Carbohydr Res, 1989 Apr 15, 187(2), 239 - 53 Structural analysis of phospho-D-mannan-protein complexes isolated from yeast and mold form cells of Candida albicans NIH A-207 serotype A strain; Shibata N et al.; The immunochemical properties between phospho-D-mannan-protein complexes of yeast (Y) and mycelial (M) forms of Candida albicans NIH A-207 (serotype A) strain were compared . Hydrolysis of the Y-form complex gave a mixture of beta-(1----2)-linked D-mannooligosaccharides consisting mainly of tri- and tetra-ose, whereas the M-form complex gave preponderantly D-mannose . The antiserum against Y-form cells exhibited a lower reactivity with the M-form than with the Y-form complex, whereas the antiserum to M-form cells could not distinguish significantly between both complexes . Moreover, these acid-modified complexes showed lower antibody-precipitating effect than each corresponding intact complex against antisera of Y- and M-form cells . Digestion of the acid-modified Y- and M-form complexes with the Arthrobacter GJM-1 strain alpha-D-mannosidase yielded 35- and 40-% degradation products, respectively . Acetolysis of each modified complex under mild conditions gave the same D-mannohexaose, beta-D-Manp-(1----2)-beta-D-Manp-(1----2)-alpha-D-Manp -(1----2)-alpha-D-Manp- (1----2)-alpha-D-Manp-(1----2)-D-Man . Because the complexes of Y- and M-form cells of C . albicans NIH B-792 (serotype B) strain did not give any hexaose fraction containing beta-(1----2) linkages, the presence of this hexaose can be regarded as one of the dominant characteristics of the serotype-A specificity of C . albicans spp. J Fla Med Assoc, 1989 Apr, 76(4), 386 - 7 Primary cutaneous infections with candida species associated with percutaneous intravenous catheters in patients with cancer; Spiers AS; Long-term percutaneous intravenous catheters have added greatly to the comfort of cancer patients who receive intensive therapy, but the resulting breach in body defenses contributes to infection . Staphylococcus epidermidis has been a prominent infecting organism, and recently aspergillus species have been reported in association with Hickman lines . Two patients are reported with yeast infection: Candida parapsilosis with a Groshong catheter and Candida albicans with a Hickman catheter . In immunocompromised patients such infections are potentially life-threatening and may reinforce the case for totally implanted venous access devices overlaid by intact skin. Nebr Med J, 1989 Apr, 74(4), 73 - 5 Co-infection with Legionella pneumophila and Pneumocystis carinii in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Dworzack DL et al.; A patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia was found to have pneumonitis caused by a simultaneous Pneumocystis carinii and Legionella pneumophila infection . Although both microorganisms frequently cause pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients, co-infection has not been reported . This patient responded to antimicrobial therapy, but superinfection with Candida albicans led to his death . As there are numerous infective and noninfective causes of pneumonia in such patients, this case illustrates that the identification of a single etiologic agent does not obviate the search for other potential causes. Yeast, 1989 Apr, 5 Spec No, S465 - 70 Long-chain alcohol production by yeasts; White MJ et al.; Fourteen yeast strains from six genera were analysed for the presence of long-chain alcohols, the highest levels being found in Candida albicans . The major alcohols synthesized were saturated, primary alcohols with C14, C16 or C18 chain length with relative proportions of C16 greater than C18 greater than C14 . In C . albicans synthesis of long-chain alcohols occurred only after the end of exponential growth . Long-chain alcohol contents were lower in organisms grown aerobically as compared with anaerobically and contents of all three classes increased as the concentration of glucose was raised from 1.0 to 30.0% (w/v) . In anaerobic cultures greatest alcohol contents were obtained using medium containing 10% (w/v) glucose . Substituting glucose (10%, w/v) with the same concentration of galactose in aerobic cultures greatly decreased contents of long-chain alcohols, while inclusion of 10% (w/v) glycerol virtually abolished their synthesis . Supplementing anaerobic cultures with odd-chain fatty acids induced synthesis of odd-chain alcohols, Nitrogen limitation induced long-chain alcohol synthesis in aerobically grown Candida maltosa and quantities were increased with conditions of glucose excess and nitrogen limitation. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 Apr, 49(2-3), 329 - 33 Rapid identification of medically important yeasts by electrophoretic protein patterns; Bruneau S et al.; A simple electrophoretic method for yeast identification was evaluated . Whole cells were extracted by SDS and the protein profiles obtained in SDS-PAGE after Coomassie blue staining were compared for 52 strains from 9 species of yeast or yeast-like fungi commonly isolated from man (Candida albicans, C . glabrata, C . guilliermondii, C . krusei, C . parapsilosis, C . pseudotropicalis, C . tropicalis, Geotrichum candidum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) . The corresponding patterns showed 30 to 45 polypeptides in the range 95-20 kDa and were clearly different for the 9 species . No differences could be detected between strains from the same species . The characteristic patterns were obtained within 24 h allowing rapid identification of the most commonly encountered clinical yeast isolates. Scand J Immunol, 1989 Apr, 29(4), 391 - 8 Opioid peptides modulate the organization of vimentin filaments, phagocytic activity, and expression of surface molecules in monocytes; Prieto J et al.; It is theorized that intermediate filaments are important in the modulation of membrane activity and cell motility; however, their functions are unknown . The assembly and organization of these filaments are under hormonal regulation . We investigated in human monocytes the in vitro effects of Met-enkephalin, Leu-enkephalin, and beta-endorphin on the expression of immunoreactive cytoskeletal vimentin filaments . We simultaneously examined their effect on the phagocytosis of Candida albicans and on the membrane display of surface molecules . The three opioid peptides markedly reduced the expression of vimentin filaments, the phagocytic activity, and the display of HLA-DR molecules at concentrations of 10(-6), 10(-8), and 10(-10) M . On the other hand, the intravenous administration of fentanyl, a synthetic opiate agonist, to patients undergoing surgery induced similar changes in monocytes . In other experiments, 10(-8) M beta-endorphin also decreased the expression of CR3 but did not influence the display of CD13, a surface protein of unknown function . Expression of vimentin filaments correlated directly with the display of HLA-DR antigens and CR3 and with the phagocytic activity . The results of this paper indicate that opiates and opioids, neuropeptides known to be released during stress, can directly depress several monocyte functions . Furthermore, from these data it may be speculated that intermediate filaments may regulate the membrane expression of some surface molecules and the phagocytic process. Pediatr Pol, 1989 Apr, 64(4), 223 - 8 {Pimafucin in the treatment of mycoses of the oral cavity in children with chronic blood diseases}; Rokicka-Milewska R et al.; 2.5% solution in the form of oral drops (Gist-brocades) has been used in the treatment of Candida albicans infections of the mucous membranes in children with chronic blood diseases . Out of 34 children 28 recovered completely which is 82.3% of all cases . The highest effectiveness of the preparation was found in the group of children with acute infections . In all cases of chronic candidiasis the improvement of the clinical condition was obtained . Only few children have not shown the growth of Candida albicans in the control investigations. J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Apr, 135 ( Pt 4), 957 - 66 Factors influencing the haematoporphyrin-sensitized photoinactivation of Candida albicans; Bertoloni G et al.; Photosensitizing activity of haematoporphyrin (Hp) on Candida albicans cells is mainly promoted by unbound dye molecules in the bulk aqueous medium . Moreover, the death of photosensitized cells is dependent on the dye concentration, irradiation time, irradiation temperature, and the composition of the growth media . Morphological and biochemical studies indicate that the photoprocess involves an initial limited alteration of the cytoplasmic membrane, which allows the penetration of the dye into the cell with consequent photodamage of intracellular targets . In this respect, the Hp-sensitized photoinactivation of eukaryotic microbial cells differs from that in prokaryotic cells. Cesk Farm, 1989 Apr, 38(3), 139 - 40 {Inhibition of Candida albicans transformation from the yeast form to the mycelial form by 2-alkylthio-6-amino- and 2-alkylthio-6-formamido- benzothiazoles}; Kuchta T et al.; The inhibitory effectiveness of 2-alkylthio-6-amino- and 2-alkylthio-6-formamidobenzothiazoles (19 derivatives altogether) on the transformation of the yeast-like form of Candida albicans into the mycelial form (1 strain from the collection and 2 clinical isolates) was investigated . Most derivatives tested, similarly as the standard 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (Dermacid), did not exert any difference between the inhibitory effectiveness on filamentation and the inhibition of the growth and reproduction of the yeast-like form . However, the best derivative, 6-amino-2-n-pentylthiobenzothiazole, showed as much as 25-fold higher inhibitory effectiveness on the transformation of the yeast-like form into the mycelial one than MIC. Mycopathologia, 1989 Apr, 106(1), 1 - 3 Detection of Candida albicans in disseminated candidosis by immunofluorescence staining; Reijula KE; An indirect immunofluorescence (IF) method using rabbit anti-Candida albicans was used to detect C . albicans in blood samples of 12 patients with systemic candidosis defined clinically, histologically and by blood cultures . Positive staining of C . albicans could be detected in all of the patients . The findings suggest that IF-method offers a more rapid method in the diagnosis of disseminated candidosis. Yeast, 1989 Apr, 5 Spec No, S355 - 60 Restriction endonuclease analysis of mitochondrial DNA from Candida parapsilosis and other Candida species; Su CS et al.; Mitochondrial DNA has been studied in a number of eukaryotic organisms . Differences in inter- and intraspecies mitochondrial DNA restriction patterns have been shown to be due to differences in nucleotide sequences and have been used to study evolutionary relationships and the mode of inheritance of the mitochondrial genome . A relatively rapid and efficient method for the extraction of mitochondrial DNA from Candida parapsilosis and other Candida species was developed . Zymolyase was used to induce yeast protoplasts and mitochondrial DNA was extracted from DNase I-treated mitochondrial preparations . Digestion with the restriction endonucleases Eco RI, Hind III and Bam HI yielded the most definitive restriction patterns . The results of the restriction endonuclease analysis were in agreement with the current identification of these organisms . Candida parapsilosis, Candida albicans and Candida kefyr showed different restriction patterns . Eight Candida parapsilosis strains were compared and all had identical fragment patterns . The molecular size was approximately 30 kilobase pairs and the GC content was 33.2% . The results of these experiments demonstrate the potential of a simple molecular technique for the differentiation of yeast species. Yeast, 1989 Apr, 5 Spec No, S225 - 9 Isolation and chemical and biological characterization of antigenic mutants of Candida albicans serotype A; Miyakawa Y et al.; Candida albicans serotype A possesses a specific antigen designated antigenic factor 6, that resides in the mannans on the cell surface . To define the molecular structure of antigenic factor 6, as well as to determine the role of cell wall mannan in the ability of C . albicans to adhere to epithelial cells, we isolated antigenic factor 6-deficient mutants by screening with agglutinating monoclonal antibody (MAb) CA4-2 which corresponds to polyclonal antibody (PAb) factor 6 . 1H-NMR spectral analyses of the purified mannans from the parent and the mutants showed loss of the signal at 4.77 ppm, corresponding to the beta-linkage of the side chain, in the mutants . Although the parent whole mannan as well as its mannohexaose fragment (M6) inhibited the agglutination reaction between C . albicans serotype A cells and MAb CA4-2, the mutant mannan showed lower inhibitory activity and a decreased amount of M6 in its acetolyzed products . These results indicate that the mutant mannan is defective in the side chain of M6 which is bound, via beta-linkage, to a branch of the inner side chains, resulting in the loss of reactivity with MAb CA4-2 . Experiments on the adherence of C . albicans showed that the antigenic mutants as well as C . albicans serotype B strains, which lack antigenic factor 6, had significantly (p less than 0.01) less adherence ability than the parent strain . These results suggest that the side chains of M6 specific for C . albicans serotype A mannan are heavily involved in the adherence mechanisms as ligands. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1989 Apr, 23(4), 557 - 64 The effect of pentamidine salts on the in-vitro responses of neutrophilic granulocytes; Arnott MA et al.; Therapeutic concentrations (0.3-1.5 mg/l) of pentamidine isethionate and pentamidine mesylate, obtained after parenteral administration of the drugs, did not influence neutrophilic granulocyte adherence, random and chemotactic migration or phagocytosis of Candida albicans spores in vitro . At concentrations of 0.7, 1.1 and 1.5 mg/l, the ability of neutrophilic granulocytes to kill C . albicans spores was depressed (P less than 0.001); at all concentrations used, their ability to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium was decreased (P less than 0.001) . There was no significant difference between the drugs with regard to these impairments in neutrophilic granulocyte function . It is likely that pentamidine salts inhibit superoxide radical formation in the stimulated neutrophilic granulocyte and that this dysfunction leads to depressed intracellular killing of C . albicans spores. J Clin Microbiol, 1989 Apr, 27(4), 681 - 90 Switching of Candida albicans during successive episodes of recurrent vaginitis; Soll DR et al.; Strain relatedness and switching were monitored in Candida albicans strains isolated from different body locations through three episodes of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis separated by two treatment-latency periods in a single patient . Strain relatedness was assessed by comparing Southern blot hybridization patterns with the relatively immobile mid-repeat sequence Ca3 . The following conclusions are demonstrated . (i) Three different strains of C . albicans colonized the mouth, the area under the breasts, and the vulvovaginal, anal, and rectal regions, respectively, at the time of the first infection . (ii) The same strain of C . albicans was responsible for the three vaginal infections . (iii) Switching of colony phenotype occurred with each new vaginal infection . (iv) Enrichment of drug-resistant switch phenotypes (assessed in vitro) was unlikely the basis for the changes in the switch phenotypes of the strain found in the vulvovaginal, anal, and rectal areas after treatment of the first infection with clotrimazole . (v) The same strain of C . albicans was responsible for the recurrent increases in mouth colonization and was distinct from the recurrent vaginal strain . The results of this case study demonstrate the need for further detailed analyses of full-body mycofloras, strain relatedness, switching repertoires, and changes in drug susceptibility during successive episodes of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Eur J Haematol, 1989 Apr, 42(4), 375 - 81 Biological properties in vitro of a combination of recombinant murine interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; Riklis I et al.; The effect of recombinant murine interleukin-3 (rIL-3) and recombinant murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) on in vitro murine myeloid progenitor cell (CFU-C) growth and on the function of murine resident peritoneal macrophages was investigated . Both rIL-3 and rGM-CSF are known to support the growth of CFU-C and, when combined, were found to act synergistically to induce the development of an increased number of CFU-C . The distribution pattern of myeloid colonies in the presence of these two growth factors was in general similar to that in the presence of rGM-CSF alone . Both rGM-CSF and rIL-3 enhanced the phagocytosis of Candida albicans (CA) by mature macrophages producing an increase in the percentage of phagocytosing cells as well as an increase in the number of yeast particles ingested per cell . No additive effect on the phagocytosis was observed when the two growth factors were added concurrently . rGM-CSF, but not rIL-3, enhanced the killing of CA by macrophages . This killing was inhibited by scavengers of oxygen radicals. Ann Plast Surg, 1989 Apr, 22(4), 337 - 42 Adherence of microorganisms to breast prostheses: an in vitro study; Sanger JR et al.; The quantitative and morphological characteristics of microbial adherence of four organisms--Staphylococcus epidermidis, S . aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans--to the surfaces of different breast prostheses were observed . Semiquantitative adherence studies based on a modification of Maki's roll culture technique even after short contact times showed (1) increased microbial adherence at higher concentrations of the organisms and (2) differences in adherence properties between gram-positive bacteria and other organisms tested, noted also at lower organism concentrations . Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to identify microorganisms on foam-covered prostheses, however, revealed organisms in the interstitial spaces that were not recovered by the plating technique . Other features on SEM were extracellular "slime" produced by S . epidermidis, which appears to act as a cement by which bacteria are held against prosthetic surfaces . These in-vitro findings suggest that brief exposure of the prostheses to a few organisms, particularly gram-positive bacteria, at the time of implantation would be sufficient inoculum for bacterial adherence to prosthetic surfaces. Endocrinology, 1989 Apr, 124(4), 1965 - 72 Characterization of an estrogen-binding protein in the yeast Candida albicans; Skowronski R et al.; An estrogen-binding protein (EBP) has been identified and characterized in the cytosol of the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans . Binding of {3H}estradiol was found to be optimal at pH 7.4 in the presence of 0.3 M KCl and was linearly related to protein concentration . Binding was very rapid, reaching maximal levels in about 30 min, and was reversible with a dissociation rate constant of 13.2 +/- 1.7 x 10(-4) sec-1 . EBP binding was destroyed by treatment with proteolytic enzymes and by high temperatures . Scatchard analysis of the {3H}estradiol equilibrium binding data of C . albicans (strain stn-1) yielded an apparent dissociation constant of 12.3 +/- 2.1 nM and a maximal binding capacity of 753 +/- 145 fmol/mg protein . Binding competition experiments showed very high specificity and stereoselectivity of EBP, demonstrating the following order of potency in displacing {3H}estradiol: 17 beta-estradiol greater than estrone greater than estriol greater than 17 alpha-estradiol . Negligible competitive potency was found for other mammalian steroid hormones, diethylstilbestrol, tamoxifen, or fungal hormones . The abundance of EBP was 4- to 10-fold higher during the early logarithmic growth phase of yeast cells than during the stationary phase . The molecular size of EBP, measured by Sephacryl S-200 gel exclusion chromatography, yielded a Stokes radius of approximately 29 A . Sucrose density gradient sedimentation showed a sedimentation coefficient (S2020,W) of 4, with no ionic dependent aggregation of the {3H}estradiol-EBP complex . The apparent mol wt of the EBP is approximately 46,000, with an axial ratio of 1, indicating the symmetrical shape of the molecule . In summary, in addition to the previously described corticosterone-binding protein, a separate high affinity, stereospecific, estrogen-selective binder has been demonstrated in the cytosol of C . albicans. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents, 1989 Apr-Jun, 3(2), 71 - 8 Potential use of tuftsin in treatment of candida peritonitis in a murine model; Levy R et al.; A major complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is peritonitis caused by Candida albicans . Increasing the activity of the peritoneal macrophages, the predominant cell type found in the peritoneal cavity, may be a promising treatment for this infection . Tuftsin was found to increase thioglycollate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophage activity . 2x10(-7) M tuftsin enhanced two-fold cell association with radiolabelled candida, superoxide aniom production, and killing activity . Thus, a model consisting of mice undergoing peritoneal dialysis was developed in order to study the use of tuftsin as a therapeutic drug against peritoneal candidiasis . Administration of tuftsin (50 micrograms/mouse) before candidiasis induction with a lethal dose of candida (7x10(8) candida per mouse) improved mouse survival up to 70%, compared with 10% in the control group . The potential of tuftsin as a treatment for candidiasis was shown when the infection was induced with a sublethal dose of candida . Daily intraperitoneal injections of tuftsin (50 micrograms) to the sublethally infected mice caused a significant decrease in the number of candida recovered from the peritoneal cavity and from the blood (from 700 +/- 190 to 110 +/- 26 CFU/ml and from 100 +/- 26 CFU/ml to 17 +/- 8 CFU/ml, respectively) . In addition, a larger number of peritoneal macrophages with greater phagocytic and killing activity were found in the tuftsin-treated mice . The effect of tuftsin may promote its potential use in the therapy of peritonitis in patients undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis. Rev Chir Oncol Radiol O R L Oftalmol Stomatol Ser Stomatol, 1989 Apr-Jun, 36(2), 91 - 8 {Apiphytotherapeutic original preparations in the treatment of chronic marginal parodontopathies . A clinical and microbiological study}; Gafar M et al.; The paper presents results obtained by the treatment of chronic marginal parodontopathies with natural products of apiarian derivatives and vegetal extracts . These are original preparations such as Proparodont, sage extracts, watercress extracts, etc., by comparison with other similar existing products, and with zinc chloride . The clinical study evaluated the "inflammation status of the marginal prodontium" on the basis of variations in the PMA index . The microbiological study has established the bacteriostatic and the bactericidal activities of the products employed . The results obtained stress the high antimicrobial activity of the original products called Proparodont, and stress its antimycotic effects, especially against Candida albicans . The blackwort (Symphytum off.) extracts have a good repair effect, especially after surgical procedures . The complex original products based on propolis and vegetal extracts are indicated in the treatment of inflammatory lesions of the gingivo-parodontal tissues, and of the buccal mucosa . They also have antimicrobial effects, as well as antimycotic, antiinflammatory and antiscar effects . They de not have side effects which are characteristic for other medicinal drugs employed in the treatment of chronic marginal parodontopathies. Arch Intern Med, 1989 Apr, 149(4), 962 - 4 Candidal sinusitis and diabetic ketoacidosis . A brief report; Dooley DP et al.; A 55-year-old man presented with diabetic ketoacidosis and pansinusitis due to infection with Candida albicans . The infection responded to local drainage procedures, the administration of amphotericin B (2 g), and aggressive medical therapy of the ketoacidosis . Sinusitis due to C albicans is rare but may be more frequently seen in the immunocompromised host . Unlike those infections caused by Mucor or Aspergillus species, sinusitis due to C albicans may respond to local drainage and amphotericin B therapy. Scand J Dent Res, 1989 Apr, 97(2), 178 - 85 Phenotypic characterization of mononuclear cells and class II antigen expression in angular cheilitis infected by Candida albicans or Staphylococcus aureus; Ohman SC et al.; In the present study we characterized the phenotypes of infiltrating mononuclear cells in angular cheilitis lesions to further explore the pathogenesis of this disorder . Frozen sections from lesions infected by Candida albicans and/or Staphylococcus aureus were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis utilizing monoclonal antibodies directed to subsets of T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, and macrophages . In addition, the expression of Class II antigens (HLA-DP, -DQ, -DR), the interleukin 2- and transferrin-receptors was studied on resident and infiltrating cells . An intense infiltration of T-lymphocytes was accompanied by expression of Class II antigens on the epidermal keratinocytes in lesion infected by Candida albicans . The Staphylococcus aureus infected lesions displayed a diffuse infiltration of T-lymphocytes but virtually no expression of Class II antigen by epidermal keratinocytes . These observations suggest that the cell-mediated arm of the immune system is involved in the inflammatory reaction of lesions infected by Candida albicans . In addition, the present study confirms that epidermal expression of Class II antigens is closely related to the type and magnitude of the infiltrating T-lymphocyte . Finally, these findings indicate that the type of inflammatory reaction in angular cheilitis is primarily dependent on the isolated microorganism, although the clinical pictures of the disorder are virtually identical. J Immunol, 1989 Mar 15, 142(6), 1874 - 80 HIV-induced immunodeficiency . Relatively preserved phytohemagglutinin as opposed to decreased pokeweed mitogen responses may be due to possibly preserved responses via CD2/phytohemagglutinin pathway; Hofmann B et al.; We studied the proliferative response of PBL to the mitogens PHA and PWM and Candida albicans Ag in 301 HIV seropositive homosexual men, of whom 55 had AIDS . The responses to PHA were reduced only in the clinically ill HIV seropositive subjects . In contrast, the responses to PWM were profoundly reduced in most HIV seropositive subjects including the asymptomatic group . Further analysis of 16 HIV seropositive subjects showed that the proliferative responses were reduced in both CD4 and CD8 T cell subsets . A total of 15 HIV seropositive individuals with low responses to PWM, of whom seven had AIDS and eight controls were chosen for the following studies . Expression of T3, Ti, delta receptors, and CD2 was investigated and showed an increased percentage of CD2 receptors positive cells in HIV seropositive subjects without AIDS . The proliferative responses of PBL to stimulation with PHA, PWM, antibodies to CD3, or antibodies to CD2 were investigated and showed significant correlation in controls, whereas in contrast, only the responses to PHA and CD2ab correlated in patients with AIDS . The proliferative responses to CD2ab and CD3ab in controls were larger than the responses to both PHA and PWM . In patients, these responses were less suppressed than the responses to PWM indicating that stimulation with mitogens is more complex than a simple stimulation of Ti/T3 and CD2 receptors . Further