Mycopathologia, 1988 Jul, 103(1), 29 - 33 Simple method for separating the chlamydoconidia of Candida albicans from its mycelium; Vidotto V et al.; Different physical and chemical methods were used to detach the chlamydoconidia of Candida albicans from its mycelium . The action of concentrated H2SO4 acid for a 4-min period on cultures lysed both the mycelium and the outer but not the inner wall layer of the chlamydoconidia . The sulfuric acid procedure is recommended as the best method to obtain mycelium free chlamydoconidia because of its simplicity, rapidity and low cost. J Prosthet Dent, 1988 Jul, 60(1), 62 - 70 Model system for the in vitro testing of a synthetic histidine peptide against Candida species grown directly on the denture surface of patients with denture stomatitis; Santarpia RP 3rd et al.; The denture surface provides a nidus for the growth of microbial species that act to initiate, aggravate, and maintain clinical disease . The present investigation describes the development of a model system for the testing of the effectiveness of agents against these microbial species inhabiting the denture surface . It was observed through in vitro growth patterns that the model permitted the testing of representative samples of the microbial flora . Poly-L-histidine was observed to inhibit both Candida albicans and C . glabrata from growing from the denture surface into nutrient broth . Scanning electron microscopy of control and treated denture disks revealed that poly-L-histidine had either eliminated most microbial flora from the denture surface or had effected a noticeable distortion of those Candida blastospores still present on the surface . From microbiologic studies, it appeared that poly-L-histidine had inflicted direct but not lethal damage to the still-attached distorted blastospores because the latter were still able to promote growth in agent-free broth . The antifungal effects of poly-L-histidine were observed to be dependent on the concentration of the polypeptide . The data obtained were consistent for all of the patients regardless of their denture stomatitis classification. Hautarzt, 1988 Jul, 39(7), 454 - 6 {Hailey-Hailey disease with dissemination and eczema herpeticatum in therapy with etretinate}; Stallmann D et al.; We report a 39-year-old patient with Hailey-Hailey disease localized mainly in the genito-femoral and scrotal areas . During hospital treatment the condition worsened due to superinfection with Candida albicans and gram-negative bacteria . Treatment with systemic steroids followed by aromatic retinoids was tried: eczema herpeticum developed in the affected areas, and dissemination of Hailey-Hailey disease ultimately occurred with papulo-vesicular and histologically characteristic lesions. Rev Infect Dis, 1988 Jul-Aug, 10 Suppl 2, S419 - 22 Modulation of immune responses by surface polysaccharides of Candida albicans; Domer J et al.; Fungal polysaccharides, especially those from the cell wall of the nonpathogenic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been investigated as modulators of immune function for many years . More recently, because surface-associated components are known to be elaborated and circulate during serious episodes of candidiasis, investigators have taken interest in the opportunistic fungus Candida albicans . This review emphasizes the immunomodulatory activities of mannan and cell wall-derived glycoproteins from C . albicans . Mannan extracted with hot citrate buffer has been shown in an antibody-forming cell assay to be a heterogeneous mixture with components capable of enhancing or suppressing antibody responses when administered to mice at or near the time of immunization with type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-III), a T helper cell-independent antigen, or with sheep erythrocytes (SRBC), a T helper cell-dependent antigen . The components responsible for these opposing effects have been separated on the basis of size or charge by column chromatography . Two similar cell wall glycoproteins, removed from isolated cell walls by different procedures, induced enhancement only of the immune response to SSS-III and SRBC . The mechanism(s) by which these polysaccharides effect modulatory activity has not been elucidated . The enhancing property does not appear related to a direct mitogenic effect on lymphocytes or to stimulation of the production of B cell growth factors or interleukin 2. J Biol Chem, 1988 Jun 5, 263(16), 7472 - 7 Histatins, a novel family of histidine-rich proteins in human parotid secretion . Isolation, characterization, primary structure, and fungistatic effects on Candida albicans; Oppenheim FG et al.; Histatins 1, 3, and 5 from human parotid secretion were isolated by gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-2 and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography . The complete amino acid sequences of histatins determined by automated Edman degradation of the proteins, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and tryptic peptides, are as follows: (Sequence: see text) . Histatins 1, 3, and 5 contain 38, 32, and 24 amino acid residues, have molecular weights of 4929, 4063, and 3037, respectively, and contain 7 residues of histidine . Histatin 1 contains 1 mol of phosphate/mol of protein; histatins 3 and 5 lack phosphate . With the exception of Glu (residue 4) and Arg (residue 11) in histatin 1, the first 22 amino acid residues of all three histatins are identical, and the carboxyl-terminal 7 residues of histatins 1 and 3 are also identical . The sequence, -Glu-Phe-Pro-Phe-Tyr-Gly-Asp-Tyr-Gly- (residues 23-29), in histatin 1 is absent in histatin 3; and the sequence, -Gly-Tyr-Arg- (residues 23-25), in histatin 3 is absent in histatin 1 . The complete sequence of histatin 5 is contained within the amino terminal 24 residues of histatin 3 . The structural data suggest that histatins 1 and 3 are derived from different structural genes, whereas histatin 5 is a proteolytic product of histatin 3 . All three histatins exhibit the ability to kill the pathogenic yeast, Candida albicans. Ann Rheum Dis, 1988 Jun, 47(6), 522 - 5 Intervertebral infection due to Candida albicans in an intravenous heroin abuser; Rowe IF et al.; A 25 year old woman who had received intravenous heroin over one year previously developed an intervertebral abscess due to infection with Candida albicans . Immunological investigation of this patient showed no evidence of a specific defect in the host response to candida. J Clin Invest, 1988 Jun, 81(6), 1829 - 35 Modulation of the in vitro candidacidal activity of human neutrophil defensins by target cell metabolism and divalent cations; Lehrer RI et al.; We tested the in vitro susceptibility of Candida albicans to three defensins from human neutrophilic granulocytes (HNP-1, 2, and 3), a homologous defensin from rabbit leukocytes (NP-1), and four unrelated cationic peptides . Although the primary amino acid sequences of HNP-1, 2, and 3 are identical except for a single amino-terminal amino acid alteration, HNP-1 and HNP-2 killed C . albicans but HNP-3 did not . C . albicans blastoconidia were protected from HNP-1 when incubations were performed in the absence of oxygen or in the presence of inhibitors that blocked both of its mitochondrial respiratory pathways . Neither anaerobiosis nor mitochondrial inhibitors substantially protected C . albicans exposed to NP-1, poly-L-arginine, poly-L-lysine, or mellitin . Human neutrophilic granulocyte defensin-mediated candidacidal activity was inhibited by both Mg2+ and Ca2+, and was unaffected by Fe2+ . In contrast, Fe2+ inhibited the candidacidal activity of NP-1 and all of the model cationic peptides, whereas Mg2+ inhibited none of them . These data demonstrate that susceptibility of C . albicans to human defensins depends both on the ionic environment and on the metabolic state of the target cell . The latter finding suggests that leukocyte-mediated microbicidal mechanisms may manifest oxygen dependence for reasons unrelated to the production of reactive oxygen intermediates by the leukocyte. Arthritis Rheum, 1988 Jun, 31(6), 793 - 7 Costochondral involvement in systemic candidiasis in heroin addicts: clinical, scintigraphic, and histologic features in 26 patients; Miro JM et al.; We studied the clinical, scintigraphic, and histopathologic characteristics of 26 intravenous drug abusers with costochondral involvement secondary to systemic infection with Candida albicans . The clinical findings were of a mass appearing in the anterior region of the thorax . In general, signs of inflammation were absent . Histopathologic study of this costochondral mass in 12 patients showed perichondritis in 100% and myositis in 87%, with secondary involvement of cartilage in 43% and of bone in 75% . Results of bone scintigrams using 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate were positive in only 7 of 15 patients (47%), with a correlation between positive uptake and osteitis . Gallium scintigraphy findings were positive in 9 of 10 patients (90%) . The greater sensitivity of 67Ga was probably because the invariably present pericartilaginous inflammatory mass was not always accompanied by secondary cartilage and bone involvement. APMIS, 1988 Jun, 96(6), 565 - 7 Rapid diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii using dark-field microscopy on bronchoalveolar lavage . Brief report; Olling S; 20 lavages from patients with pulmonary infiltrates were microscopically studied by a rapid dark field assay and after methenamine silver staining . In 8 samples typical Pneumocystis carinii cysts were identified in the methenamine silver-slides and in 7 of these clusters of round spawn-like particles were also seen in the dark field microscope . One test was "false negative" in the dark field assay due to presence of too few pneumocystes . Another test was "false positive" due to presence of candida albicans spores in the lavage . It is thus possible to give a Pneumocystis carinii diagnosis, with some reservation, within 15 minutes after obtaining the bronchoalveolar lavage. Mycopathologia, 1988 Jun, 102(3), 157 - 63 Candidal vaginitis in hormone-treated mice: prevention by a chitin extract; Segal E et al.; In view of findings from previous studies that a chitin soluble extract (CSE) blocked adhesion of Candida albicans in vitro and in vivo and prevented thereby a short lived candidal infection in naive mice, we attempted in the present study to block by CSE the development of a persistent infection, induced in hormone-treated animals . Continuous oestrus phase was obtained in mice by repeated weekly subcutaneous injections with estradiol benzoate . Intravaginal inoculation of the hormone-treated mice with 10(7)-10(10) C . albicans cells induced a persistent candidal infection . Fifty three mice were pretreated intravaginally prior to inoculation of C . albicans with 2.5, 5.0 or 10 mg/mouse of a CSE cream and followed up for development of infection in comparison to 30 untreated animals . Twenty four hrs post fungus inoculation the infection rate among the CSE treated mice was 11-23% VS 84% among the controls; the rate increased a week later to 97% among the controls VS 41-50% among the CSE treated . Administering the CSE to the mice prior--and post-yeast inoculation (37 mice), led to increased efficacy of the treatment . The data, indicating that CSE is an effective measure for preventing persistent candidal vaginitis, may open the way to consider a similar approach for prophylaxis of vaginitis in human susceptible populations. