albicans (with serum, with decomplementarized serum and without serum) and latex beads, candidicidal power and the capacity of NBT reduction . Imipenem at this dose also presents chemoattractant power for neutrophils and enhances the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). J Gen Microbiol, 1990 Aug, 136 ( Pt 8), 1475 - 81 Uptake of pyrimidines and their derivatives into Candida glabrata and Candida albicans; Fasoli MO et al.; The uptake of pyrimidines and their derivatives into Candida glabrata and Candida albicans was measured using a novel technique in which the cells were rapidly separated from their suspending medium by centrifugation through a layer of an inert oil . The uptake of {14C}cytosine was linear for 30 s for all concentrations of pyrimidine tested . In C . glabrata but not C . albicans cytosine transport was mediated by both a high affinity (Km 0.8 +/- 0.1 microM), low capacity {V 40 +/- 4 pmol (microliters cell water)-1 s-1} and a low affinity {Km 240 +/- 35 microM}, high capacity system {V 770 +/- 170 pmol (microliters cell water)-1 s-1} . The cytosine permease in C . glabrata was specific for cytosine and 5-fluorocytosine . In C . albicans there was only one cytosine transport system {Km 2.4 +/- 0.3 microM; V 50 +/- 4 pmol (microliters cell water)-1 s-1}; this system also transported adenine, guanine and hypoxanthine . Differences in nucleoside transport were also observed for C . glabrata and C . albicans, with the uridine permease in C . glabrata transporting only uridine and 5-fluorouridine whereas cytidine and adenosine were also transported by the uridine permease in C . albicans . Studies on the effect of nucleoside analogues on uridine transport in C . glabrata demonstrated the importance of the sugar moiety in determining the specificity of transport, with a hydroxyl residue on C-2 being apparently essential for transport. Tohoku J Exp Med, 1990 Aug, 161(4), 273 - 81 Liposome-encapsulated amphotericin B in the treatment of experimental murine candidiasis; Miyazaki T et al.; The efficacy of liposome-encapsulated amphotericin B in treating experimental murine candidiasis was compared with that of the commercially available amphotericin B (Fungizone) . The LD50 of liposomal amphotericin B in ddY mice exceeded 10.0 mg/kg while that of Fungizone was 3.0 mg/kg . Experimental candidiasis was induced by injecting a clinical isolate of Candida albicans strain 0925-107-01, through the tail vein . With the injection of 1.7 x 10(6) colony forming units, the number of colonies in the kidneys remained between 2.1 x 10(5) and 1.2 x 10(6), whereas the number of colonies in blood, liver, spleen, lungs and heart decreased rapidly . Histological examination revealed severe pyelonephritis with fungal infiltration and a mild invasion of the heart, lungs, liver and spleen . The survival rate of mice with experimental candidiasis treated with Fungizone at a dose of 0.8 mg/kg was 50% (the maximum tolerated dose without acute lethality), whereas all mice treated with the liposomal amphotericin B at a dose of 5.0 mg/kg were alive even 42 days after the inoculation (p less than 0.01) . Using liposome as a carrier for amphotericin B decreased this drug's systemic toxicity making it possible to administer doses higher than feasible with the commercial preparation and thus obtaining better therapeutic efficacy. Pathol Res Pract, 1990 Aug, 186(4), 527 - 34 What's new in the mechanisms of host resistance to Candida albicans infection? Ashman RB, Papadimitriou JM. Despite extensive investigation, the mechanisms of host resistance against C . albicans infection remain poorly understood . Granulocytes and macrophages are the major effector cell types; however, their intrinsic candidacidal activity is rather limited, and its full expression requires augmentation by components of the T cell-initiated lymphokine cascade . Consequently, susceptibility to recurrent mucocutaneous infections may be associated with aberrant T cell function . In contrast, protection from systemic infection appears to be mediated by candida-specific antibodies. Acta Paediatr Scand, 1990 Aug-Sep, 79(8-9), 876 - 9 Necrotizing bowel disease with candida peritonitis following severe neonatal hypothermia; Kaplan M et al.; Peritonitis due to Candida albicans is rare in the newborn infant . Three low birthweight, extremely ill premature infants who were severely hypothermic at the time of admission developed perforation of the gastrointestinal tract . C . albicans was cultured from the peritoneal fluid in each case . In view of the rareness of C . albicans peritonitis in newborns, this cluster of infants suggests a relationship between severe neonatal hypothermia, and bowel perforation with peritonitis due to this fungus. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1990 Aug, (8), 103 - 7 {Delayed hypersensitivity to Candida albicans}; Frolova EV et al.; Conditions and factors influencing the formation of delayed hypersensitivity (DH) to yeast-like fungi of the species C . albicans under experimental conditions have been studied . The intensity of this reaction has been found to depend on the dose and method used for infecting mice, the time of the test and the qualitative state of fungal cells . As the result of this study, the infectious model of DH to C . albicans has been proposed . This model may be used for the study of the influence of different exogenous and endogenous factors of cell-mediated immune response to candidiasis. J Oral Pathol Med, 1990 Aug, 19(7), 326 - 9 In vivo effects of Candida albicans products on rat oral epithelium; Reed MF et al.; Candida albicans has been associated with epithelial hyperplasia in some diseases of oral mucosa and skin but its etiologic role in these lesions is poorly understood . To test its ability to induce epithelial proliferation, the invasive hyphal form was cultured for 5 h and 23 h in chemically defined medium and yeast-free culture supernatants were injected below the buccal epithelium of young adult Sprague Dawley rats . The mitotic activity was assessed using the metaphase arrest technique 11 h and 31 h after supernatant injection . There was a significant increase in epithelial mitotic activity 31 h after injection with 5 h culture supernatants compared to control media indicating that the supernatants have an effect on epithelial