investigations were done on resting T cells, i.e., lymphocytes depleted of macrophages and pre-activated cells . Addition of PHA to these cells resulted in preactivation with expression of IL-2R (CD25) but not in proliferation . In contrast, addition of PHA plus SRBC, which bind to the CD2 receptors caused IL-2R expression, IL-2 production, and proliferation . Addition of PWM + SRBC did not result in proliferation . A comparison of the responses to PHA + SRBC of resting T cells from 26 HIV seropositive individuals, of whom seven had AIDS and 12 seronegative controls, showed that these responses were normal or only slightly decreased in the 19 seropositive men without AIDS whereas it was decreased in AIDS patients . Nevertheless, all AIDS patients showed clear-cut responses in this assay . Thus, the discrepancy between responses to PHA and PWM may be explained by an at least partially preserved function of the PHA/CD2-dependent pathway . We suggest that the defect induced by the HIV infection primarily concerns T3/Ti-induced responses. Infect Immun, 1989 Mar, 57(3), 693 - 700 Mannan as an antigen in cell-mediated immunity (CMI) assays and as a modulator of mannan-specific CMI; Domer JE et al.; Mannan (MAN) extracted from Candida albicans 20A was investigated for its potential as an antigen in the detection of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in vivo and in vitro and for its ability to modulate CMI when administered intravenously (i.v.) . CBA/J mice were either immunized as adults by the cutaneous inoculation of 10(6) viable blastoconidia or colonized as infants (primed) and then boosted cutaneously as adults . When immunized animals were footpad tested with MAN, highly significant delayed-type hypersensitivity (DH) responses were detected . The DH responses to MAN were of a greater magnitude than those noted with the same quantity of cell wall glycoprotein (GP), an ethylenediamine extract of the cell wall which contains both glucan and MAN . In contrast, GP was a better antigen for the detection of CMI responses in an in vitro lymphoproliferative assay with either spleen or lymph node cell suspensions . Mice treated with MAN i.v . prior to the initiation of immunization or between priming and secondary inoculations developed significantly suppressed DH reactions when tested with either MAN or GP . The lowest effective dose of MAN was 250 micrograms, maximum suppression occurred with 500 micrograms, and either dose given 1 week prior to immunization was suppressive . The suppression by MAN was specific for MAN or the MAN-containing GP . Responses to another unrelated candidal antigen, a membrane extract designated BEX, were relatively unaffected . MAN, therefore, was an effective antigen for the detection of CMI in vivo, and its administration i.v . created what appeared to be a MAN-specific suppression since it could be detected with both MAN and a MAN-containing extract from the cell wall . Caution must be exercised in the interpretation of these data, however, since the protein component of each of these extracts has not been characterized with respect to its potential role in the phenomena observed. J Nucl Med, 1989 Mar, 30(3), 385 - 9 Radiolabeled, nonspecific, polyclonal human immunoglobulin in the detection of focal inflammation by scintigraphy: comparison with gallium-67 citrate and technetium-99m-labeled albumin; Rubin RH et al.; The accumulation of nonspecific polyclonal human immunoglobulin (IgG) radiolabeled with 125I or 111In was compared to that of {67Ga}citrate and {99mTc}albumin in rats with deep thigh inflammation due to Escherichia coli infection . Serial scintigrams were acquired at 1, 3, 24, and in some cases, 48 hr after injection . As early as 3 hr postinjection, {111In}IgG showed greater accumulation at the lesion than {99mTc}HSA (p less than 0.01) . Both {125I}IgG and {111In}IgG showed greater accumulation than {67Ga}citrate (p less than 0.01) . At 24 hr, IgG image definition increased, while HSA image definition decreased, and the intensity of accumulation of both IgG preparations was greater than that of {67Ga}citrate or {99mTc}HSA (p less than 0.01) . At all imaging times, {67Ga}citrate accumulation was surprisingly low . In inflammation produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, or turpentine, {111In}IgG accumulation was similar to the results obtained with Escherichia coli . These studies suggest that focal sites of inflammation can be detected with radiolabeled nonspecific human polyclonal IgG. Cah Anesthesiol, 1989 Mar-Apr, 37(2), 77 - 87 {Antibiotic prophylaxis using a combination of pefloxacin and fosfomycin in heart surgery with CEC (extracorporeal circulation) in patients allergic to beta-lactams}; Lebreton P et al.; This study conducted for 15 months, was carried out in 34 patients with beta-lactam allergy scheduled for open heart surgery . In the study, pefloxacin was given orally an hour before the induction of anaesthesia and then as a short infusion following induction . When the bypass was stopped, pefloxacin (400 mg) and fosfomycin (60 mg.kg-1) were given in association by two separate slow intravenous infusions just before sternal closure and repeated in intensive care unit postoperatively . The antibiotic kinetics was observed in blood and cellular concentrations (atria, sternum and mediastinal part of pleura) . The antibiotic level analysis showed a good diffusion during the surgical procedure, particularly during the bypass . The pefloxacin given orally was found to achieve satisfactory plasma levels of 5.4 to 6.9 mg.l-1 during sternotomy and always higher than 3 mg.l-1 during bypass . At the sternal closure, the residual plasma level was about 2.8 mg.l-1 before the reinfusion . The kinetic evaluation of fosfomycin has also shown same effective levels . Hence, the clinical potency of these antibiotics was confirmed as predicted by their excellent tissue diffusion . Thus, clinical evaluation was in favour of this antibiotic-association in most cases, except the two following ones . The first case had a lethal bronchiolar and lung reinfection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans germs which appeared at the 6th postoperative day . The second patient is a case of antibiotic prophylaxis failure . He had developed an acute suppurating mediastinal infection at the seventh postoperative day with a methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus which had become pefloxacin fosfomycin resistant . However, the evolution was ultimately good after surgical disinfection of sternotomy and 30 days of drainage and irrigation with antiseptic solution associated with well adapted antibiotic treatment: vancomycin, pristinamycin and rifamycin . In fact, the choice of pefloxacin and fosfomycin for prophylaxis against staphylococcus in cardiac surgery is the right choice for patients having beta-lactam allergy . Their spectral activity and pharmacokinetics give us satisfactory results . But it is not the absolute solution as the bacteria responsible for nosocomial infection (hospital borne infection) may be found resistant to this association. J Dent Assoc S Afr, 1989 Mar, Suppl 1, 6 - 10 The causation of oral precancer and cancer; Altini M et al.; Most cases of oral cancer result from the action of exogenic carcinogenic agents, some of which act synergistically in producing their effects . The evidence implicating tobacco and alcohol abuse is overwhelming and cannot be refuted . Other clearly identifiable aetiological agents include betel nut chewing and excessive exposure to sunlight . While there is increasing evidence of a viral causation, this is not yet clearly established . Similarly, the role of Candida albicans remains uncertain . Lichen planus and discoid lupus erythematosus may constitute important predisposing conditions, but the documentation remains inadequate and inconclusive, as does that implicating electrogalvanism . Tertiary syphilis is no longer considered a significant factor in oral cancer . Sideropenic dysphagia and haemoglobin and serum iron deficiencies may be of importance in the development of oral carcinoma, particularly in elderly women with no history of tobacco and alcohol abuse . The roles of poor oral hygiene and sharp edges of teeth and dentures have probably been overemphasized in the past. Clin Exp Allergy, 1989 Mar, 19(2), 191 - 5 Allergenic components of Candida albicans identified by immunoblot analysis; Shen HD et al.; Allergenic components of Candida albicans fractionated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and transferred to nitrocellulose membranes were identified using sera from 30 asthmatic patients who showed positive skin test and RAST (radio-allergosorbent test) to C . albicans . The IgE-binding yeast components in the complex antigen preparation were then detected by reaction with enzyme-labelled anti-human IgE antibodies . They were confirmed by Coomassie blue R-250 staining of the membrane to visualize all protein bands after reaction with the enzyme substrate . The IgE-binding patterns of the sera tested were heterogeneous, displaying a total of 16 identifiable components with molecular weights ranging from 20 to 94 kD . A 40 kD component showed the highest IgE-binding frequency, being recognized by 23 (77%) of the 30 sera examined . The other 15 allergenic components identified were recognized by less than 25% of the sera tested . Only two of the 30 serum samples contained IgE antibodies reactive with seven to eight allergenic components . Ten of the 30 sera reacted with only one allergenic component, and the remaining serum samples recognized two to five of the 16 identified allergens . Results described in this study are applicable to allergen standardization work and provide a basis for further study on the role of C . albicans in clinical allergy. Mycoses, 1989 Mar, 32(3), 119 - 22 Infection of human fetal membranes in vitro with Candida albicans; Hayashi S et al.; The present study was designed to examine whether C . albicans could infect and penetrate through intact human fetal membranes in vitro . Fragments of fresh fetal membranes were obtained from pregnant women undergoing a cesarean section . C . albicans was inoculated onto the surface of the maternal side of the membranes, after which the inoculated tissue were incubated at 31 degrees C . C . albicans was able to infect and penetrate through the membranes into the fetal side within 24 h of incubation. Can J Microbiol, 1989 Mar, 35(3), 349 - 58 Ultrastructural study of galacturonic acid distribution in some pathogenic fungi using gold-complexed Aplysia depilans gonad lectin; Benhamou N; Aplysia gonad lectin, isolated from the mollusc Aplysia depilans, was successfully conjugated to colloidal gold and used for ultrastructural detection of galacturonic acids in some pathogenic fungi . These sugar residues were found to occur in the fibrillar sheath surrounding hyphal cells of Ascocalyx abietina and in intravacuolar dense inclusions of this fungus spores . In hyphae and spores of Ophiostoma ulmi, galacturonic acids were detected mainly in the outermost wall layers . In contrast, these saccharides appeared associated with the innermost wall layers and especially the plasma membrane of Verticillium albo-atrum cells . Galacturonic acids were found to be absent in cells of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp . radicis-lycopersici and Candida albicans . These cytochemical data indicate therefore that a heterogeneity in wall composition exists between ascomycete fungi . The significance of the presence of galacturonic acids in the cell walls of certain fungi is still open to question. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Mar, 33(3), 362 - 8 Tissue concentrations and bioactivity of amphotericin B in cancer patients treated with amphotericin B-deoxycholate; Collette N et al.; We have studied amphotericin B concentrations in tissues of 13 cancer patients who died after having received 75 to 1,110 mg (total dose) of amphotericin B-deoxycholate for suspected or proven disseminated fungal infection . Amphotericin B concentrations were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and by bioassay, the latter being done on tissue homogenates as well as on tissue methanolic extracts . The fungistatic and fungicidal titers of the tissue homogenates were also tested against three strains of Candida albicans and one strain of Aspergillus fumigatus . Tissue concentrations of amphotericin B measured by HPLC varied with the tested tissues as well as with the total dose of amphotericin B-deoxycholate administered and ranged from 0.4 to 147.1 micrograms/g . A mean of 38.3% (range, 23.0 to 51.3%) of the total dose was recovered by HPLC from all of the tested organs . Bioassay of tissue methanolic extracts reached 58 to 81% of the concentration measured by HPLC, whereas only 15 to 41% was recovered from the homogenates . Overall, 27.5% of the total dose was recovered from the liver, 5.2% was recovered from the spleen, 3.2% was recovered from the lungs, and 1.5% was recovered from the kidneys . The median concentration in bile was 7.3 micrograms/ml, suggesting that biliary excretion could contribute to amphotericin B elimination to an estimated range of 0.8 to 14.6% of the daily dose . Fungicidal titers were seldom measured in tissues, but fungistatic titers were observed and were linearly correlated with amphotericin B concentration measured by HPLC . In conclusion, only a small proportion of the amphotericin B administered as amphotericin B-deoxycholate to patients seems diffusible and bioactive. J Ultrasound Med, 1989 Mar, 8(3), 121 - 4 Sonography of Candida albicans cystitis; Gooding GA; Candida albicans infections are opportunistic and range from asymptomatic infections to life-threatening ones . Noted on sonography in three proven cases, Candida albicans cystitis produced a mildly thickened bladder wall and a discrete, well-defined, dense fluid-fluid interface within the bladder, debris that contained the long threadlike pseudomycelia of the fungus . This fluid-fluid interface