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1988 Jun, 45(6), 1311 - 21 Method for testing the sterility of total nutrient admixtures; Levchuk JW et al.; A test for determining the sterility of a total nutrient admixture (TNA) containing equal quantities of 10% fat emulsion (Liposyn II), 8.5% amino acids injection, and 50% dextrose injection using the USP membrane filtration procedure was developed and evaluated . Membrane filter selection was determined by analysis of flow rates, membrane fluid compatibility, bubble point stability, and rinse fluid requirements . Microbial challenges employing five organisms (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and both soybean casein digest and fluid thioglycollate media were used to confirm the ability of the test to detect low-level microbial contamination . A polyvinylidene fluoride membrane was determined to be the most appropriate of the membrane types studied because of its superior flow rate and membrane-fluid compatibility . Bubble point testing revealed no detrimental effects on the membrane . The potential problem of haziness caused by retention of the TNA by the membrane with subsequent release in the culture media (which could result in false-positive growth determinations) was diminished by using a sterile 0.1% peptone solution rinse and careful observation techniques . Performance of the sterility test by six hospital pharmacists required an average of 14.2 minutes . Sterility testing of alternate TNAs compounded with Intralipid and Nutralipid was not feasible because of prolonged filtration times . The basic USP membrane filtration procedure for large-volume injections can be used by hospital pharmacists for testing the sterility of TNAs . When fat emulsions are used in compounding, sterility-testing procedures specific to the emulsion product used should be developed and evaluated. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 1988 Jun, 7(3), 413 - 4 Antagonism of the direct fungicidal action of miconazole by miconazole fungistasis; Beggs WH et al.; A weakly fungistatic concentration of miconazole in lag phase yeast cultures of Candida albicans antagonized development of phenotypic susceptibility to the direct fungicidal action of high-level (i.e . greater than 10(-5) M) miconazole . After development in the absence of drug, maintenance of susceptibility upon continued incubation was also antagonized by low levels of miconazole . This auto-antagonistic effect has important clinical implications. J Gen Microbiol, 1988 Jun, 134 ( Pt 6), 1723 - 30 Evidence for a glycosidic linkage between chitin and glucan in the cell wall of Candida albicans; Surarit R et al.; The alkali-insoluble glucan was isolated from regenerating spheroplasts and intact cells of Candida albicans . Sequential enzymic hydrolysis of this fraction by Zymolyase 100T and purified chitinase and subsequent gel filtration produced a fraction which was enriched in glycosaminoglycans . This fraction was analysed by partial acid hydrolysis, TLC and GLC-MS . The GLC-MS peaks identified included 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-methylglucitol acetate and 2,3,4-tri-O-methylglucitol acetate of beta-1,6-glucan and the 3,6-di-O-methyl-2-N-methylglucosaminitol acetate of chitin . In addition, 3-O-methyl-2-N-methylglucosaminitol acetate was identified, which indicated a branch point in chitin . These data provide evidence for a covalent linkage between chitin and beta-(1,6)-glucan through a glycosidic linkage at position 6 of N-acetylglucosamine and position 1 of the glucose in the glucan. J Gen Microbiol, 1988 Jun, 134 ( Pt 6), 1587 - 95 A complementation analysis by parasexual recombination of Candida albicans morphological mutants; Gil C et al.; Benomyl treatment (at 100 micrograms ml-1) of Candida albicans 1001, and other strains derived from it, determined the appearance of morphological mutants similar to those derived from UV irradiation treatment . A permanent alteration in the morphogenesis of these mutant strains determined their inability to grow by budding, to form oval yeast cells or blastospores (Y-phenotype) and their growth as long filamentous forms, mostly with the appearance of pseudomycelium, giving rise to rough colonies (R phenotype) . In order to carry out a genetic complementation analysis, we isolated morphological mutants that carried other genetic markers (nutritional, conditional lethal) adequate for crosses by means of protoplast fusion . Wild-type hybrids of regular mononuclear oval yeast cells and smooth colonies were obtained by crossing pairs of complementing mutants, whereas hybrids from crosses of non-complementing mutants still retained their morphological alterations . Our results define two complementation groups, which represent two genes relevant for dimorphism, whose alteration interferes with the correct transition from blastospores to mycelium. Photodermatol, 1988 Jun, 5(3), 133 - 8 Phototoxic properties of quinine and quinidine: two quinoline methanol isomers; Ljunggren B et al.; Clinical photoreactions have been reported for quinine and quinidine after systemic and topical administration . We have investigated the phototoxic properties of these two quinoline methanol isomers in vitro using the Candida albicans inhibition test and photohemolysis, and in vivo with the mouse tail phototoxicity test . Both isomers were phototoxic in the hemolysis model, quinine being the more potent compound . In the Candida test only quinidine was phototoxically active . In the mouse tail model, measuring edema, the phototoxic activity of quinidine was comparatively low, causing a 7.3% wet weight increase of tail tissue at a dose of 150 mg/kg intraperitoneally of drug and 54 J/cm2 of UVA . In spite of its structural similarity to quinidine, quinine was not phototoxic in the mouse . These studies support the assumption, based on clinical data, that quinine photoreactions probably have a non-phototoxic mechanism . For quinidine, however, light-induced reactions based on phototoxicity can not be ruled out, since low-grade phototoxic properties were demonstrated in vivo. Mycopathologia, 1988 Jun, 102(3), 149 - 56 Variation in adhesion and cell surface hydrophobicity in Candida albicans white and opaque phenotypes; Kennedy MJ et al.; A previous study had established that a select group of pathogenic isolates of Candida albicans was capable of switching heritably, reversibly and at a high frequency (10(-2) to 10(-3)) between two phenotypes ('white' or 'opaque') readily distinguishable by the size, shape, and color of colonies formed on agar at 25 degrees C . This paper describes experiments designed to determine the ability of these two phenotypes to attach to buccal epithelial cells (BECs) and plastic, and to compare the cell surface hydrophobicities of white and opaque phenotypes from three clinical isolates . 'White cells' were found to be significantly more adhesive to BECs, and a strong correlation was also found between phenotype adhesiveness and the percentage of BECs to which C . albicans had attached . The percentage of BECs with one or more attached C . albicans was approximately 90% for the white phenotype and approximately 50% for the opaque phenotype . 'Opaque cells', in contrast, were twice as hydrophobic as white cells, and the percentage of opaque cells bound to BECs by coadhesion was also double that of white cells . The differences in adhesion to plastic between the two phenotypes were not statistically significant and there was no distinct trend to suggest which phenotype might be more adhesive to plastic . These results indicate that several factors are involved in the adhesion of C . albicans to plastic, and confirm the hypothesis that cell surface hydrophobicity is of minor importance in direct adhesion to epithelial cells but that it may contribute to indirect attachment to epithelial cells by promoting yeast coadhesion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Lipids, 1988 Jun, 23(6), 534 - 8 Geraniol interferes with membrane functions in strains of Candida and Saccharomyces; Bard M et al.; Geraniol, an olefinic terpene, was found to inhibit growth of Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains . Geraniol was shown to enhance the rate of potassium leakage out of whole cells and also was shown by fluorescence polarization to increase C . albicans membrane fluidity . Biophysical studies using differential scanning calorimetry, fluorescence polarization and osmotic swelling of phospholipid vesicles demonstrated that geraniol decreased the phase-transition temperature of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles, affected fluidity throughout the bilayer, particularly the central portion of the bilayers, and caused an increase in bilayer permeability to erythritol . Geraniol may have potential use as an antifungal agent. J Med Vet Mycol, 1988 Jun, 26(3), 199 - 202 Epidemiology of an outbreak of Candida endophthalmitis in heroin addicts: identification of possible source of infection by biotyping; Shankland GS et al.; Biotyping was employed to investigate possible sources of Candida endophthalmitis in heroin addicts . Isolates of Candida albicans recovered from patients and from injection paraphernalia, including lemon juice diluent from lemon-shaped plastic containers, were biotyped . The predominant biotypes were 153, 15 3/7 . Similar biotypes were recovered from lemon, mouthwash, mouth swab and vitreous samples. J Med Vet Mycol, 1988 Jun, 26(3), 173 - 85 Morphological aspects of gastrointestinal tract invasion by Candida albicans in the infant mouse; Cole GT et al.; The infant mouse has proved to be a useful model for examination of various aspects of gastrointestinal and systemic candidosis . Oral-intragastric inoculation of 5-6-day-old mice with yeast of a virulent strain of Candida albicans (CA30) resulted in systemic spread within 30 min after challenge . Histological examinations of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract have shown that the highest frequency of invasion of the mucosa by yeast cells occurred in the region of the jejunum 1-3 h after inoculation . Results of ultrastructural examinations of sites where the fungus invaded the bowel wall suggested that C . albicans yeast cells are capable of progressive extracellular digestion of the intestinal mucus barrier and microvillus layer, followed by intracellular invasion of columnar epithelial cells . Minimal disruption of cytoplasmic contents of the host epithelial cells appears to result from invasion and transmigration of the pathogen . The infant mouse model is suggested to be well suited for localization of extracellular products of C . albicans yeast in vivo which may play pivotal roles in the invasion of host tissue during GI candidosis. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 Jun, 21(6), 755 - 63 Inhibition of adherence of Candida albicans by conventional and experimental antifungal drugs; Vuddhakul V et al.; We tested the effects of antifungal drugs on adherence of Candida albicans in vitro . Significant reduction of adherence occurred after 2 h incubation with amphotericin B, nystatin, miconazole, econazole, ketoconazole, chlorohexidine and ICI 195,739 . Significant inhibition of candida adherence by 5-fluorocytosine and amorolfin required 18 h incubation . Combinations of amphotericin B with 5-fluorocytosine, miconazole, ICI 195,739 and amorolfin resulted in synergistic inhibition of adherence . Adherence is an important pathogenic mechanism in candida infections and interference with this process may represent a major component of the mode of action of antifungal drugs. J Immunol, 1988 Jun 1, 140(11), 3893 - 9 A novel natural inhibitor from Candida albicans hyphae causing dissociation of the neutrophil respiratory burst response to chemotactic peptides from other post-activation events; Smail EH et al.; Previous work established that Candida albicans hyphae release several inhibitors of human neutrophil function . We now report that the crude hyphal inhibitory product (CHIP) inhibits superoxide anion (O2-) production stimulated by FMLP in a dose-related manner with an EC50 of approximately 2 micrograms/ml . CHIP also inhibited O2- production stimulated by A23187 and by opsonized zymosan, although this effect could be overcome by increasing the concentration of agonist . No inhibition of the PMA-stimulated burst was seen at any concentration of PMA tested, indicating that CHIP neither affected polymorphonuclear neutrophil viability nor quenched superoxide anion detection . A saturating dose of inhibitor had no effect on chemotaxis stimulated either by 0.1 to 100 nM FMLP or by zymosan-activated serum . Peak inositol trisphosphate levels stimulated by FMLP were not inhibited by a dose of CHIP producing maximum inhibition of FMLP-induced superoxide production . Peak changes in cytosolic free calcium levels (as measured by indo-1 fluorescence) stimulated by 50 nM or greater FMLP were unaffected by CHIP, although for subsaturating doses of FMLP a more rapid decline from peak calcium levels was seen in CHIP-exposed cells . Taken together, these data suggest that the common fungal pathogen C . albicans releases a substance that selectively impairs the neutrophil respiratory burst . It appears to do so without inhibiting the fully assembled NADPH oxidase and with minimal or no effect on events tightly coupled to FMLP-R/G protein activation, suggesting that these events may be uncoupled from activation of the burst . In addition, the absence of effect of CHIP on chemotaxis despite profound inhibition of the respiratory burst suggests these neutrophil functions may be mediated by divergent transduction pathways. Pediatrics, 1988 Jun, 81(6), 785 - 8 Bronchoalveolar lavage for diagnosis of pneumonia in the immunocompromised child; Frankel LR et al.; Seven children with immunocompromised states were referred to the pediatric bronchoscopy service for evaluation of pneumonia . Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy accompanied with bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in all seven of these children . A definitive diagnosis was made for six of these seven patients . The diagnosis included Pneumocystis carinii in three, Candida albicans in two, and cytomegalovirus in one . There were no complications associated with the procedure . Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage should be considered early in the evaluation of the immunocompromised child with pneumonia. Arch Fr Pediatr, 1988 May, 45(5), 341 - 2 {Anuria in an infant caused by an intrapyelic mycelial bezoar in a solitary kidney}; Burguet A et al.; A 4 month-old premature infant having received prolonged intensive care for necrotizing enterocolitis and Pseudomonas infection, developed anuria with intrapyelic fungus ball developed in a congenital single kidney . Review of the literature found 19 similar cases and emphasized the difficulty of an early diagnosis and the usefulness of renal ultrasonography for its detection . Moreover the opportunity to treat premature neonates carrying candida albicans with IV amphotericin B and flucytosine before the occurrence of an uneasy treatable urological obstacle in discussed. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1988 May, 45(5), 1089 - 91 Viability of microorganisms in fluorouracil and cisplatin small-volume injections; Holmes CJ et al.; The ability of various microorganisms to survive in cisplatin injection or fluorouracil injection in small-volume containers was assessed . Inoculum suspensions of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas cepacia, Candida albicans, or Aspergillus niger were injected into polyvinyl chloride minibags containing 20 mL of either fluorouracil injection 50 mg/mL or cisplatin injection 1 mg/mL in 0.9% sodium chloride injection . All minibags were stored at 25 degrees C for 28 days . Three minibags containing only the sodium chloride solution and 18 minibags containing the sodium chloride solution inoculated with microorganisms served as negative and positive controls, respectively . Samples (1 mL) were obtained within 30 minutes of inoculation and again on days 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 . All microbial species lost viability in both the cisplatin and the fluorouracil admixtures over the study period . In most instances, this loss was more pronounced than that in the positive control solution . Whether the pH of the solutions contributed to this loss of viability was not determined . Under the conditions of this study, admixtures containing cisplatin and fluorouracil did not support rapid growth of microorganisms when stored at room temperature for up to 28 days. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 May, 21(5), 633 - 5 Pharmacokinetic study of the interaction between rifampicin and ketoconazole; Doble N et al.; This study assessed the potential pharmacokinetic interaction between rifampicin and ketoconazole, two drugs used to treat the increasingly common combination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Candida albicans infection in AIDS patients . The peak plasma rifampicin concentrations in six healthy male subjects were not altered when taken in conjunction with ketoconazole . However, the peak plasma ketoconazole levels were significantly diminished when taken in conjunction with rifampicin, compared to when taken alone (P less than 0.015) . The mean area under the curve (AUC) for ketoconazole was significantly diminished when taken with oral or intravenous rifampicin (P less than 0.001). Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 May, 32(5), 702 - 5 Role of cell defense against oxidative damage in the resistance of Candida albicans to the killing effect of amphotericin B; Sokol-Anderson M et al.; A laboratory-derived mutant of Candida albicans B311 (L) and a clinical isolate (C) of C . albicans, both lacking membrane ergosterol, were less susceptible to amphotericin B (AmB)-induced cell membrane permeability to K+ and lethality than was the wild-type laboratory strain (B311) which contained ergosterol . The resistance of L and C to AmB-induced killing was much greater than the level of resistance to AmB-induced cell membrane permeability . L and C were also less susceptible to killing by H2O2 than was B311, and when treated with menadione, they each produced less H2O2 than did B311 . In addition, their levels of catalase activity were 3.8-fold (L) and 2-fold (C) higher than that of B311 . The ergosterol deficiency in L and C probably impaired AmB binding to the cells, thereby lowering AmB effectiveness as measured by both cell membrane permeability and killing . Resistance of strains L and C to oxidation-dependent damage likely contributed to a diminished response to AmB-induced lethality. Ann Rheum Dis, 1988 May, 47(5), 359 - 63 Reduction of the surface charge of blood polymorphonuclear cells by rheumatoid sera and heat induced aggregated human IgG (HAGG); Brown KA et al.; Cell electrophoresis identifies two main subpopulations of blood polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs), which in terms of the speed of their anodic migration are referred to as the fast and slow population . When blood PMNs from normal healthy subjects were incubated in medium containing 20% RA serum there was a decrease in the percentage of fast cells with a corresponding increase in the slow population that was directly related to the levels of circulating immune complexes present in the sera . Similar results were obtained when using heat induced aggregated human IgG (HAGG) or Candida albicans instead of RA serum . The 'slowing' effect of HAGG, which was transient and time dependent, appeared to be due to its internalisation by the PMNs . These results suggest that in RA the large number of blood PMNs with a low surface charge (i.e., the slow population) may arise as a result of the constant interaction of these cells with circulating immune complexes. J Reprod Med, 1988 May, 33(5), 421 - 2 Microwave sterilization of Candida on underwear fabric . A preliminary report; Friedrich EG Jr et al.; Candida-contaminated underwear might not be sterilized by ordinary laundering . The effectiveness of microwaving against Candida albicans on fabric was therefore determined . Swatches of Candida-impregnated cotton underpants fabric were subjected to domestic microwaving at the high setting for up to 30 minutes . If the fabric was microwaved dry, the Candida organisms survived . If the fabric was moistened, sterilization occurred within five minutes . Microwaving wet, freshly laundered cotton underpants should sterilize residual Candida and reduce the risk of reinfection. J Clin Microbiol, 1988 May, 26(5), 842 - 5 Variation of electrophoretic karyotypes among clinical isolates of Candida albicans; Merz WG et al.; Orthogonal-field-alternation gel electrophoresis was used to compare clinical isolates of Candida albicans by resolving chromosome-sized DNA molecules into an electrophoretic karyotype . Seven to nine bands were observed among isolates recovered from 17 patients . In addition, 14 distinct electrophoretic patterns were noted among the isolates from these patients . In a given individual, isolates were likely to have identical electrophoretic patterns . Therefore, the electrophoretic karyotype patterns demonstrated by orthogonal-field-alternation gel electrophoresis can be used to designate a strain for epidemiologic studies. J Surg Res, 1988 May, 44(5), 479 - 92 Candida albicans translocation across the gut mucosa following burn injury; Inoue S et al.; Normal guinea pigs were challenged intragastrically with Candida albicans 1 hr prior to a 30 or 50% flame burn to determine if burn injury increased translocation of the yeasts across gut mucosa . Tissues were harvested between 3 and 24 hr postburn and cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar . Control animals (no yeast challenge) showed no yeast in intestinal homogenates or in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) . At a dose of 1 X 10(9) yeasts, they did not escape from the gut lumen, with either a 30 or 50% burn . At a dose of 2 to 4 X 10(10) organisms, they translocated to the MLN in 92% of the 50%-burned animals (P less than 0.001), 75% of the 30%-burned animals (P less than 0.05), and 12.5% of unburned animals . The ileal mucosa appeared to be the most susceptible site for yeast invasion . To observe the penetration through the gut mucosa and/or translocation to other tissues, yeasts were labeled with biotin before administration, and tissues were stained with avidin-peroxidase diaminobenzidine sequence . With biotinylated yeasts, phagocytized organisms were observed in large numbers in the lamina propria and mesenteric lymph nodes but they were not viable upon culture . Toluidine blue staining of semithin sections revealed that translocated yeasts were located selectively in the lymphoid follicles of the MLN, entrapped by macrophages. J Infect Dis, 1988 May, 157(5), 950 - 8 Intragastric colonization of infant mice with Candida albicans induces systemic immunity demonstrable upon challenge as adults; Domer JE; A murine model of long-term colonization with Candida albicans, established by intubating infant CBA/J