cells, possibly by direct action on them. J Pharm Sci, 1990 Aug, 79(8), 725 - 31 Computer automated structure evaluation of antifungal 1-vinylimidazoles, 1,2-disubstituted propenones, and azolylpropanolones; Macina OT et al.; The Computer Automated Structure Evaluation (CASE) program has been applied to a series of 1-vinylimidazoles, 1,2-disubstituted propenones, and azolylpropanolones exhibiting in vitro antifungal properties . Relevant molecular fragments were obtained for activity against the fungal strains Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Trichophyton asteroides . Fragments were utilized as descriptors to derive quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) within each respective biological endpoint . A high degree of correlation was observed between fragments derived from C . albicans and A . fumigatus . The relevant activating and inactivating fragments from each of the respective biological endpoints analyzed are discussed. Tierarztl Prax, 1990 Aug, 18(4), 339 - 41 {Disseminated candidiasis in a calf . Case report}; Roth M et al.; The pathological-anatomical and histological examinations of different organs from a calf that died at the age of 9 weeks indicated a disseminated candidiasis . Candida albicans was isolated from brain, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, intestinal lymph nodes and small intestinal contents . The antibiotics administered to the calf by the owner probably initiated the disseminated candidiasis. Zentralbl Bakteriol, 1990 Aug, 273(3), 332 - 43 Comparative pathogenicity of a wild-type strain and respiratory mutants of Candida albicans in mice; Aoki S et al.; The pathogenicity of a parent wild-type strain and three respiratory mutants of Candida albicans was examined in intravenously infected mice . The wild-type strain K grew well in the kidney and caused severe candidosis, and the 21-day LD50 value was 7.2 x 10(6) cells/mouse . A mutant with a low rate of respiration (KRD-8) whose growth rate in vitro was somewhat lower than that of the wild type, produced germ tubes in vitro to the same extent as the wild-type strain and was associated with mortality rates similar to those of the wild-type strain . Two respiration-deficient (petite) mutants (KRD-19 and KRD-51), whose growth rates in vitro were far lower than that of the wild-type strain, could neither colonize the kidney nor cause fatal infection, even at a dose of 10(8) cells/mouse . Formation of germ tubes and hyphal growth in vitro of the petite mutants were less extensive than those of the wild-type strain or KRD-8 . Extracellular proteinase was produced at pH 3.5 by the wild-type strain and by KRD-8 but not by the petite mutants . From these results, it is most likely that the nonlethality of infection by the petite mutants in mice results primarily from the low capacity of growth of these mutants, even though the inability of the petite mutants to produce extracellular proteinase may be also related to some extent to their avirulence. J Clin Microbiol, 1990 Aug, 28(8), 1854 - 7 Multivariate analyses of cellular carbohydrates and fatty acids of Candida albicans, Torulopsis glabrata, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Brondz I et al.; Quantitative data of major cellular carbohydrates distinguished Candida albicans or Torulopsis glabrata from Saccharomyces cerevisiae but not C . albicans from T . glabrata . Multivariate analyses of both carbohydrate and fatty acid variables (I . Brondz, I . Olsen, and M . Sjostrom, J . Clin . Microbiol . 27:2815-2819, 1989), however, differentiated all three species. J Bacteriol, 1990 Aug, 172(8), 4407 - 14 Phospholipid biosynthesis in Candida albicans: regulation by the precursors inositol and choline; Klig LS et al.; Phospholipid metabolism in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans was examined . The phospholipid biosynthetic pathways of C . albicans were elucidated and were shown to be similar to those of Saccharomyces cerevisiae . However, marked differences were seen between these two fungi in the regulation of the pathways in response to exogenously provided precursors inositol and choline . In S . cerevisiae, the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine via methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine appears to be regulated in response to inositol and choline; provision of choline alone does not repress the activity of this pathway (G . M . Carman and S . A . Henry, Annu . Rev . Biochem . 58:636-669, 1989) . The same pathway in C . albicans responds to the exogenous provision of choline . Possible explanations for the observed differences in regulation are discussed. J Infect Dis, 1990 Aug, 162(2), 519 - 22 Elevated antibody levels to mycobacterial 65-kDa stress protein in patients with superficial candidiasis; Ivanyi L et al.; Antibody levels to the mycobacterial 65-kDa stress protein (mSP65) were determined by ELISA in sera from patients with chronic atrophic oral candidiasis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, Candida albicans-infected or noninfected oral lichen planus, or recurrent aphthous ulceration and from subjects with clinically healthy oral mucosa . The results showed significantly elevated anti-mSP65 antibody levels in patients with oral or vulvovaginal candidiasis and in patients with Candida-infected lesions of lichen planus when compared with patients with noninfected lichen planus or recurrent oral ulceration and with matched healthy controls (P less than .001) . Immunoblot analysis showed that the rabbit antiserum that strongly bound to mSP65 cross-reacted only weakly with a homologous band of a soluble C . albicans extract . Moreover, the binding of antibodies from patients with candidiasis to the mSP65 antigen was not inhibited in the presence of Candida extract . In view of the poor serologic cross-reactivity, it seems plausible that the recall stimulation of anti-mSP65-producing B cells could be induced by helper T cells that cross-react with the structurally homologous protein of C . albicans. Infect Immun, 1990 Aug, 58(8), 2696 - 8 Comparison of candidacidal and candidastatic activities of human neutrophils; Sohnle PG et al.; Disruption of neutrophils causes the release of a cytoplasmic protein which can inhibit the growth of Candida albicans without killing the organisms . The present study was undertaken