shifted with changes in position . The sonographic appearance, although not pathognomonic, was similar in all three cases . Sonography was used to monitor the progress of therapy . In all three cases, conservative treatment successfully cleared the vesical debris without significant sequelae or the formation of concretions analogous to bezoars and the bladder returned to normal except for minimal residual wall thickening. Radiobiologiia, 1989 Mar-Apr, 29(2), 230 - 4 {Effect of He-Ne laser radiation on the chemiluminescence of mouse spleen cells}; Karu TI et al.; A study was made of He-Ne laser radiation (lambda = 632.8 nm) on spontaneous chemiluminescence of mouse splenic cells and that stimulated by addition of Candida albicans . Irradiation with low-intensity red light was shown to stimulate cell chemiluminescence and to intensify that stimulated by C . albicans within the dose range from 100 to 300 J/m2 with a maximum at about 200 J/m2. J Burn Care Rehabil, 1989 Mar-Apr, 10(2), 138 - 45 Effect of thermal injury and immunosuppression on the dissemination of Candida albicans from the mouse gastrointestinal tract; Ekenna O et al.; Candida albicans dissemination through the gastrointestinal tract was examined in mice given a thermal injury, immunosuppressive therapy, or both . After gastrointestinal tract colonization with C . albicans, mice were initially subjected to a 20% total body surface area, full-thickness, dorsal scald burn . Only one mouse in the burned group (5%) had evidence of C . albicans in the liver at the time the mice were killed . No dissemination was observed in sham-burned animals . When mice were immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide, an increased incidence of gastrointestinal tract dissemination was noted in burned (31%) and sham-burned (23%) mice; however, only 3 days after burn was there a significant difference in dissemination between burned and sham-burned mice (p less than 0.02) . This corresponded to the day of severest neutropenia in response to cyclophosphamide treatment . The results of the study indicate that C . albicans can disseminate from the gastrointestinal tract in response to thermal injury, but a significant suppression of the immune response must occur for the event to be commonplace. Rev Infect Dis, 1989 Mar-Apr, 11(2), 310 - 5 Diagnostic value of serum antibody and antigen detection in heroin addicts with systemic candidiasis; Bisbe J et al.; The diagnostic value of antibody detection by indirect hemagglutination (IHA), indirect immunofluorescence (IFA), and counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) and of Candida albicans mannan antigen detection by latex agglutination was studied in 36 cases of systemic candidiasis in heroin addicts . The IHA and IFA techniques were highly sensitive (97% and 91%, respectively), but their specificity was low (60% and 50%) . When a titer of greater than or equal to 1:2,560 was used as a criterion for IHA positivity, the specificity of the test rose to 87%, with sensitivity at 75% . CIE had a high degree of specificity (96%) but a low degree of sensitivity (58%) . A good correlation was found between clinical evolution of infection and serologic data . Two of 12 patients who could be followed for 9-16 months had a rise in antibody titer detected either by IFA or by IHA and CIE . These two patients had a persistent chondrocostal tumor and C . albicans endocarditis, respectively . All of the other patients, who were cured, had a decrease in titer detected by IHA and IFA and had negative CIE results at the end of follow-up . Serum mannan antigen was not found in any case . The detection of antibody to C . albicans may be useful for diagnosis and follow-up of such patients. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1989 Mar, 67(3), 279 - 81 Effect of nystatin and chlorhexidine digluconate on Candida albicans; Barkvoll P et al.; Polyene antibiotics such as nystatin and amphotericin B are among the most widely recommended drugs for use against oral candidiasis . It is also generally accepted that chlorhexidine gluconate is an appropriate adjunct or an alternative to specific antimycotic drugs . The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of the combination of nystatin and chlorhexidine digluconate on Candida albicans in vitro . The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value for the combination of the two drugs was found to be significantly higher than the values for each of the drugs alone, approximately 33 times the MIC value for the nystatin solution and 4 times the value for chlorhexidine digluconate . The results of the MIC study and the presence of a precipitate in all combinations of nystatin and chlorhexidine digluconate showed that the combination of the drugs is not effective in vitro against Candida albicans . The most likely reason is that a low solubility chlorhexidine-nystatin salt is formed, thus rendering the combined drug complex ineffective as an antibiotic agent. J Med Microbiol, 1989 Mar, 28(3), 223 - 5 Antibodies against Trichosporon beigelii in vaginal washings from asymptomatic women; Quindos G et al.; Trichosporon beigelii was isolated from vaginal washings from three asymptomatic women . All three women had IgG or IgA anti-T . beigelii antibody titres greater than or equal to 20 when tested by an indirect immunofluorescence assay against the three strains isolated . Titres greater than or equal to 160 were found when each patient was tested against her own isolate . Patients with Candida albicans vulvovaginitis, or from whom C . albicans or Toruloposis glabrata was isolated from vaginal washings, or who had negative cultures for yeasts, had titres less than or equal to 20. J Bacteriol, 1989 Mar, 171(3), 1372 - 8 Cloning, purification, and properties of Candida albicans thymidylate synthase; Singer SC et al.; The thymidylate synthase (TS) gene was isolated from a genomic Candida albicans library by functional complementation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain deficient in TS . The gene was localized on a 4-kilobase HindIII DNA fragment and was shown to be expressed in a Thy- strain of Escherichia coli . The nucleotide sequence of the TS gene predicted a protein of 315 amino acids with a molecular weight of 36,027 . The gene was cloned into a T7 expression vector in E . coli, allowing purification of large amounts of C . albicans TS . It was also purified from a wild-type C . albicans strain . Comparison of several enzyme properties including analysis of amino-terminal amino acid sequences showed the native and cloned C . albicans TS to be the same. Zhonghua Ya Yi Xue Hui Za Zhi, 1989 Mar, 8(1), 1 - 5 {AIDS and the oral cavity}; Hwang KC et al.; The oral cavity is the site for a number of diseases associated with an infection of the human immunodeficiency virus . Often the oral lesions may appear before the establishment of an AIDS diagnosis; and occasionally, the diagnosis may depend solely on the oral manifestations . The most commonly reported oral infections are those caused by Candida albicans and the herpes simplex virus . Hairy leukoplakia, a newly described lesion, may also be of viral origin . Kaposi's sarcoma is the most frequently reported oral malignancy in patients with AIDS . Oral squamous cell carcinoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas have also been reported. J Infect Dis, 1989 Mar, 159(3), 488 - 94 The use of a DNA probe for epidemiological studies of candidiasis in immunocompromised hosts; Fox BC et al.; Reproducible typing procedures to differentiate isolates of Candida albicans are limited . C . albicans isolates were obtained from immunocompromised patients by using DNA restriction enzyme fragment analysis and hybridization with both a radiolabeled mitochondrial DNA probe and a nonradioactive (biotinylated) DNA probe . There were 110 pathogenic and nonpathogenic C . albicans isolates from 63 immunocompromised patients . EcoRI restriction fragment analysis with the biotinylated probe revealed different "fingerprint" patterns for 60 of 63 patients . Analysis of 57 isolates from 20 patients showed no intrapatient variation regardless of the isolation site . DNA probe "fingerprint" patterns were analyzed for eight patients on serially recovered (range, 2-18 mo) C . albicans isolates . The unique patient profiles persisted over time . The application of this biotinylated C . albicans DNA probe provides a more sensitive means than simple gel restriction fragment analysis to define the epidemiology of C . albicans infection . The use of this biotin-labeled nonradioactive probe has potential application in clinical evaluations of outbreaks of nosocomial candidiasis. Steroids, 1989 Mar-May, 53(3-5), 567 - 78 Membrane fluidity alterations in a cytochrome P-450-deficient mutant of Candida albicans; Lees ND et al.; A cytochrome P450-deficient mutant of the pathogenic fungus, Candida albicans, which accumulates exclusively 14 alpha-methylsterols in place of the normal end product sterol, ergosterol, was examined for alterations in membrane fluidity by electron paramagnetic resonance . The results using four nitroxyl spin labels indicated that exponential phase cultures of the mutant strain, D10, had a uniformly more rigid membrane than similarly grown wild type . Since D10 shows a sterol spectrum similar to that of wild type cells treated with imidazole and triazole antifungal agents, many of the physiological effects reported as the result of azole application may be the result of alterations in membrane fluidity. Hua Xi Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao, 1989 Mar, 20(1), 39 - 41 {In vitro assessment of candidacidal activity of human leukocyte myeloperoxidase preparation}; Li CL et al.; Myeloperoxidase (MPO), present in the azurophilic granules of human polymorphonuclear neutrophils, is important in the oxygen-dependent microbicidal activity of neutrophils . The purpose of our study was to investigate the therapeutic potency of the MPO preparations . This paper is to present our primary work on MPO isolation and its microbicidal activity assay . White blood cells, isolated freshly from normal donors, were lysed with cetyltrimehylammonium bromide to liberate myeloperoxidase . The enzyme preparation was partially purified by 50% (NH4)2SO4 precipitation followed by 65% (NH4)2SO4 precipitation . A hundred million leukocytes yielded 1.03 mg protein of the MPO preparation with the RZ of 0.31 . The specific activity of the MPO preparation was about 29.25 u/mg . When 0.672 units of the MPO preparation were incubated with about 10(7) clinical isolates of Candida albicans in the presence of 0.2 mmol/L H2O2 and 0.14 mol/L NaCl . It was detected that 95.58 +/- 0.64% of the organisms were killed in the methylene blue staining system. Pediatr Res, 1989 Mar, 25(3), 276 - 9 Defective leukocyte fungicidal activity in end-organ resistance to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D; Etzioni A et al.; Recent studies have shown 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor-mediated modulation of leukocyte proliferation, differentiation, and function . We examined the phagocytosis and killing of microorganisms by neutrophils and monocytes from five patients of three families with hereditary resistance to 1,25(OH)2D3 . Phagocytosis of microorganisms by patients' neutrophils and monocytes was normal . However, defective neutrophil killing activity toward Candida albicans (30-40% of controls) was found in all patients . The killing of Staphylococcus aureus was normal . The neutrophil chemiluminescence, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye reduction, and the generation of superoxide ions and hydrogen peroxide by neutrophils and monocytes after induction by either soluble stimuli or zymozan particles, did not differ from those in controls . The neutrophil myeloperoxidase activity was also normal . Monocytes obtained from two patients of different families before long-term calcium infusion therapy and after they became normocalcemic, demonstrated a similar impaired fungicidal activity toward Saccharomyces cerevisiae, indicating that hypocalcemia itself was not the cause of the killing defect . However, the addition of the Ca+2 ionophore A23187 (1 microM) to the test medium restored the monocyte fungicidal activity to normal . As patients' neutrophil cytosolic free calcium concentration was similar to that in controls, it is suggested that 1,25-(OH)2D3 exerts its effect on leukocyte function by a putative receptor-mediated regulation of subcellular calcium localization which may be important for fungicidal activity. Blood, 1989 Mar, 73(4), 1045 - 9 Candidacidal activity of the neutrophil myeloperoxidase system can be protected from excess hydrogen peroxide by the presence of ammonium ion; Beilke MA et al.; Excessive concentrations of hydrogen peroxide inhibit the neutrophil myeloperoxidase system, presumably by inactivating the hypochlorous acid produced by this system . Ammonium ion generated by neutrophils and other cells can react with hypochlorous acid to produce monochloramine, an oxidant with good microbicidal activity, but relative resistance to inactivation by other compounds . In an assay based on the oxidation of 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid, hydrogen peroxide reacted more readily with sodium hypochlorite (used as a source of hypochlorous acid) than with monochloramine . Also, in this assay Candida albicans yeast inactivated the oxidant activity of hypochlorous acid more completely than they did that of monochloramine . The killing of Candida by sodium hypochlorite, as determined in a standard colony count microbicidal assay, was inhibited by equimolar and greater concentrations of hydrogen peroxide; killing of this organism by monochloramine was not affected by a tenfold excess concentration of hydrogen peroxide . In microbicidal assays using 4 mU of myeloperoxidase and optimal or excessive concentrations of hydrogen peroxide or glucose and glucose oxidase to generate hydrogen peroxide, the excessive concentrations inhibited