mice, was used to study the effects of colonization on the development of Candida-specific immune responses in mature animals . Two striking consequences were stimulation of protective immune responses, as evidenced by increased survival and decreased numbers of colony-forming units in mice challenged intravenously (iv), and priming of the T cell component responsible for delayed hypersensitivity (DH) . Colonized mice, tested as adults by using a cell wall-derived antigen, had little or no demonstrable DH . If inoculated once cutaneously with viable Candida, however, they responded with significantly enhanced DH reactions that could not be correlated with the cutaneous inoculation . Inoculation of the same number of dead organisms into infant mice neither primed animals for enhanced DH nor stimulated protective immunity . Antibody to cytoplasmic antigens of Candida was demonstrable in colonized animals, and its production was increased significantly in animals challenged iv with the highest dose of blastoconidia. Infect Immun, 1988 May, 56(5), 1388 - 90 Comparison of the extracellular proteinase activity produced by a low-virulence mutant of Candida albicans and its wild-type parent; Edison AM et al.; The production of extracellular proteinase by MY1049, a low-virulence mutant of Candida albicans, was compared with that of its wild-type parent, MY1044 . Both strains were grown in a medium containing bovine serum albumin as a nitrogen source to induce proteinase production . Under these conditions, the proteinase activity per cell in the MY1049 cultures was the same as or higher than that of MY1044 cultures . However, MY1049 grew much more slowly than MY1044, and the total proteinase activity of the MY1049 culture remained well below that of the MY1044 culture . In a minimal medium with ammonium sulfate as the nitrogen source, MY1049 grew as rapidly as did MY1044 . No significant differences were observed in the effects of inhibitors produced by MY1049 and MY1044 . Our previous work indicated that MY1049 was able to grow and produce abundant mycelium in the renal calices of infected mice but that the strain was unable to invasively colonize the renal tissue . The decreased ability of MY1049 to grow in a protein-rich environment, despite its ability to produce extracellular proteinase, may enable the host to contain the mutant strain before the fungal cells invade the tissue. Am J Reprod Immunol Microbiol, 1988 May, 17(1), 14 - 7 Bacteriology of the cervix in cases of infertility: effect on human and animal spermatozoa and role of elastase; Kaur M et al.; Microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans isolated from cervices of infertile human females inhibited motility and agglutinated human, cow bull, buffalo bull, and rat spermatozoa in vitro . Fifty percent of the infertile females studied carried elastase-positive microorganisms . Cell-free culture supernatants of 72-hr-old elastase-positive cultures were spermicidal within 60 min of contact with sperm, while elastase-negative cultures were spermicidal in 4-6 hr . Cultures of all the cervical isolates were spermicidal and agglutinated human, cow bull, buffalo bull, and rat spermatozoa, and these activities increased with age of the culture . Human sperm showed only tail-to-tail agglutination, while cow bull, buffalo bull, and rat spermatozoa showed mainly head-to-head agglutination . Spermicidal activity was also attributable to elastase, which was present more in 72-hr-old cultures than in 24-hr-old cultures. J Clin Microbiol, 1988 May, 26(5), 890 - 2 Reaction of Bacillus subtilis products with amebocyte lysates of the Japanese horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus; Hodes DS et al.; Autoclaved aqueous extracts of Candida albicans cells (and the glucans isolated from them) give a positive reaction with a chromogenic substrate combined with amebocyte lysates of the Japanese horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus (CS-TAL) . The extracts and glucans activate the lysate enzyme compound G, which in turn activates clotting enzyme . Activated clotting enzyme causes a positive CS-TAL reaction . C . albicans extracts and glucans react positively with a commercially available, unaltered CS-TAL preparation (Toxicolor), but they give a negative reaction with a CS-TAL from which compound G has been excluded (Endospecy) . An autoclaved, sterile preparation of Sabouraud glucose broth used as a control in one experiment gave (like Candida extracts) a positive reaction with Toxicolor and a negative reaction with Endospecy . We found that the peptone powder used to make the Sabouraud glucose broth was contaminated with a strain of Bacillus subtilis . Autoclaved aqueous extracts of culture-grown B . subtilis cells were positive with Toxicolor and negative with Endospecy . This was also the case with two other strains of B . subtilis . Polysaccharides obtained from these extracts gave the same result . Endotoxin activates clotting enzyme through activation of the lysate enzyme compound C, which is present in both Toxicolor and Endospecy . Endotoxin, therefore, reacts with both CS-TAL preparations . Simultaneous assay with Toxicolor and Endospecy distinguishes endotoxin from fungal products, but since products of fungi and B . subtilis both give a positive Toxicolor and a negative Endospecy test, a simultaneous assay cannot differentiate them . However, this does not decrease the clinical value of the simultaneous Toxicolor-Endospecy assay for distinguishing fungal infection from endotoxemia because B . subtilis so rarely causes disease that it can be excluded from clinical consideration. J Cell Biol, 1988 May, 106(5), 1765 - 72 Antibodies to the conserved cytoplasmic domain of the integrin beta 1 subunit react with proteins in vertebrates, invertebrates, and fungi; Marcantonio EE et al.; The integrin family of cell surface receptors can be divided into three groups on the basis of their homologous beta subunits: beta 1, beta 2, and beta 3 . We have raised an antibody against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the COOH-terminal domain of the chicken integrin beta 1 subunit that reacts with beta subunits from a variety of vertebrates, invertebrates, and fungi, demonstrating strong evolutionary conservation of sequences in this domain . In Drosophila cells, the antibody recognizes integrin alpha beta complexes that appear to be identical with position-specific antigens . Cross-reactive proteins are also detected in Caenorhabditis elegans and Candida albicans . The antiserum is specific for beta 1 subunits and does not recognize other integrin beta subunits in humans . In immunofluorescence analyses of cultured cells, the antibody reacts only with permeabilized cells confirming that this highly conserved COOH-terminal segment is a cytoplasmic domain. J Gen Microbiol, 1988 May, 134 ( Pt 5), 1375 - 84 Ethanol tolerance and the induction of stress proteins by ethanol in Candida albicans; Zeuthen ML et al.; Ethanol is one of the products of the metabolism of glucose by Candida albicans . The amount produced is directly related to the concentration of glucose in the medium . The fungus utilizes ethanol as a sole source of carbon but is relatively intolerant of ethanol in its environment . Ethanol induces germ tube formation by blastoconidia of C . albicans . Germination was not seen under fermentation conditions even though the amount of ethanol produced was in the range form stress proteins that are similar to heat shock proteins . The possibility that stress proteins may regulate germ tube formation by C . albicans is discussed. J Gen Microbiol, 1988 May, 134 ( Pt 5), 1265 - 74 Cell wall components of Candida albicans as immunomodulators: induction of natural killer and macrophage-mediated peritoneal cell cytotoxicity in mice by mannoprotein and glucan fractions; Scaringi L et al.; Cell wall components from Candida albicans were compared to intact cells for their ability to induce natural cytotoxic immunoeffectors in the peritoneal cavity of mice . A soluble mannoprotein extract (MP) and an insoluble glucan fraction (GG) strongly stimulated the generation of peritoneal effectors capable of lysing YAC-1 and P-815 tumour cell lines in vitro . The anti-YAC-1 effectors were characterized as natural killer (NK) lymphocytes while the anti-P-815 effectors appeared to be activated macrophages . The activity of each fraction was typically dose-dependent and both fractions differed from whole cells in the kinetics of induction of cytotoxicity . However, the NK and macrophage effectors generated by these materials had similar functional and phenotypic properties, irrespective of the material used as inducer . No mannoprotein was detected in the insoluble glucan fraction GG . Hence, the immunoenhancing activity of GG could not be attributed to the presence of some MP or MP-like component . Mannan-rich fractions with low (less than 3%) protein content (M) or extracted by hot alkaline reagent (M-alk) were inactive as NK and macrophage inducers . Thus, the cell wall of C . albicans contains at least two distinct macromolecular complexes which mediate the induction in murine peritoneal exudates of cytotoxic effectors active against tumour cell lines. J Gen Microbiol, 1988 May, 134 ( Pt 5), 1079 - 87 Cytoplasmic alkalinization during germ tube formation in Candida albicans; Stewart E et al.; Weak acids were used to measure the internal pH of yeast cells of Candida albicans that had been induced to form buds or germ tubes . Under conditions that supported germ tube formation the internal pH rose from around 6.8 to over 8.0 after 30 min in two different induction media . Internal pH measured by 31P NMR confirmed this pattern and also showed that the internal pH fell to around 7.0 prior to the outgrowth of germ tubes . Conditions which led to budding induced less cytoplasmic alkalinization . This alkalinization was brought about when cells were inoculated into media of neutral pH and at an increased temperature . Increasing the temperature of the medium augmented the alkalinization of the cytoplasm induced by raising the external pH . Strains of C . albicans defective in the ability to produce germ tubes did not show this dramatic cytoplasmic alkalinization under conditions which normally supported filamentous growth . The raising of internal pH may be due to the activation of the plasma membrane proton-pumping ATPase since diethylstilboestrol inhibited the cytoplasmic alkalinization and germ tube formation without causing irreversible loss of cell viability . The results show that the induction of the dimorphic transition in this organism is accompanied by a steep rise in internal pH . It is not known whether these changes are the cause or consequence of morphogenesis. Pediatr Dermatol, 1988 May, 5(2), 83 - 7 Effects of diaper types on diaper dermatitis associated with diarrhea and antibiotic use in children in day-care centers; Campbell RL et al.; Infants and toddlers in day-care centers have a relatively high frequency of diarrhea and/or oral antibiotic use, and may be at increased risk of developing diaper dermatitis when diapered . A six-month, prospective, double-blind study was conducted in day-care centers in Houston, Texas, to determine the frequency of diarrhea, antibiotic use, and diaper dermatitis in infants and toddlers wearing conventional (cellulose-only core) disposable diapers or disposable diapers with a core of absorbent gelling material (AGM) and cellulose . A questionnaire was administered weekly to the day-care staff to gather health information, and weekly visual examinations were made of children for diaper dermatitis . The frequency of diarrhea was 1.9 episodes per child-year and that of antibiotic use was 3.3 courses per child-year . Infants diapered in disposable diapers with AGM had a significantly (P 0.032) lower mean grade of diaper dermatitis during diarrhea episodes and a lower (P 0.054) mean grade during antibiotic use, compared to those diapered in conventional disposable diapers . There was no significant difference between groups with regard to isolation of Staphylococcus aureus or Candida albicans from superficial skin cultures of the diapered area . The results indicate that diarrhea and antibiotic use occur frequently in children in day-care centers, and that the severity of diaper dermatitis is less in children wearing AGM disposable diapers than those wearing conventional disposable diapers in that setting. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1988 May, 268(3), 405 - 15 Renal pathology and spleen cell chemiluminescence of mice infected with a wild-type and a low-virulence mutant of Candida albicans; Fromtling RA et al.; Pathogenicity and virulence factors were studied for a wild-type strain of Candida albicans (MY 1044) and an auxotrophic, temperature-sensitive mutant strain (MY 1049) that was derived by ultraviolet irradiation . The mutant was a temperature-sensitive, serine auxotroph . Renal pathology and chemiluminescence of spleen cells from infected mice were assessed in an attempt to identify virulence factors . Renal damage was evident following intravenous infection with either strain, although the mutant appeared to be less invasive; MY 1044 produced characteristic miliary, subcapsular lesions, while the mutant (MY 1049) produced large granulomas . Spleen cells from each infected group were stimulated in vitro with either phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A or opsonized yeast cells to measure the respiratory burst using a luminol-dependent chemiluminescence assay . The highest chemiluminescence responses correlated with severe renal damage (uremia) and not with yeast virulence . No differences in chemiluminescence were observed among spleen cells from mice infected with either strain when renal pathology was minimal. Pathol Biol (Paris), 1988 May, 36(5), 575 - 80 {Comparative action of 8 azole derivatives against Candida albicans: fungistatic action and cytologic study by scanning electron microscopy}; Mallie M et al.; The authors compared the in vitro antifungal activity of eight imidazole derivatives (clotrimazole, econazole, isoconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, oxiconazole, terconazole, tioconazole) against 42 strains of Candida albicans by the agar dilution method using casitone medium . The geometric (G) mean MIC values, the MIC 90 and the MIC 50 values and the corresponding standard deviations of each antifungal agent were determined . The G-MIC values were found to be in the range of 0.008-0.390 micrograms ml-1 . The effects of these eight antifungal agents on the ultrastructure of C . albicans yeast cells and spheroplasts were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) . The results showed a good correlation between the lesions observed and the structure of the imidazole derivatives tested . On the basis of the SEM results, the compounds could be divided into three groups: (1) ketoconazole and terconazole; (2) econazole, isoconazole, miconazole, oxiconazole and tioconazole; (3) clotrimazole. Mycopathologia, 1988 May, 102(2), 115 - 21 Effect of Candida albicans cell wall components on the adhesion of the fungus to human and murine vaginal mucosa; Lehrer N et al.; In this study, cell walls from Candida albicans were separated and chitin was isolated from these cell walls . A chitin soluble extract (CSE) prepared from the chitin inhibited in vitro adhesion of C . albicans to human epithelial vaginal cells (VEC), and blocked in vivo attachment to murine vaginal mucosa, thereby preventing candidal infection in these animals . These findings suggest that the CSE acts as an adhesin-like substance . Fractionation of CSE yielded two fractions: FI and FII, of which only FI exhibited inhibitory activity . Chemical analysis of CSE and its two fractions revealed that CSE contains over 70% of proteins, most of which were found in the non-active fraction . In addition, 3% of amino-sugars were found in the FI active fraction . Lipids were also detected in the unfractionated CSE and in both fractions . Experiments to further characterize the component(s) in the CSE inhibiting the attachment of C . albicans are in progress in our laboratory. Eur J Immunol, 1988 May, 18(5), 697 - 703 Liver-associated macrophage precursor cells proliferate under impairment of regular hemopoiesis; Decker T et al.; We reported previously that immature macrophage precursor cells can be isolated from spleen and liver of cyclophosphamide or pyran copolymer-pretreated mice . We now extended our investigations to livers of normal, untreated specific pathogen-free mice . Using the response to the macrophage growth factor colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) and the presence of the mouse macrophage-specific F4/80 antigen as criteria of definition, in the liver of normal mice we could demonstrate macrophage precursor (M phi P) cells by means of proliferation assays and flow cytometric analysis . The amount of M phi P present in the normal liver was significantly increased after administration of pyran copolymer . Also an enhanced proliferative response to CSF-1 as well as augmented natural killer activity and cytostasis of Candida albicans was noted in liver nonparenychymal cells (LNPC) after treatment of bone marrow (BM)-irradiated, splenectomized mice with pyran copolymer . Since the irradiated BM was actually proven to be silent by assessment of BM number and proliferative capacity and by scoring white blood cells, our findings suggest a response of endogenous liver M phi P under the applied conditions . Further evidence for the presence of endogenous liver hemopoietic cells was obtained from transplantation experiments in which LNPC brought about the survival of lethally irradiated mice . The data point towards a significance of the liver in disposing hemopoietic cells to the organism under impairment of regular hemopoiesis. Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkd, 1988 Apr, 192(4), 348 - 53 {The so-called "ocular histoplasmosis syndrome"}; Behrens-Baumann W et al.; The authors describe seven patients presenting with ophthalmoscopic findings typical of "presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome." However, no humoral antibodies could be demonstrated . Moreover, the results of skin tests were all negative even after "boostering." Hence, the diagnosis of ocular histoplasmosis had to be ruled out . Tests for listeriosis, lues, leptospirosis, ornithosis, Toxocara canis, toxoplasmosis, Larva migrans, and Candida albicans were also negative . There are evidently other, so far unknown, agents which lead to an ophthalmoscopic picture that mimics ocular histoplasmosis with its typical "punched-out lesions" and central hemorrhagic chorioretinopathy . One of these agents may be Epstein-Barr virus, because two of six patients had increased antibody levels of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen and early antigen, indicating an active or persistent state of viral infection. Br J Obstet Gynaecol, 1988 Apr, 95(4), 408 - 10 Candidiasis in women fitted with an intrauterine contraceptive device; Parewijck W et al.; Vaginal colonization by Candida spp . was compared in 117 women fitted with an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD users) and in 100 women not wearing an IUCD (control group) . None of the subjects had factors currently assumed to predispose to yeast colonization or infection . Yeasts were present significantly more often in the IUCD users (20%) than in the control group (6%) . In two of the 21 women with positive cultures the tail of the IUCD yielded substantially more colonies than the vaginal specimen and in seven, only the tail culture was positive . These findings strongly suggest that the IUCD is a predisposing factor in vaginal colonization by Candida strains . In half the women the presence of yeasts in the vagina was not associated with signs and symptoms of clinical infection . Of the 29 yeast strains isolated 17 were C . albicans, there was no difference in the prevalence of C . albicans between IUCD users and non-users or between symptomatic and asymptomatic womenPIP: 217 women were investigated for the presence of genital candidiasis . 117 women had an IUD; the other 100 women did not . 23 IUD wearers and 6 of the non-wearers were found to harbor Candida in the vagina . 50% of the IUD wearers and 66% of the yeast-positive controls were asymptomatic . Pieces of IUD tails were snipped and cultured from 21 of the IUD wearers, and in 7 of them only the IUD tails yielded cultures . 59% of the yeasts were identified as Candida albicans and the rest as other strains of Candida . This study confirms the hypothesis that IUD use predisposes to colonization and infection by Candida albicans and other strains . The fact that the yeast organisms were more prevalent on the IUD tails than in the vaginal mucosa indicates that the IUD tail acts as a reservoir of infection . J Ethnopharmacol, 1988 Apr, 22(3), 307 - 13 Anticandidal activity of plants used for the treatment of vaginitis in Guatemala and clinical trial of a Solanum nigrescens preparation; Giron LM et al.; An ethnobotanical survey detected 71 plants used for the treatment of vaginitis by traditional healers, health promoters and midwives . Extracts prepared by maceration of plants in 50% methanol were impregnated on absorbent paper disks and placed over plates with Candida albicans . Eight (11.3%) of these plants showed some degree of inhibition . Solanum nigrescens was chosen for further studies . A cream containing a 50% ethanolic maceration was applied daily to the vagina of female guinea pigs for 15 days and observed for another 15 days . Since no inflammatory changes were observed, this preparation was used for clinical trials . Two groups of 50 non-pregnant women with confirmed C . albicans vaginitis were treated for 15 days, one group with intra-vaginal suppositories containing S . nigrescens maceration and the other with nystatin suppositories . By statistical analysis it was demonstrated that both groups behaved in a similar beneficial way suggesting that this plant may be effective for the treatment of candidal vaginitis. Allergy, 1988 Apr, 43(3), 201 - 5 Relationship of immediate and delayed hypersensitivity to nasopharyngeal and intestinal growth of Candida albicans in allergic subjects; Koivikko A et al.; The growth of C . albicans yeast in the nasopharynx and in the anus as well as allergy symptoms were followed up for 8 months in 67 patients with bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and/or atopic eczema . 38 of the patients were skin prick test positive and 29 negative to C . albicans allergen extract . 32 of the patients had positive and 19 negative delayed skin reactions . The nasal, bronchial and skin symptoms of the yeast-sensitive allergic patients were not associated with the nasopharyngeal nor anal occurrence of C . albicans or other yeasts . The use of nasal or inhaled steroids had no effect on the occurrence of Candida in the nasopharynx . It was observed that immediate skin sensitivity had a positive correlation and the delayed sensitivity a negative correlation with the occurrence of C . albicans growth in nasopharynx and anus . These findings are in agreement with the concept that impaired cell-mediated immunity to C . albicans may lead to increased IgE response . This may explain the increased liability towards C . albicans nasopharyngeal and gastrointestinal "saprophytic" growth. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1988 Apr, 158(4), 997 - 1001 High-frequency switching in Candida albicans and its relations to vaginal candidiasis; Soll DR; Candida albicans possesses the ability to switch reversibly and at high frequency between a number of heritable phenotypes distinguishable by colony morphology and in some cases cellular phenotype . In the original switching system identified in C . albicans, it was demonstrated that cells could switch at frequencies as high as 10(-2) among seven distinct colony phenotypes including smooth, star, ring, stipple, irregular wrinkle, hat, and fuzzy . In a second switching system first discovered in a systemic infection, cells switched at high frequency between a white and an opaque colony former . Recently, switching was discovered in isolates from patients with vaginal candidiasis and multiple switch phenotypes were cloned from an individual vagina . Switching may contribute to the pathogenesis of C . albicans by providing it with the capacity to invade diverse sites in the body, to change resistance to antifungal agents, or to change antigenicity . The molecular basis of switching is probably due to the reversible transposition or rearrangement of genomic elements, although a direct correlation between recently identified genomic rearrangements and phenotypic switching has not been made. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1988 Apr, 158(4), 986 - 8 Establishing a correct diagnosis of vulvovaginal infection; Kaufman RH; Vulvovaginitis is a common problem and a prime reason for physician consultation . The organism most frequently responsible for vulvovaginal infection is Candida albicans, and in a large majority of cases identification of the causative organism and diagnosis are easy to establish . Recurrent or persistent infection, however, presents a perplexing diagnostic problem that usually can be solved with the use of appropriate supportive laboratory tests and awareness of the distinguishing features of the possible etiologic agents . Problems in diagnosis or complications in treatment are usually due to concurrent infection by two or more organisms or to treatment without proper identification of the infectious agents. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1988 Apr, 65(4), 421 - 6 Oral hairy leukoplakia among HIV-positive intravenous drug abusers: a clinicopathologic and ultrastructural study; Ficarra G et al.; During a prospective investigation of oral lesions of 120 consecutive patients positive for human immunodeficiency virus, belonging to the intravenous drug abuser risk group and other risk categories, we observed hairy leukoplakia (HL) in 23 cases (19%) . The median age of the patients was 27 years (range, 20 to 50 years) . Twenty patients were men and three were women . All but two of the twenty three patients used intravenous drugs for a median period of 6 years (range, 5 to 18 years) and were involved in several episodes of needle sharing . Eight men were also bisexual, one man was homosexual, and one man was hemophiliac and bisexual . Eleven patients had asymptomatic infection, five had lymphadenopathy syndrome, six had AIDS-related complex, and one had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome . In all patients, HL lesions were localized on the lateral borders of the tongue . In twelve patients, the lesion was unilateral, and in eleven patients, it was bilateral . Microscopically, hyperparakeratosis and the presence of koilocytes were observed in all cases . Surface candidiasis could be detected with staining with periodic acid-Schiff in two thirds of the cases . In four cases, electron microscopy showed the presence of intracellular and extracellular hyphae of Candida albicans in the parakeratin layer associated with coccobacilli in the spaces between surface epithelial cells . The spinous layer included koilocytes, which had a clear cytoplasmic matrix, sparse organelles and tonofilaments, and dispersed chromatin . These cells were found to be infected by a herpes-type virus in all cases examined . There was no ultrastructural evidence of human papillomavirus in the nuclei of the epithelial cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Infect Immun, 1988 Apr, 56(4), 792 - 801 Factors influencing the interaction of Candida albicans with fibroblast cell cultures; Merkel GJ et al.; The interaction of Candida albicans clinical isolates with primary and established fibroblast cultures was studied . The intent was to determine whether yeast adherence and invasion of nonendothelial cell monolayer cultures could be quantitated reproducibly and whether this system could be used for future studies on yeast pathogenesis . Our results demonstrated that specific interactions between the yeast cells and fibroblasts only occurred at 37 degrees C and correlated with the germination process . Fluorescent-antibody staining indicated that invasion or tight associations between the germinating yeast cells and mammalian cells occurred after less than 3 h of incubation . Yeast adherence was estimated radiometrically and trypsin-resistant interaction with individual mammalian cells (infection) was measured microscopically after inoculated monolayer cells were detached with trypsin . We demonstrated that both types of association were time dependent at 37 degrees C; neither was affected by the concentration of glucose used to grow the yeast cells . Primary and established fibroblast cell lines were equally susceptible to infection, but primary cells appeared to have more yeast-binding sites . Fibroblasts maintained in confluent culture for an extended period of time also appeared to have more binding sites, and while not quantitatively more susceptible to infection, the older cells were more susceptible to infection-related cell death . An established kidney epithelial cell line (MDCK) was not susceptible to either type of yeast interaction, indicating that the yeast-fibroblast associations were specific. J Oral Pathol, 1988 Apr, 17(4), 158 - 63 Resolution of candidal lesions of the dorsal rat tongue by ketoconazole; Allen CM et al.; The purpose of this study was to determine whether the mucosal alterations of the dorsal rat tongue produced by Candida albicans infection were reversible upon treatment with the antifungal drug ketoconazole . Following experimentally-produced infection, 17 rats showed clinical evidence of persistent lesions over a period of 20 weeks . Eight of these animals were then treated with ketoconazole daily for 2 weeks (20 mg/kg/day) . Appropriate non-infected controls and ketoconazole-only controls were also maintained . Five weeks after the ketoconazole treatment, all animals were killed and the dorsal tongues evaluated clinically and histologically . Control groups showed no abnormalities . Of the 8 animals in the treated-lesion group, all showed lesional resolution, while only 2 of the 9 animals in the untreated-lesion group showed resolution of their lesions (p = 0.002) . These findings indicate that the epithelial changes produced by this candidal isolate for this period of time are reversible. J Clin Pharm Ther, 1988 Apr, 13(2), 151 - 7 Microbial contamination and growth in total parenteral nutrition solutions; Lawrence J et al.; TPN bags (196) and giving sets were subjected to microbiological examination following administration within a busy nutrition ward . Of these, five (2.6%) were found to be contaminated with coagulase-negative Gram-positive cocci . In all but one instance the contamination was restricted to the terminal ends of the giving sets rather than to the nutrition bag itself . Isolation of micro-organisms from the ward environment suggested that the contamination had arisen extrinsically during the setting up of the infusions . Isolates from the contaminated products, together with type species of Escherichia coli and Candida albicans, were examined with respect to their growth requirements and used to challenge four TPN formulations . Growth and survival of the organisms was monitored for up to 21 days . In all instances significant numbers of organisms were recovered after 72 h . Significant growth of the Staphylococcal isolate and C . albicans occurred over the initial 48-72 h incubation, this appeared to be greater in extent for the lipid-containing formulations . The temperature of storage of the formulation was the major determining factor for microbial growth and survival . No survivors were recovered, however, from any formulation after 21 days. Histochem J, 1988 Apr, 20(4), 215 - 21 A comparison of the highly selective fluorescence staining of fungi in tissue sections with Uvitex 2B and Calcofluor White M2R; Wachsmuth ED; The selective fluorescence staining of two fungi, Candida albicans and Blastomyces dermatitides, with Uvitex 2B and Calcofluor White M2R was studied in deparaffinized and frozen sections of mouse kidney and lung . Both fluorochromes emitted maximally at about 430 nm, independent of the mounting media (Kaiser's gelatin or Entellan) . In addition to fungi, both fluorochromes also stained elastic fibres . The fluorescence intensity remained unchanged after storage of sections for more than 6 months in conventional slide boxes . The two fluorochromes showed the following differences: Calcofluor faded 1.25 times faster than Uvitex when illuminated with ultraviolet light . Calcofluor showed a greater affinity for tissues in general, and red cells and renal tubular casts in particular . Counterstaining of deparaffinized sections with Hemalum and Eosin reduced the fungi fluorescence and suppressed the general background fluorescence . However, it led to an intensification of Eosin staining and the fluorescence of red cells in Calcofluor-stained sections but not in Uvitex-stained ones . Similarly, the background fluorescence in frozen sections was reduced by Evans Blue, although elastic fibres still fluoresced after staining with Calcofluor . The degree of staining selectivity, and thus the contrast produced within a histological specimen, was greater with Uvitex 2B than with Calcofluor White M2R. J Med Vet Mycol, 1988 Apr, 26(2), 79 - 92 Influence of growth conditions on Candida albicans adhesion, hydrophobicity and cell wall ultrastructure; Kennedy MJ et al.; The effect of cultivation in 13 media (10 complex, and three synthetic), as well as altering growth conditions, on Candida albicans adhesion, cell surface hydrophobicity and cell wall ultrastructure was studied . Adhesion of C . albicans to buccal epithelial cells (BECs) was significantly modified by all of the factors tested, particularly growth medium . In general, optimal adhesive activity for C . albicans was observed when the cells were grown in defined media (depending on the carbohydrate used) and/or at 25 degrees C . Moreover, significant differences in adhesion to BECs were noted when C . albicans was grown in the same complex medium from different manufacturers and in different batches of medium from the same manufacturer . Electron microscopy revealed significant differences in surface topography and cell wall ultrastructure of C . albicans grown in different media but none of these differences, including presence or absence of an outer floccular layer, appeared to correlate with the adhesive changes noted, which raises questions regarding the location and nature of the Candida adhesin(s) . Likewise, cell surface hydrophobicity could not be correlated with adhesion to BECs but may have influenced yeast coadhesion . The results indicate that Candida adhesion is highly dependent upon the cultivation conditions of the yeast cells tested, and may explain discrepancies in the literature regarding the biochemical nature of the surface component(s) responsible for C . albicans adhesion. J Med Vet Mycol, 1988 Apr, 26(2), 127 - 31 Nutritional factors determine germ tube formation in Candida albicans; Holmes AR et al.; Following a short (3 h) period of carbon starvation, exponential phase yeast cells of Candida albicans rapidly (T50 45 min) formed germ tubes in a glucose/ammonium ion solution . The presence of both a sugar (glucose, sucrose or galactose) and a nitrogen source (ammonium ion or an amino acid metabolized via glutamate) was critical for morphogenesis. J Periodontol, 1988 Apr, 59(4), 249 - 53 Nonspecific and specific immune responses in a child with Down's syndrome and her sibling . A case report; Reuland-Bosma W et al.; In a child with Down's syndrome (DS) and her sibling, host immune responses were evaluated under experimental gingivitis conditions . The children live in the same environment under identical conditions . In the DS child an earlier and more extensive gingival inflammation than in her sibling had been observed . Investigation of nonspecific host defense mechanisms revealed identical results in both children for the phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Candida albicans by polymorphonuclear leukocytes in crevicular washings (CR-PMNs), in blood (PB-PMNs) and blood monocytes . Furthermore, CR- and PB-PMNs were able to secrete identical amounts of hydrogen peroxide upon stimulation . The chemotactic response of PB-PMNs in the DS child was impaired, however . The results of the studies performed on parameters of specific host defense mechanisms showed low blastogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed (PWM) by lymphocytes of the DS child as compared with her sibling . Also a lack of immune regulation leading to prolonged helper/inducer cell activation on a local (gingival) and circulation level and a less pronounced T-cell depression in PB were shown . Together, these differences observed in specific and nonspecific host response mechanisms may be responsible for the earlier and more extensive gingival inflammation found in the DS child. J Hosp Infect, 1988 Apr, 11(3), 278 - 85 Evaluation of three disinfectants after in-use stress; Isenberg HD et al.; Solutions of 2.0% and 3.4% glutaraldehyde, and of 0.5% phenate with 0.18% glutaraldehyde were stressed with a microbial and organic soil load for the periods advocated by the respective manufacturers . The disinfecting efficacy of the stressed solutions was challenged with Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Mycobacterium bovis (BCG), a water Mycobacterium sp . and Candida albicans . The three disinfectants were active against the fast-growing bacteria in appropriate dilutions; lesser dilutions of the glutaraldehyde solutions killed the mycobacteria and the yeast, while stressed phenate with glutaraldehyde did not . One hour exposure of the stressed disinfectants failed to kill the spore preparations while reducing the number of survivors. Pediatr Res, 1988 Mar, 23(3), 293 - 7 The ontogeny of pulmonary defenses: alveolar macrophage function in neonatal and juvenile rhesus monkeys; Kurland G et al.; Using the technique of bronchoalveolar lavage, we isolated alveolar macrophages (AM) from the lower respiratory tract of newborn (1-4 days of age), infant (6-10 days of age), juvenile (3-6 months of age), and adult rhesus monkeys . The AM thus obtained were assayed in vitro to determine their chemotactic, phagocytic, and candidicidal capabilities . The predominant (greater than or equal to 89%) cell type in bronchoalveolar lavage effluent in all ages was the AM . Chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and killing of Candida albicans were markedly impaired in neonatal AM as compared with those from infants, juveniles, and adults . AM chemotactic activity achieved normal adult values by 6 days of age . Phagocytosis, and to a lesser extent candidicidal activity, were significantly improved in 6-day-old animals, but adult levels were still not achieved even by 6 months of age. J Med Microbiol, 1988 Mar, 25(3), 213 - 20 The inhibitory effect of serum on the growth of Torulopsis glabrata; Petrou MA et al.; Normal human plasma and serum were found to inhibit the growth of Torulopsis glabrata and, to a lesser extent, other yeasts . The factor responsible for the inhibition of T . glabrata was not dialysable, was heat stable at 56 degrees C for up to 4 h and could be partly removed by absorption with viable T . glabrata but not Candida albicans . It was fungistatic at low concentrations and fungicidal at high concentrations, stable up to 4 years between -20 degrees C and -70 degrees C, but for only a few weeks at 4 degrees C . Studies with Cohn fractions of serum showed that the inhibitory components were in either the alpha or beta globulin fraction or both . The combined effects of transferrin and IgM accounted for about 70% of the total inhibition observed . We were unable to identify the component responsible for the residual inhibition of growth . The inhibitory effect was totally neutralised by tetracyclines, quinolones, sulphamethoxazole and by very low concentrations of polyenes, imidazoles and 5-fluorocytosine. Am J Surg, 1988 Mar, 155(3), 498 - 502 Colonic interposition for benign esophageal disease . Long-term clinical and endoscopic results; Isolauri J; Replacement of the esophagus for benign disease requires familiarity with the long-term results of various esophageal substitutes . In the present study, 60 esophageal reconstructions for benign disease using colonic interposition have been presented . The operations were performed mainly without thoracotomy, using both antiperistaltic and isoperistaltic colonic segments . There were no differences in swallowing ability between patients with antiperistaltic and patients with isoperistaltic interpositions . Regurgitation symptoms, however, seemed to be somewhat more common and more difficult in patients with antiperistaltic colonic transpositions . Endoscopic signs of colitis were common, but they did not correlate with regurgitation symptoms . Bacterial cultures from the transplanted colon mainly revealed the usual mouth organisms . Candida albicans was frequently found in the fungal samples . There were no differences in the results between patients with follow-up periods of more and less than 2 years . The clinical results were good or fair in a great majority of the patients. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1988 Mar, 268(1), 62 - 73 Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against secretory proteinase of Candida albicans CBS 2730; Borg M et al.; We describe the production and characterization of three murine monoclonal antibodies (M1-M3) which are directed against different epitopes of the secretory aspartic proteinase of Candida albicans CBS 2730 . All antibodies belonged to the IgM class, and they recognized denatured enzyme . Only antibody M1 was capable to react with the active proteinase . Differential reactivity was also observed with a large fragment of the proteinase of C . albicans . All antibodies recognized the corresponding proteinase of C . tropicalis 293 both in the active, and in the denatured state . Denatured porcine pepsin was also recognized by all three antibodies . However, active pepsin was recognized only by antibodies M1 and M2 . The antibodies did not inhibit enzymatic activity, and they were not suited for immunofluorescence detection of proteinase on fungal cells . However, employing Western blot analysis, proteinase antigen was detected by antibody M 1 in the serum of a patient suffering from candidal pneumonia . The circulating proteinase antigen was found to be bound to patient's IgM . Implications for the use of monoclonal antibodies in the serodiagnosis of candidosis, and first experiences with other monoclonal anti-proteinase antibodies are discussed. J Inorg Biochem, 1988 Mar, 32(3), 163 - 9 Synthesis and microbicidal activity of N-(2-substituted) phenyl ureas and their metal complexes; Sharma RC et al.; N-2-carboxyphenyl urea (CPU), N-2-hydroxyphenyl urea (HPU), and N-2-mercaptophenyl urea (MPU) and their Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Co(II), and Mn(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, molecular weight determination, molar conductance, IR and electronic spectral data, and magnetic measurements . Antibacterial activity of these ligands and their metal complexes was determined on gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria at 35 degrees C . Antifungal activity was determined on common fungi viz . Aspergillus niger, A . nidulense, and Candida albicans by the serial dilution method at 28 degrees C . A considerable increase in the biocidal activity of these ligands on being coordinated with the metal ions was reported in terms of their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 Mar, 32(3), 327 - 30 Interference with effects of amphotericin B on Candida albicans cells by 2-chloroethyl-1-nitrosoureas; Brajtburg J et al.; Two nitrosoureas, 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) and 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU), with strong carbamoylating and weak alkylating activities, interfered with the induction of potassium leakage and lethal action of amphotericin B (AmB) on Candida albicans . 2-Cyclohexyl isocyanate, the product of decomposition of CCNU, and 2-chloroethyl isocyanate, the product of decomposition of BCNU, also interfered with the anticandidal actions of AmB . In contrast, two nitrosoureas with weak carbamoylating and strong alkylating activities, 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(2,6-dioxo-3-piperydyl)-1-nitrosourea and 2-{3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosoureido}-D-glucopyranose, did not affect AmB action against C . albicans . These results indicate that the inhibitory action of CCNU and BCNU on the anticandidal effects of AmB is associated with the carbamoylating activity of these nitrosoureas. J Clin Microbiol, 1988 Mar, 26(3), 459 - 63 Diagnosis of systemic candidiasis by an enzyme-linked dot immunobinding assay for a circulating immunodominant 47-kilodalton antigen; Matthews R et al.; A dot immunobinding assay based on the detection of the immunodominant 47-kilodalton (kDa) antigen of Candida albicans is described for the serological diagnosis of systemic candidiasis . It was compared with a reverse passive latex agglutination test and a dot immunobinding assay with total unfractionated hyperimmune serum to C . albicans . Use of the 47-kDa antigen-specific probe increased both the sensitivity and specificity of the assay system . Patients with systemic candidiasis were detected earlier in the course of the infection . The rate of detection of systemic C . albicans infections in neutropenic patients was 77% compared with 55% with total antibody in the dot immunobinding assay and 29% with the latex test . All three assay systems were positive in over 73% of infected patients who were not neutropenic . The 47-kDa antigen-specific probe was relatively specific to C . albicans . Antibody probes to the immunodominant antigens of other yeasts might be incorporated in the same dot immunobinding