killing of Candida, but not Staphylococcus aureus . The inhibition of Candida killing could be reversed by addition of ammonium ion to convert hypochlorous acid to monochloramine . These results indicate that for certain organisms such as C albicans, conversion of hypochlorous acid to monochloramine by reactions with ammonium ion may extend the range of hydrogen peroxide concentrations under which killing by the myeloperoxidase system can occur by protecting the necessary microbicidal oxidants from inactivation by excess hydrogen peroxide. Infect Immun, 1989 Mar, 57(3), 689 - 92 Natural inhibitor from Candida albicans blocks release of azurophil and specific granule contents by chemotactic peptide-stimulated human neutrophils; Smail EH et al.; A product released by Candida albicans hyphae which was previously determined to block the neutrophil respiratory burst also inhibited the degranulation response elicited by the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) . When neutrophils were incubated with 100 micrograms of this Candida hyphal inhibitory product (CHIP) per ml and stimulated with 1,000 nM FMLP, release of the azurophil granule marker beta-glucuronidase and the specific granule marker lactoferrin was decreased to 31.2 +/- 5.7 and 35.7 +/- 5.3% of control, respectively . Inhibition was concentration dependent, with a half-maximal reduction of beta-glucuronidase and lactoferrin release being induced by 4 and 1 micrograms of CHIP per ml, respectively . In contrast to these striking alterations in response to FMLP, CHIP had no significant effect on lactoferrin release stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate . Moreover, actin polymerization, which has been suggested to be involved in regulation of degranulation, was unaffected by CHIP whether the neutrophils were stimulated by FMLP or phorbol myristate acetate . The selectivity of inhibition of neutrophil degranulation thus provides additional confirmation that CHIP is a useful agent for exploring human neutrophil activation pathways. Arch Dermatol, 1989 Mar, 125(3), 357 - 61 Prevalence and clinical spectrum of skin disease in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus; Coldiron BM et al.; We examined 100 serial patients who were receiving care in a county outpatient immunodeficiency clinic and whose serum was positive by Western blot test for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) . Skin disorders were found in 92% of these HIV-infected patients, with little difference in prevalence or severity in three clinical categories: patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related complex, and those who were asymptomatic . Patients positive for HIV antibodies had significantly more skin disease, with the exception of dermatophytosis, than did a historical control population . A strong association was observed between the use of zidovudine and the absence of infection with Candida albicans . We conclude that there is a high prevalence of skin disease in HIV-positive patients who seek medical care, and that specialists in skin disease should be included in these patients' initial evaluation and continuing care. BMJ, 1989 Feb 11, 298(6670), 354 - 7 Assessment of DNA fingerprinting for rapid identification of outbreaks of systemic candidiasis; Matthews R et al.; DNA fingerprinting was assessed as an improved typing system for Candida albicans aimed at speeding the implementation of cross infection control measures in outbreaks of systemic candidiasis . The study was carried out with 45 previously characterised isolates from five different outbreaks and with 96 unrelated isolates from a mixed control population . Sixteen different genotypes were produced . Results were obtainable within days, reproducibility was high, and there was good discrimination among different outbreaks . Compared with existing typing systems DNA fingerprinting provides a robust system that may be used rapidly to identify outbreaks of nosocomial candidiasis in laboratories with no specialist skill in typing C albicans. JAMA, 1989 Feb 10, 261(6), 878 - 83 Efficacy of an attachable subcutaneous cuff for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infection . A randomized, controlled trial; Flowers RH 3rd et al.; We performed a randomized controlled trial of an attachable subcutaneous cuff for the prevention of central vascular catheter-related infection among patients receiving intensive care . Catheters were placed percutaneously into new sites with or without a cuff and were dressed with polyantibiotic ointment containing polymyxin, neomycin, and bacitracin . Microbial colonization developed in 34.5% of 29 control and 7.7% of 26 cuffed catheters . Catheter-related bloodstream infection occurred with 13.8% of control vs 0% of cuffed catheters . The cuff was not associated with adverse effects . An unexpectedly large proportion (75%) of catheter infections were due to Candida albicans . This may have been due, in part, to the use of polyantibiotic ointment, as suggested by a pooled analysis of previous trials that demonstrated increased Candida colonization of catheters with the ointment, which is not fungicidal . These data suggest that the cuff can reduce the incidence of catheter-related infection among high-risk patients receiving catheter site care with an antibacterial ointment. Postgrad Med J, 1989 Feb, 65(760), 83 - 5 Hypersplenism due to fungal infection of spleen in a successfully treated patient with Hodgkin's disease; Raina V et al.; A 58 year old woman, with dermatitis herpetiformis was found to have Hodgkin's disease following the discovery of an abdominal mass and splenomegaly . Combination chemotherapy was given . Although the abdominal mass and systemic symptoms resolved, the splenomegaly did not and the patient developed severe prolonged anaemia and pancytopaenia . Splenectomy resulted in a complete reversal of the haematological abnormalities . Histopathological examination of the spleen revealed fungal granulomas of Candida albicans . No residual Hodgkin's disease was found . The patient thus had hypersplenism due to fungal granulomas in the spleen . This form of presentation of fungal granuloma is very rare and resulted in delay in diagnosis and considerable morbidity to the patient. J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 135 ( Pt 2), 425 - 34 High frequency variation of colony morphology and chromosome reorganization in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans; Suzuki T et al.; A clinical isolate of the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans varied in its colony morphology from smooth (o-smooth) to semi-rough type (SRT) and concomitantly lost its virulence for mice . In terms of DNA content, the smooth parent was near triploid when Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains of known ploidy were used as references . The SRT variant showed several features characteristic of polyploidy . From the SRT variant, revertant-like smooth (r-smooth) variants with recovered virulence were derived at a frequency of 5 x 10(-3) . The results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis on chromosomal DNA showed changes in patterns of chromosome-sized DNA bands in the SRT variant as well as in r-smooth variants, which correlated with these variations . Correlations between colony morphology, state of ploidy and virulence of this asporogenous yeast are considered. Pneumonol Pol, 1989 Feb, 57(2), 104 - 13 {Further studies on the occurrence of mycoses in the bronchial stump and bronchial anastomosis or trachea}; Zajaczkowska J et al.; In the years 1980-1985 sutures were removed endoscopically from stumps and anastomoses in 52 patients operated in the years 1969-1985 . The total number of bronchoscopies was 154, in 88 protruding threads into the airway lumen were removed . Interval between removal of first suture and date of surgery ranged from 0.5 to 192 months . Mycotic infection was diagnosed in 5 cases (9.6%) . The causative agents being Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans . In all cases removal of protruding threads lead to a complete cure . It was found that incidence of such mycotic infections decreased from 20.2% observed during the years 1962-1979 to 9.6% in the years 1980-1985. Res Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 140(2), 95 - 105 Effects of subinhibitory dose of amphotericin B on cell wall biosynthesis in Candida albicans; Mpona-Minga M et al.; Subinhibitory doses of amphotericin B in the culture medium of Candida albicans modified yeast cell wall synthesis . Analysis of isolated cell walls showed a decrease in mannose and an increase in amino acid and glucosamine levels . After fractionation of the cell wall by ethylenediamine or pronase digestion, study of the fractions corroborated an outer phosphopeptidomannan decrease and an enrichment of matrix constituents . Determination of the amount of chitin showed stimulation of synthesis of this amino polysaccharide in yeasts grown in the presence of amphotericin B . Decrease in phosphopeptidomannans and high production of other cell wall constituents are probably consequences of modification of the lipidic environment of membrane-bound enzymes by the antifungal polyene action. Riv Eur Sci Med Farmacol, 1989 Feb, 11(1), 17 - 20 {Recent advances in Candida albicans mycoses in children}; Cantani A et al.; Infections with fungi appear to be increasing in frequency . Children who are debilitated, or are receiving prolonged steroid therapy or long-term antibiotic therapy are particularly susceptible to fungal infections . C . albicans causes infections of various organs . It may also form granulomas and produce a disseminated disease . In this paper the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of candidiasis are discussed. Indian J Biochem Biophys, 1989 Feb, 26(1), 30 - 3 Influence of lipid composition on the sensitivity of Candida albicans to antifungal agents; Mago N et al.; Cerulenin, a specific inhibitor of fatty acid and sterol biosyntheses, inhibited growth and lipid synthesis in C . albicans, which on supplementing the growth medium with optimum concentrations of fatty acids was reversed . Significant changes in the levels of phospholipids and sterols were observed in fatty acid-supplemented cells . Altered phospholipids and their fatty acid profile rendered cells more resistant to miconazole and thereby more permeable to {3H}proline . Thus it appears that fatty acid composition plays an important role in determining the permeability susceptibility of C . albicans to drugs. Can J Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 35(2), 260 - 4 Conditions affecting the amphotericin B mediated inhibition of Candida albicans attachment to cell cultures; Merkel GJ et al.; Sublethal amounts of amphotericin B inhibited the attachment of Candida albicans to cultured mammalian cells . The extent of inhibition was influenced by the concentration of serum and the growth phase of the yeasts used to inoculate the cell cultures . Yeasts which were in their exponential phase of growth or had formed germ tubes were the most sensitive to amphotericin B . Equivalent amounts of amphotericin B inhibited yeast-mammalian cell interactions to different degrees depending upon the culture's tissue origin. Can J Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 35(2), 255 - 9 The effects of amphotericin B on the interaction of Candida albicans with fibroblast cultures; Merkel GJ et al.; Sublethal amounts of amphotericin B inhibited the interaction of Candida albicans with cultured fibroblasts . Different C . albicans clinical isolates exhibited varying degrees of sensitivity to the drug, but those isolates that were the most infective in control cultures appeared to be the most resistant to amphotericin B mediated infection inhibition . Although amphotericin B inhibited germ tube formation at the sublethal concentration of 0.3 microgram/mL, lower concentrations inhibited infection without preventing germination . The extent of this latter activity varied with the isolate and amphotericin B concentration and appeared to be related to sublethal effects on germinated yeasts . While amphotericin B effectively prevented new fibroblast infection, it did not dissociate those yeasts which had established an infection before its addition. Arzneimittelforschung, 1989 Feb, 39(2), 230 - 3 Ultrastructural findings of Candida albicans blastoconidia submitted to the action of fenticonazole; Costa A et al.; A study has been conducted about ultrastructural changes induced by an imidazole derivative, fenticonazole (Lomexin), on Candida albicans blastoconidia . The structural upset has been progressively exerted starting from coating membrane surfaces throughout cytosol components and nuclear compart, so that the existence can be assumed for a direct dependence of these changes upon activity failure by a few organules . Membrane permeability processes have resulted to be involved, which are the main metabolic paths in the defective ATP synthesis, and enzyme blockades responsible for peroxide accumulation. Akush Ginekol (Mosk), 1989 Feb, (2), 33 - 5 {Clinico-laboratory diagnosis of chronic candidiasis of the external genital organs in women}; Khachaturian RE et al.; Major clinical characteristics of various forms of recurrent chronic external genital candidiasis in females and remission thereof are considered . Cytologic findings in vaginal smears are reported, as are the results of Candida albicans culture in vaginal discharge of patients with acute and subacute recurrences and those with remissions . Cytologic investigation is shown to be very valuable and capable of differentiating between various forms of the pathology when used in combination with the cultures . It was also valuable in the diagnosis of acute and suacute relapses of chronic candidiasis, the accuracy of diagnosis being 87.8% . High detectability rate of vegetating fungal forms may serve as an indicator of the activity of the pathologic process. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1989 Feb, 42(2), 174 - 8 L-671,329, a new antifungal agent . III . In vitro activity, toxicity and efficacy in comparison to aculeacin; Fromtling RA et al.; L-671,329 is a novel, echinocandin-like natural product that possesses potent anti-Candida activity, including activity against Candida parapsilosis . The in vitro MICs of L-671,329 were comparable to aculeacin against 18 yeasts and three filamentous fungi in an agar dilution assay . L-671,329 lysed mouse red blood cells (RBCs) at a concentration of 400 micrograms/ml, but not at 50 or 12.5 micrograms/ml . Aculeacin lysed RBCs at 400 and 50 micrograms/ml . L-671,329 significantly prolonged survival of mice infected with Candida albicans (ED50 3.38 mg/kg) following twice-daily intraperitoneal dosing for five consecutive days . The prolongation observed was greater than that seen with aculeacin therapy (ED50 6.44 mg/kg) . No acute or chronic toxicities of L-671,329 or aculeacin (as measured by mortality) were detected at a concentration of 100 mg/kg following intraperitoneal administration (TD50 greater than 100 mg/kg) . Both L-671,329 and aculeacin eradicated cells of C . albicans from the kidneys of infected mice . L-671,329 eradicated the yeast at therapeutic concentrations of 12.5 to 100 mg/kg . Aculeacin eradicated yeast cells at therapy concentrations of 25 to 100 mg/kg . L-671,329 has potential as an anti-Candida compound. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1989 Feb, 67(2), 177 - 80 Are postmortem studies of glossal candidal infection useful? An experimental study; Peters E et al.; Autopsy studies have suggested that candidal pseudohyphae may be found in dorsal glossal epithelium in 38% to 42% of cases . Candidal yeast forms, and occasionally free pseudohyphae, are found as oral commensals in about 44% of the population . This study examined the possible distorting influence in autopsy studies that could be caused by postmortem hyphal transformation of candidal yeast forms followed by saprophytic infestation . Candida albicans yeast forms were topically applied to the middorsal glossal mucosa of five healthy pigs, immediately after killing . Biopsy specimens from this mucosa were subsequently maintained, in vitro, for periods of 12 and 24 hours in humid conditions at different temperature regression rates chosen to approximate those of the oral cavity after death . Biopsy specimens subjected to a temperature regression of 35 degrees C (oral temperature) to 23 degrees C (room temperature) over 11 hours showed infestation of epithelium by pseudohyphae in all cases . Biopsy specimens subjected to a similar temperature regression over 5 hours showed infestation in two of five cases . Control biopsy specimens showed that there was no candidal infection at the time of killing . The results indicate that in vitro saprophytic candidal infestation is possible in the time intervals and the declining oral temperatures preceding autopsy . It suggests that postmortem saprophytic candidal infestation may distort results from autopsy studies that do not anticipate this problem. J Med Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 28(2), 93 - 100 Effect of iron depletion on cell-wall antigens of Candida albicans; Paul TR et al.; Cell walls were isolated from stationary-phase cultures of Candida albicans grown at 25 degrees C or 37 degrees C, in iron-depleted and iron-sufficient conditions . Proteins solubilised from cell-wall fractions were separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Approximately 40 protein bands were detected by Coomassie blue staining in all wall extracts, regardless of temperature or other growth condition . Sera from patients with oral or systemic candidosis, from whom the isolates were obtained, and pooled normal human serum were examined for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies to cell-wall proteins by Western blotting . Patient sera recognised more antigens than pooled normal human serum . In particular, an antigen of 44 kda was detected by IgG antibodies in the sera of patients and two antigens of 41 and 14 kda were detected by their IgM antibodies when the sera were used as probes against walls from iron-depleted cells, but not from iron-sufficient cells, grown at 25 degrees C . Two antigens of 45 and 40 kda were detected by IgM antibodies in the sera of patients tested against walls from iron-depleted but not from iron-sufficient cells grown at 37 degrees C . IgG antibodies did not distinguish between these wall preparations from cells grown at 37 degrees C . These results suggest that the specific cell-wall proteins induced during growth in iron-depleted conditions, as well as other proteins, were immunogenic and were recognised by the patients' antibodies. J Med Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 28(2), 85 - 91 Morphotype markers of virulence in human candidal infections; Hunter PR et al.; A study of the morphotypes of 446 strains of Candida albicans, isolated from a variety of clinical specimens, is reported . The method was based on a morphotyping scheme that has recently been described, but not all of the potential characters were used in this analysis . By this limited code, 50 different morphotypes were distinguished, the largest group comprising 23% of the population . The simplicity and good discrimination of the method make it a useful typing scheme for C . albicans . Discontinuous colonial fringes were associated with strains from oral sites and deep infections . Significantly, 67% of strains from fatal infections were of the discontinuous fringe type, compared to only 11% of strains from other infections . Further associations between morphotype and anatomical source included narrow-coarse fringes in genitourinary isolates. Am J Hematol, 1989 Feb, 30(2), 86 - 90 Diffuse panbronchiolitis as a pulmonary complication in patients with adult T-cell leukemia; Ono K et al.; Forty-three cases of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) admitted to our hospital between 1982 and 1987 were studied . Three of those were found to be complicated with diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) . The incidence of DPB is considered to be significantly higher in patients with ATL . The three DPB-complicated cases composed one case each of the smoldering, chronic, and acute type of ATL . In each type, DPB preceded overt ATL and Candida albicans was found in sputa following detection for bacteria . The DPB complication apparently worsened the prognosis of the ATL patients . We have discussed a possible relationship between ATL and DPB. Infect Immun, 1989 Feb, 57(2), 527 - 32 Genetic differences between type I and type II Candida stellatoidea; Kwon-Chung KJ et al.; Genetic similarities and differences between type I and type II Candida stellatoidea were studied . The electrophoretic karyotype, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction patterns, and midrepeat sequence of nuclear DNA in type I C . stellatoidea were clearly distinguishable from those of a reference culture of Candida albicans . The karyotype and the major bands of the midrepeat sequence of type II C . stellatoidea were indistinguishable from those of the reference C . albicans . The mtDNA restriction patterns of four type I isolates were homogeneous regardless of the endonucleases and probes used . The mtDNA restriction patterns of type II C . stellatoidea varied from strain to strain . Some of them were identical to that of C . albicans, while others were the same as that of type I C . stellatoidea . Immunofluorescence with C . albicans serotype A-specific monoclonal antibody indicated that the four isolates of type I C . stellatoidea were serotype B (non-A), whereas all three type II isolates studied were serotype A . Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that the isolates of C . stellatoidea type II studied are sucrose-negative mutants of serotype A C . albicans . Since C . stellatoidea type I differs from C . albicans in several major genetic characteristics, it cannot be viewed as a simple mutant derived from C . albicans . Hybrids produced by protoplast fusion of type I and type II cells were capable of assimilating sucrose, indicating that the sucrose-negative phenotypes of the parents are due to different mutations. Infect Immun, 1989 Feb, 57(2), 458 - 67 Hypha formation in the white-opaque transition of Candida albicans; Anderson J et al.; Cells of Candida albicans strain WO-1 and related strains switch frequently and reversibly between a white-colony-forming unit (white phase) and a gray-colony-forming unit (opaque phase) . Cells in the budding white phase exhibit the usual smooth round phenotype observed in other C . albicans strains, but cells in the budding opaque phase exhibit a unique elongate shape with surface pimples or protrusions . In this study, it was demonstrated that opaque cells formed hyphae at low to negligible levels in suspension cultures but could be induced to form hyphae at high levels when anchored to the chamber wall of a perfusion chamber or to a monolayer of human skin epithelial cells . Variability in the proportion of hyphae formed between experiments appeared to be due to variability between individual opaque clones . The hyphae formed by opaque cells were morphologically identical to hyphae formed by white cells (i.e., they were devoid of pimples or protrusions and exhibited the same shape and septal locations) . They also did not stain with an opaque-specific antiserum which differentially stained opaque budding cells in a punctate fashion . However, when stimulated to form buds, opaque hyphae formed opaque-shaped daughter buds, demonstrating that although they are morphologically similar to hyphae formed by white cells, they are genetically opaque. Infect Immun, 1989 Feb, 57(2), 413 - 9 Analysis of mannans of two relatively avirulent mutant strains of Candida albicans; Saxena A et al.; We previously reported the isolation of two cerulenin-resistant mutant strains of Candida albicans 4918 that differ in adherence properties and are less virulent than the parental strain . In addition, biochemical characterization demonstrated significant differences in both protein and polysaccharide composition of cell wall material between the mutant and wild-type strains . These observations prompted studies concerning the chemical structure of mannans in these strains . After extraction and subsequent purification by ion-exchange chromatography, mannan fractions were subjected to either mild acid hydrolysis, alkali hydrolysis, or acetylation followed by acetolysis . Acid- and alkali-modified mannans were studied by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and released products were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography on an Aminex HPX-42A column . The results demonstrated quantitative and qualitative differences between mannooligosaccharides of the wild-type and mutant strains in the identity of released oligosaccharides as well as in linkage of the oligosaccharides to the protein backbone. Nor Tannlaegeforen Tid, 1989 Feb, 99(4), 116 - 9 {Conventional treatment of oral candidiasis--new aspects}; Barkvoll P et al.; Polyene antibiotics such as nystatin and amphotericin B are among the most widely recommended drugs for use in the treatment of oral candidiasis . It is also generally accepted that chlorhexidine gluconate is an appropriate adjunct or an alternative to specific antimycotic drugs . The aim of the present paper was to discuss the conventional treatment against Candida albicans infections . It has previously been shown in an vitro study that combination of chlorhexidine and nystatin reduced the effect against Candida albicans . The most likely reason is that a low solubility chlorhexidine-nystatin salt is formed, thus rendering the combined drug complex ineffective as an antibiotic agent . Other pharmacologic interactions are also discussed . In the treatment of denture related candidiasis one should keep in mind that some tissue conditioners will inhibit the antifungal activity of amphotericin B . A more restrictive use of combinations of drugs against oral candidiasis is suggested. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Feb, 33(2), 147 - 51 Comparison of the efficacies of amphotericin B, fluconazole, and itraconazole against a systemic Candida albicans infection in normal and neutropenic mice; Van t Wout JW et al.; We compared the efficacies of the new triazole antifungal drugs fluconazole and itraconazole with that of amphotericin B in vitro and in an animal model of systemic candidiasis in normal and neutropenic mice . Antifungal treatment with fluconazole (2.5 to 20 mg/kg orally twice daily), itraconazole (10 to 40 mg/kg orally twice daily), or amphotericin B (0.1 to 4 mg/kg intraperitoneally once daily) was started 1 day after intravenous injection of 10(4) Candida albicans into normal mice or 10(3) C . albicans into neutropenic mice; the drugs were administered for 2 days . In normal mice the efficacy of treatment, which was assessed on the basis of the number of C . albicans cultured from the kidney, was greater for amphotericin B than for the triazoles . Fluconazole was more potent than itraconazole on the basis of equivalent doses, although itraconazole was more potent on the basis of the amount of free drug that was available . In neutropenic mice amphotericin B was less effective than it was in normal mice, whereas the triazoles were equally effective in normal and neutropenic mice . This was not expected, since in vitro data showed that amphotericin B was highly fungicidal, whereas both fluconazole and itraconazole had only a minimal effect on the growth of C . albicans in vitro. Immunology, 1989 Feb, 66(2), 278 - 83 Suppression of monocyte functions by human cytomegalovirus; Buchmeier NA et al.; The role of the monocyte in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-induced immunosuppression was examined by assessing the ability of the virus to directly suppress various monocyte accessory cell functions . Both patient-derived and laboratory-adapted strains of HCMV were capable of impairing antigen-presenting functions of purified human monocytes . In seven of 12 virus-infected samples, there was a significant decrease (P less than 0.05) in the ability of HCMV-infected monocytes to present tetanus toxoid to autologous lymphocytes compared with mock-infected controls; similar results were obtained with Candida albicans and mumps . In contrast, the response to PHA was impaired in only one of eight HCMV-infected samples . The increased expression of MHC class II Ia antigens (HLA-DQ and HLA-DR) by monocytes after stimulation by interferon-gamma was impaired in approximately one-third of the 43 virus-infected samples tested . Interleukin-1 (IL-1) production after incubation with the stimulating antigens, however, was unaffected . Attempts to augment immuno-suppression by co-stimulation of monocytes with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), heat-killed Escherichia coli or Listeria monocytogenes were not successful; however, dramatically increased levels of immunosuppression was obtained with HCMV preparations containing mycoplasma . Thus, although HCMV is capable of directly perturbing monocyte accessory cell functions, the variability and partial suppression observed suggests that infection of monocytes by HCMV alone is not sufficient to produce the levels of immune hyporesponsiveness observed in HCMV-infected patients. Bratisl Lek Listy, 1989 Feb, 90(2), 125 - 8 {Evaluation of the antimicrobial effect and toxicity of glutaraldehyde}; Volna F et al.; The antimicrobial efficacy and toxicity of a solution containing 20 g.l-1 glutaraldehyde was evaluated . All the tested germs of gram-negative microorganisms and of the strain Staphylococcus aureus were killed within 5 minutes, those of mycobacteria within 120 minutes, and bacterial spores in the course of 240 minutes . The fungicidal effect of the solution upon the strain Candida albicans became manifest after 10 minute exposure and upon the tested genera of dermatophytes after 30 minute exposure . The bacteriophage phi X 174 was inactivated within 60 minutes . In the view of the obtained values of its antimicrobial efficacy and toxicity, glutaraldehyde is recommended as a chemosterilizing substance. Infect Immun, 1989 Feb, 57(2), 616 - 22 C3bi-binding protein on Candida albicans: temperature-dependent expression and relationship to human complement receptor type 3; Eigentler A et al.; We investigated in detail the previously described capacity of pseudohyphae of Candida albicans to bind C3-coated particles . We show that the expression of the C3bi receptor of C . albicans was dependent upon the growth temperature of the fungi . C . albicans grown at 30 degrees C bound strongly to EAC1423bi, whereas those cells grown at 38.5 degrees C were completely devoid of this capacity . The molecule responsible for the attachment of EAC1423bi was heat labile and trypsin sensitive . Several, but not all, monoclonal antibodies to the alpha-chain of human complement receptor type 3 (CR3) stained C . albicans, and this reactivity was expressed in parallel with the capacity of C . albicans to bind EAC1423bi, i.e., both were dependent on the growth temperature of the fungi and were trypsin sensitive . In contrast to CR3, the binding of EAC1423bi to C . albicans did not require the presence of divalent cations . Rabbit immunoglobulin G antibodies directed against C . albicans inhibited the binding of EAC1423bi to C . albicans but not to human CR3 . These inhibiting IgG antibodies recognized antigens expressed on the surface of pseudohyphae but not those of yeast cells . OKM-1, a monoclonal antibody to human CR3 inhibited the attachment of EAC1423bi to CR3 and also to C . albicans . OKM-1 precipitated a 130-kilodalton band from solubilized 125I-labeled C . albicans . We conclude that the complement receptors on C . albicans and human CR3 were antigenically related but not identical and that they differed in their functional characteristics. J Gen Microbiol, 1989 Feb, 135 ( Pt 2), 309 - 14 Purification and some properties of Candida albicans exo-1,3-beta-glucanase; Molina M et al.; An exo-1,3-beta-glucanase was purified from blastoconidia of Candida albicans 1001 . The purified enzyme appeared as a single protein band by PAGE, and split into two subunits (Mr approximately 63,000 and 44,000) when analysed by SDS-PAGE . The pI of the enzyme was 4 and a Km of 1.7 mg ml-1 was estimated for laminarin as substrate . Despite its very reduced activity on the synthetic substrate p-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucoside, C . albicans exo-1,3-beta-glucanase hydrolysed 1,3-beta-glucan by an exo-splitting mechanism and was inhibited by glucono-delta-lactone and by Hg2+ and Ag+ cations . The active exo-glucanase was mainly located in the periplasm, but it was also present inside the cytoplasmic membrane in small amounts and was secreted into the culture medium . The electrophoretic mobility of the enzyme from all three locations was the same. Mycopathologia, 1989 Feb, 105(2), 87 - 92 Mannan and D-arabinitol concentrations in serum from a patient with Candida albicans endocarditis; Fujita S et al.; In an attempt to clarify the comparative values of serological and microbiological examinations for the early diagnosis of systemic candidiasis, antibodies against Candida albicans, serum mannan, and the D-arabinitol creatinine ratio were investigated in a patient with aortic valve endocarditis associated with carcinoma of the bile duct . Candida precipitins and the antibody titer against Candida cell wall mannan were examined by an immunodiffusion technique and hemagglutination test, respectively . Serum mannan was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using the biotin-streptavidin procedure . The upper limit of negativity of the assay was determined by adding 0.06 to the absorbance of pooled serum from healthy laboratory workers . This value was about 0.8 ng/ml with ELISA . The D-arabinitol concentration in serum was examined by an enzymatic fluorometric method . Rising antibody titers against C . albicans, mannan antigenemia, and an elevated D-arabinitol creatinine ratio were first observed between the 11th and 12th hospital days . Blood cultures obtained on 8th, 9th, and 11th hospital days grew C . albicans after 3 to 4 days of incubation . Of 11 serum samples, 5 were positive for mannan, whereas D-arabinitol creatinine ratio was positive in 7 of 9 samples . Blood cultures was the earliest evidence of Candida infections in our cases . However, because of saprophytic nature of Candida species, tests for antibodies, antigenemia, and the D-arabinitol creatinine ratio in combination with blood cultures are necessary to confirm systemic candidiasis at an early stage of infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1989 Feb, 33(2), 152 - 5 Effects of free and liposomal amphotericin B and gramicidin S alone and in combination on potassium leakage from human erythrocytes and Candida albicans; Midez JA et al.; We studied the toxic effects of amphotericin B and gramicidin S, alone and in combination, using free and liposome-encapsulated drugs . In vitro toxic effects of the drugs on human erythrocytes and Candida albicans were determined by measuring leakage of intracellular potassium ions (K+) . Liposomal formulations of both drugs greatly reduced K+ leakage from human erythrocytes, whereas liposomal gramicidin S, but not liposomal amphotericin B, prevented K+ leakage from C . albicans . In both free and liposomal forms, the combinations of drugs produced decreased toxicity to erythrocytes compared with the drugs alone . This protective effect was more apparent with liposomal combinations than with free drug combinations . A significant increase in fungal cell toxicity was observed, however, when free and liposomal drug combinations were tested against C . albicans . The results suggest that optimal concentrations of liposomal drug combinations (amphotericin B and gramicidin S) may provide increased toxicity against fungal cells and simultaneously protect mammalian cells. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen, 1989 Jan 30, 109(3), 357 - 60 {Candida albicans--is it causing a new national disease?}; Sandven P; A hypothesis concerning a chronic candida hypersensitivity syndrome caused by the presence of Candida albicans in the gut was put forward in the USA a decade ago . Lately this theory has gained much publicity in Norway through articles in the press and programs on the national radio and television . The purpose of this article is to give a presentation and critical evaluation of this syndrome . It is concluded that the theory of a chronic Candida hypersensitivity syndrome is speculative and devoid of experimental support. J Immunol Methods, 1989 Jan 17, 116(2), 213 - 9 Development of a microsphere-based fluorescent immunoassay and its comparison to an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of antibodies to three antigen preparations from Candida albicans; McHugh TM et al.; A sensitive assay for the simultaneous detection of multiple serum antibodies by flow cytometry was developed . Polystyrene microspheres of 5, 7 and 9.3 micron in diameter were used as solid supports for the attachment of three different antigen preparations from Candida albicans . These antigens were a whole cell extract; a cytoplasmic protein extract and a cell wall polysaccharide . Microsphere-associated fluorescence was quantitated by flow cytometry, with the different sized microspheres analyzed separately using electronic volume gating . This procedure allowed for different antigen-coated microspheres with discrete sizes to be analyzed independently for immunofluorescence . The assay detected antibody levels in human serum at dilutions up to 10(-6) and provided complete discrimination, using all three antigen preparations, between antibody levels seen in healthy subjects and those seen in patients suspected of having a systemic Candida infection . A standard enzyme immunoassay (EIA) failed to provide complete discrimination between healthy subjects and patient samples: at least 17% of patient values fell within the healthy subject range using all three antigen preparations . The microsphere assay which allowed for the simultaneous detection of multiple antibodies, has increased dynamic range over EIA and provides for better discrimination of patients from healthy subjects in comparison to EIA . Precise quantitation of antibodies is possible and the rapid analysis of thousands of microspheres markedly enhances the statistical accuracy of the assay . We suggest this assay is likely to have many other important applications in immunologic testing. FEMS Microbiol Lett, 1989 Jan 15, 48(2), 167 - 71 Isolation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic variants of Candida albicans; Hazen BW et al.; We have previously demonstrated that most isolates of C . albicans are hydrophobic when grown at room temperature (RT, ca . 22-24 degrees C) and hydrophilic when grown at 37 degrees C . Variants of our standard strain LGH1095 were isolated that are hydrophobic at 37 degrees C and hydrophilic at RT . After repeated phase partitioning with cyclohexane-water cell populations that were 6-16% hydrophobic at RT and 66-80% hydrophobic at 37 degrees C were obtained . Subsequent limiting dilution experiments provided clones which were more hydrophobic at RT or hydrophilic at 37 degrees C . These were then recloned until the resultant populations were consistently under 5% cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) at RT or over 95% at 37 degrees C . Treatment with several detergents as well as sugars did not decrease the CSH of these cells . Lipase and several proteases also had no effect . When treated with trypsin at a concentration twice that used to lower CSH of normal cells to less than 5%, the hydrophobic variant only decreased in CSH by 50% . Both variants were capable of germinating, although at different levels depending on prior growth temperature . Sensitivity to the germination inhibitor morphogenic autoregulatory substance (MARS) was similar to that of the parent strain. J Biol Chem, 1989 Jan 15, 264(2), 1100 - 7 Characterization of Candida albicans dihydrofolate reductase; Baccanari DP et al.; Dihydrofolate reductase from Candida albicans was purified 31,000-fold and characterized . In addition, the C . albicans dihydrofolate reductase gene was cloned into a plasmid vector and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the enzyme was purified from this source . Both preparations showed a single protein-staining band with a molecular weight of about 25,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . The enzymes were stable and had an isoelectric point of pH 7.1 on gel isoelectric focusing . Kinetic characterization showed that the enzymes from each source had similar turnover numbers (about 11,000 min-1) and Km values for NADPH and dihydrofolate of 3-4 microM . Like other eukaryotic dihydrofolate reductases, the C . albicans enzyme exhibited weak binding affinity for the antibacterial agent trimethoprim (Ki = 4 microM), but further characterization showed that the inhibitor binding profile of the yeast and mammalian enzymes differed . Methotrexate was a tight binding inhibitor of human but not C . albicans dihydrofolate reductase; the latter had a relatively high methotrexate Ki of 150 pM . The yeast and vertebrate enzymes also differed in their interactions with KCl and urea . These two agents activate vertebrate dihydrofolate reductases but inhibited the C . albicans enzyme . The sequence of the first 36 amino-terminal amino acids of the yeast enzyme was also determined . This portion of the C . albicans enzyme was more similar to human than to E . coli dihydrofolate reductases (50% and 30% identity, respectively) . Some key amino acid residues in the C . albicans sequence, such as E-30 (human enzyme numbering), were "vertebrate-like" whereas others, such as I-31, were not . These results indicate that there are physical and kinetic differences between the eukaryotic mammalian and yeast enzymes. Rev Fr Gynecol Obstet, 1989 Jan, 84(1), 15 - 7 {Advantages of single-dose treatment of vaginal Candida albicans infection}; Blum M et al.; One-hundred forty women (60 pregnant and 80 non-pregnant women) with a history of Candida albicans infection were examined one month before treatment and were reexamined one month after treatment . Administration of a single agent consisting of 2,300 mg tablets of GynoTragoven (isoconazole nitrate, Schering, AG) resulted in immediate clinical improvement . One month after treatment, the success rate was 85-100 p . cent for non-pregnant women, and 83-100 p . cent for pregnant women . No side-effects were observed following therapy . According to studies published, a high percentage of infections develop during pregnancy, especially during the second (35 p . cent) and third (31.5 p . cent) trimesters . Because of the high rate of infections during pregnancy, preventive therapy should be considered during the final weeks of pregnancy, to prevent intrauterine infection during parturition. Infect Immun, 1989 Jan, 57(1), 186 - 90 Candidacidal activities of proteins partially purified from rat epidermis; Kashima M et al.; Proteins with approximate molecular weights of greater than 300,000 (EP greater than 300K) and 49,000 (EP 49K) were partially purified from terminally differentiated cells of 2-day-old rat epidermis . They were extracted in 0.34 M sucrose containing 0.01 M citric acid and purified by Sephacryl S-300 chromatography followed by reverse-phase column chromatography . The major constituents of EP greater than 300K and EP 49K were focused around pH 10 to 11 by sucrose gradient isoelectric focusing . Both proteins were effective at inhibiting colony formation of Candida albicans and C . tropicalis, but neither inhibited the growth of C . parapsilosis . The effect was maximum below pH 5.0 and reduced considerably above pH 5.0 . The activity of EP greater than 300K on C . albicans TIMM 1623 (group A) was much stronger than that of EP 49K, whereas both proteins similarly inhibited C . albicans TIMM 1604 (group B) . Their effects against C . albicans TIMM 1623 were dose dependent and were activated after a longer preincubation time, and NaCl concentration influenced their potency . At a low salt concentration and a 60-min preincubation at pH 4.5, the 50% effective dose for EP greater than 300K was calculated to be 1.7 x 10(-9) M, whereas that for EP 49K was 1.8 x 10(-7) M. J Int Med Res, 1989 Jan-Feb, 17(1), 82 - 6 The use of 2.5% natamycin, as orally administered drops, in the treatment of fungal infections of the oral cavity in children with chronic blood diseases; Rokicka-Milewska R et al.; A total of 34 children with oral candidiasis were treated with 2.5% natamycin in the form of orally administered drops; 6-20 drops applied to oral lesions four times daily for up to 8 weeks . A total cure was achieved in 28 (82.3%) cases . No side-effects were observed . This preparation was an effective treatment for Candida albicans infections in children with blood diseases, and was well tolerated. Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi, 1989 Jan, 93(1), 109 - 17 {Experimental Candida albicans chorioretinitis}; Hirano Y; The long term (12 months) clinical and histopathological features of experimental chorioretinitis induced by intravenous injection of Candida albicans (5-10 x 10(6) spores) in pigmented rabbits were reported . Nine of 26 animals developed bilateral and 11 of 26 animals unilateral chorioretinal lesions . The lesions were round, yellow-white spots initially growing with a fluffy border, and breaking into the vitreous body . Finally, the lesions became chorioretinal scars with bridging strands in the vitreous body . Histologically, the initial lesions were subretinal microabscesses of pseudoeosinophils with PAS-positive spores, then macrophages invaded and typical granuloma with epithelioid and multinucleated giant cells developed . One year after the inoculation, focal chorioretinal scars with vitreous strands were found. Bull Soc Pathol Exot Filiales, 1989, 82(2), 201 - 7 {Fungal otitis in Libreville . Study of 83 cases}; Kombila M et al.; 83 cases of mycotic otitis of external ear are reported during a period of 27 months from three departments of otorhinolaryngology in Libreville (Gabon, Central Africa) Prevalence is estimated at about 25% among all infectious otitis . The main functional signs are pruritus, otorrhea, pain and hypoacousia . The physical examination shows masse of white, grey, black or creamy caseous debris, invading the external auditory meatus (EAM) which is sometimes inflammatory . Fungal species responsible of otitis are Aspergillus (54%), yeasts (45%) mainly Candida, infrequently Fusarium (1%) . A niger (26%), A . flavus (17%), Candida parapilosis (18%), Candida albicans (9%) are predominant species isolated (70%) among all the 21 species of identified fungi from otomycosis in Gabon . Therapy, done by thorough washing of the ear followed by insertion into the EAM of a wick soaked in Econazole or Amphotericin B, is quickly effective. Farmaco, 1989 Jan, 44(1), 65 - 76 {Substances with antibacterial and antifungal activity . VII . Synthesis and microbiologic activity of new derivatives of 1,5-diarylpyrrole}; Porretta GC et al.; The synthesis and antifungal activities of new 1,5-diarylpyrrole derivatives are reported . Antimicrobial data in comparison with pyrrolnitrin show that N-methylpiperazinylamides exhibit very poor activity against Candida albicans and Candida sp . while acid and ester derivatives are inactive . Vice-versa many acid or amide derivatives show interesting antibacterial activity . The results obtained are discussed on the basis of structure-activity relationships. Arch Gynecol Obstet, 1989, 244(3), 175 - 7 Intrauterine fetal death apparently due to Candida chorioamnionitis; Bider D et al.; There is an increasing awareness of the association between Candida albicans chorioamnionitis and preterm labor . We present a case of intrauterine fetal death caused by Candida chorioamnionitis at the 21 weeks gestation in a patient with an intrauterine device (IUD). J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 1989 Jan, 8(1), 125 - 8 Blastocystis hominis gastroenteritis in a hemophiliac with acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Narkewicz MR et al.; Blastocystis hominis is an enteric protozoan that has occasionally been associated with gastrointestinal illness in man but is not considered an opportunistic pathogen . We describe a 16-year-old hemophiliac with acquired immune deficiency-related complex in whom upper gastrointestinal symptoms in conjunction with high densities of B . hominis in duodenal secretions and stool developed . Furazolidone treatment was associated with eradication of the organism and improvement in clinical symptoms . One month later, the patient had invasive Candida albicans esophagitis and died 2 weeks later of complications of acute pancreatitis . In immunocompetent individuals surveyed in Colorado the frequency of identification of B . hominis in stool concentrates was not different between asymptomatic and symptomatic persons . We suggest that B . hominis may be an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients and should be sought in duodenal secretions and feces when gastrointestinal symptoms are present. Pancreas, 1989, 4(1), 120 - 2 Pancreatic abscess secondary to Candida albicans; Howard JM et al.; A case report is presented of a patient with acute postoperative pancreatitis who developed a pancreatic abscess secondary to Candida albicans . Recovery followed operative drainage and amphotericin B therapy . Because this is the only such patient in the author's career experience, and because only one other report currently addresses the problem, this report is offered. Clin Exp Rheumatol, 1989 Jan-Feb, 7(1), 43 - 6 Cineradiography identifies esophageal candidiasis in progressive systemic sclerosis; Geirsson AJ et al.; Cineradiography of the esophagus showed signs of esophageal candidiasis in 11 out of 71 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) - both in diffuse scleroderma and the CREST syndrome . Culture of esophageal brushings confirmed the presence of Candida albicans in eight of these 11 patients . Antimycotic treatment decreased the cineradiographic signs of candidiasis and the degree of dysphagia . Since impaired esophageal motility and treatment with immunosuppressive drugs may predispose to candida esophagitis, and since dysphagia will decrease after antimycotic treatment esophageal mycosis should always be sought in patients with PSS. Pediatr Neurosci, 1989, 15(3), 125 - 30 Candida albicans shunt infection; Shapiro S et al.; Seven cases of successfully treated Candida albicans cerebrospinal fluid shunt infections are reported . Treatment consisted of shunt removal and intravenous Amphotericin B in all cases and intraventricular Amphotericin B in 4 cases . Serious underlying medical illness, recent antibiotic therapy, indwelling intravascular and/or Foley catheters, coincident candidiasis and low birth weight prematurity are major risk factors for candida shunt infection . Candida shunt infection appears to occur by either contamination at the time of shunt placement or by hematogenous dissemination. Biotherapy, 1989, 1(4), 313 - 7 Options for the treatment of serious infections with interleukin-1; van der Meer JW; In this paper, the effects of recombinant human interleukin-1 (IL-1) on non-specific resistance to infection are reviewed . In experiments in neutropenic mice, a single injection of a low dose of IL-1 (8-800 ng) appears to protect against death from lethal Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans infections . In non-neutropenic mice protection can also be obtained with such dosages of IL-1 in infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae or Listeria monocytogenes . Low dosages of IL-1 are also able to prevent lethal cerebral malaria in mice . No effect has been found in murine cytomegalovirus infection . With the exception of C . albicans infection and malaria, protection is only obtained if IL-1 is given before the infection . The mechanism of protection has not been elucidated; in the Pseudomonas and Klebsiella infection, it could be demonstrated that survival was not due to a direct antibacterial effect of IL-1, not due to the action of granulocytes or increased hematopoietic recovery and not due to activation of macrophages and increased bactericidal mechanisms . In the experimental Listeria infection however, animals treated with IL-1 had lower bacterial counts in their organs . Since the cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) are much less potent than IL-1 in these protection experiments, it is very unlikely that they are endogenous mediators of the protection induced by IL-1 . The effect is not mediated via the cyclooxygenase pathway, since premedication with ibuprofen does not influence the protective effect of IL-1 . Taking these data together, it is felt that IL-1 holds promise as a therapeutic agent in humans. Adv Microb Physiol, 1989, 30, 53 - 88 Current trends in Candida albicans research; Datta A et al.; Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen of human beings and other mammals . Two other features, besides its pathogenicity, have made it a popular organism of study . It exists in different cellular forms and can change from one form to another, depending on growth conditions . Thus, it is being used as a model system to study cellular differentiation . It can also heritably and reversibly switch its cellular and colony morphologies . The yeast is diploid and lacks a sexual cycle . Thus, it has not been possible to apply the powerful methods of genetic analysis to understand morphogenesis or pathogenesis . Few clinical isolates are haploid, but they do not form hyphae and are not yet well characterized . Recombinant DNA techniques are increasingly being applied to C . albicans to solve many of the unanswered questions of morphogenesis and pathogenesis . Genetic transformation and gene-disruption techniques were recently developed for the yeast . Thus it is possible to study the role of any cloned gene through directed mutagenesis . However, the difficulty is to clone the putative genes involved in morphogenesis or pathogenesis . Candida albicans exists in four different cellular forms, namely blastospores, pseudohyphae, hyphae and chlamydospores . Blastospore-to-hypha conversion is well studied . A variety of conditions can induce this transition . It is not clear how cells sense such varied conditions and respond appropriately . In other systems where differentiation is well understood, regulatory genes which control differentiation have been uncovered . These genes cause differential expression of other genes, and ultimately differentiated phenotypes . Thus, it is likely that differential gene expression is involved in the bud-to-hypha transition in C . albicans . Certain proteins are expressed exclusively on the cell surface of hyphae . It should be possible to clone genes coding for these proteins . A study of the expression of these genes might allow us to identify the regulatory gene which determines differentiation . Another approach to understanding morphogenesis is to study how the difference in the shape of buds and hyphae is generated . This difference appears to be due to the differential activity of apical and general growth zones, which determine growth of the cell wall . Activity of these growth zones is apparently determined by actin localization . It remains a possibility that conditions which induce hyphae formation may directly affect actin localization or cell-wall growth zones and cause differences in cell shape . Candida albicans can also heritably switch its cellular phenotype . This has come to light from a study of colony-morphology switching . Some strains can switch their colony morphology, both heritably and reversibly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) Braz J Med Biol Res, 1989,