assay to detect systemic candidiasis caused by other species of yeasts. Clin Chem, 1988 Mar, 34(3), 539 - 43 Preparation of monoclonal antibodies reactive with beta-1,2-linked oligomannosyl residues in the phosphomannan-protein complex of Candida albicans NIH B-792 strain; Tojo M et al.; Hybridomas obtained by fusing the spleen cells of BALB/c female mice hyperimmunized with heat-killed yeast-form cells of Candida albicans NIH B-792 strain and a mouse myeloma cell line, P3X63Ag8.653, produced antibodies to beta-1,2-linked oligomannosyl residues in the phosphomannan-protein complex of the parent cells . Most of these monoclonal antibodies were IgM, but about 10% of the hybridomas produced IgG1 immunoglobulins . Ascites fluid from BALB/c mice inoculated with an IgG1-producing hybridoma showed different precipitability with the phosphomannan-protein complexes of three representative C . albicans strains, with NIH B-792 (serotype B) greater than NIH A-207 (serotype A) greater than J-1012 (serotype A, formerly serotype C) . In contrast, a rabbit polyclonal antiserum to C . albicans NIH B-792 cells was unable to distinguish these same complexes . This ascites fluid agglutinated the heat-killed cells of three Candida strains, but not those of three others or of Torulopsis glabrata IFO 0622 . The other ascites fluids, containing antibodies of the IgM class, agglutinated cells from three C . albicans strains and also C . tropicalis IFO 0587 cells. J Med Chem, 1988 Mar, 31(3), 650 - 6 Synthesis and anticandidal properties of polyoxin L analogues containing alpha-amino fatty acids; Khare RK et al.; Analogues of polyoxin L containing amino acids with saturated fatty acid like side chains were synthesized from the benzyloxycarbonyl-protected alpha-amino fatty acid p-nitrophenyl ester and uracil polyoxin C . Transfer hydrogenolysis using palladium black and formic acid gave diastereomeric, dipeptidyl polyoxin L analogues containing alpha-aminooctanoic acid (3), alpha-aminododecanoic acid (4), or alpha-aminohexadecanoic acid (5) as the amine terminal residue in 40-60% yield . Diastereomers of 3 and 5 were resolved by using high-performance liquid chromatography on a reversed-phase column and designated as 3a, 3b and 5a, 5b . Analogues 3-5 were excellent inhibitors of chitin synthetase from Candida albicans; 4, the best inhibitor, had an ID50 of 0.5 microM . The L,L diastereomers of 3 and 5 were 1-2 orders of magnitude more potent chitin synthetase inhibitors than their D,L homologues . None of the synthetic polyoxin L analogues inhibited transport of trimethionine, but 3a, 4, and 5b caused decreases of 71%, 87%, and 83%, respectively, in the initial rate of uptake of dileucine . Compounds 3-5 were significantly more stable to peptidase degradation than polyoxin L analogues containing naturally occurring alpha-amino acids . Compound 4 inhibited growth of C . albicans in culture at 40-80 micrograms/mL . All other analogues were less potent antifungals . The results suggest that synthetic polyoxins can be designed to have increased affinity for a peptide transport system and to have increased stability against intracellular degradation in C . albicans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1988 Mar, 85(5), 1452 - 6 A Candida albicans dispersed, repeated gene family and its epidemiologic applications; Scherer S et al.; Candida albicans causes a wide variety of infections but can readily be isolated from the skin and mucosa of healthy individuals . To enable high-resolution epidemiologic studies on this common pathogen, a species-specific DNA probe has been isolated from its genome . There are approximately equal to 10 copies of the sequence dispersed among the chromosome-sized DNA molecules resolved by pulsed-field electrophoresis . New DNA polymorphisms in this gene family arise at high rates . As a consequence, this probe will readily distinguish strains from different patients in the same hospital and from various sites in individual patients . The DNA polymorphisms detected by using this probe are largely due to internal changes in members of the family rather than movement to new genomic locations . This suggests recombination or gene conversion rather than transposition as the mechanism producing the observed variation. J Appl Bacteriol, 1988 Mar, 64(3), 265 - 72 The influence of pyrithione on the growth of micro-organisms; Khattar MM et al.; Pyrithione was active against a range of micro-organisms, the most resistant being Gram-negative bacteria . The growth curves for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus licheniformis showed a drug-dependent lag phase . Candida albicans grew with a drug-dependent growth rate . EDTA antagonized the effects of pyrithione. Clin Exp Immunol, 1988 Mar, 71(3), 377 - 82 Cell-mediated immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum antigens in adult Gambians; Riley EM et al.; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from clinically immune Gambian adults were assayed for in vitro proliferation in response to crude and partially purified Plasmodium falciparum antigens . Lymphoproliferative responses to malaria antigens, lectin mitogens and Candida albicans were compared with those of control donors with no previous exposure to malaria . Cells of malaria-immune individuals were significantly more responsive to conconavalin A, and less responsive to phytohaemagglutinin, than cells from the control donors in both non-immune human serum and autologous serum . Cells from a proportion of immune donors proliferated in response to soluble malaria antigens but a substantial minority did not . Young adults and women were over-represented in the non-responding population . Responses to soluble malaria antigens were depressed in autologous serum compared with normal human serum . Both immune and control cells produced low levels of gamma-IFN when stimulated with crude P . falciparum schizont antigens . Approximately half the immune donors, and none of the controls, produced significant levels of gamma-IFN in response to purified soluble malaria antigen or malaria parasite culture supernatant . There was no direct correlation between lymphoproliferation and gamma-IFN production. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1988 Mar, 21(3), 333 - 43 Selective inhibition of 14 alpha-desmethyl sterol synthesis in Candida albicans by terconazole, a new triazole antimycotic; Isaacson DM et al.; Terconazole, a new broad spectrum antimycotic triazole derivative, has been shown to have potent activity against Candida albicans in vitro and to be effective in animal models of yeast infections . The present study explored a possible mechanism of anticandidal activity of terconazole . The compound inhibited production of 14 alpha-desmethyl sterols (e.g . ergosterol) in C . albicans at concentrations (IC50 = 3-6 x 10(-9) M) lower than those inhibiting the in-vitro growth of the yeast . There was concomitant accumulation of methylated sterols, (e.g . lanosterol), which are considered detrimental to normal yeast cell membrane function . Terconazole stimulated incorporation of 14C-acetate into triglycerides, but had no other effect on C . albicans lipid metabolism . At concentrations greater than or equal to 10(-6)M terconazole inhibited the oxidation of 14C-acetate into 14CO2 in C . albicans although the mechanism for this effect remains unclear . These data indicate that terconazole is a specific inhibitor of yeast C-14 desmethyl sterol production in C . albicans . Furthermore, terconazole reduced cytochrome P-450 levels in yeast microsomes at concentrations 10,000-fold below those at which it showed effects on rabbit liver microsomes . These data indicate a species specificity for the biochemical actions of terconazole . The C-14 alpha-desmethylase system in yeast cell membranes is cytochrome P-450 associated . Thus, terconazole, was a potent inhibitor of C-14 desmethyl sterol synthesis . This effect could contribute to the anticandidal activity of the drug. Can J Microbiol, 1988 Mar, 34(3), 224 - 8 Interaction of Candida albicans with genital mucosa: effect of sex hormones on adherence of yeasts in vitro; Kalo A et al.; Findings from our previous studies revealed a correlation between the level of adherence in vitro of Candida albicans to human exfoliated vaginal epithelial cells (VEC) and the hormonal status of the cell donors . In the present study we investigated the effect of the sex hormones estradiol, estriol, progesterone, and testosterone on the binding of the yeasts to HeLa cell lines and VEC in vitro . Monolayers of HeLa cells were exposed to the hormones and yeasts under controlled conditions . The number of adherent yeasts per square millimetre of HeLa cell monolayers and the percentage of VEC with adherent yeasts was estimated by microscopic counts . The results showed that the tested sex hormones affected at various degrees the adhesion of yeasts to HeLa cells or VEC . Progesterone had the most marked effect, leading to a significant increase in the number of adherent yeasts to HeLa cells or in the percentage of adhesion of VEC . In addition, VEC were separated on Percoll gradients into the two cell types: superficial (S) and intermediate (I), cell types which appear physiologically under increased serum levels of estradiol or progesterone, respectively . Adhesion assays with the separated cell populations revealed an increased binding capacity of the I cells . The finding that progesterone increased the adherence of yeasts to genital mucosa and that VEC of the I type have a higher capacity to adhere the yeasts is compatible with our previous observation that increased numbers of I cells, appearing under high level of progesterone, are found in situations known to have predisposition to vaginal candidiasis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Ann Inst Pasteur Microbiol, 1988 Mar-Apr, 139(2), 171 - 88 {Cytologic analysis of the expression of an epitope carried by glycoproteins excreted by Candida albicans}; Cailliez JC et al.; The present study concerns an epitope identified by a monoclonal IgM, named 5B2, generated against the parasitic phase of Candida albicans . The epitope was previously shown to be carried by excreted C . albicans glycoproteins and to be present in the sera of patients suffering from systemic candidiasis . The cytological analysis of the epitope expression was investigated in 3 different yeast strains: the C . albicans strain from which 5B2 was generated (VW.32); a C . albicans mutant, deficient in cell wall mannans (KD.102); and a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain . Immunofluorescence assays using IgM-5B2 showed discontinuous labelling with the VW.32 strain and no labelling with the 2 other yeast strains; however, the superficial structures of the 3 strains reacted homogeneously with ConA . Ultrastructural immunodetection experiments performed with the VW.32 cells, using gold-conjugated monoclonal antibody, revealed the presence of the epitope in the vacuolo-vesicular system, the periphery of the cytoplasm, the periplasmic space and the cell wall . Under the same conditions, cells from the KD.102 strain only exhibited weak cytoplasmic labelling whereas the presence of the epitope in S . cerevisiae blastoconidia was restricted to the vesicles . Competition and double labelling experiments with IgM and ConA showed that the epitope, distributed on the great majority of VW.32 glycoproteins, is shared by a lesser proportion of the KD.102 glycoproteins and only by some vesicular glycoproteins of S . cerevisiae . Inhibition of the N-glycosylation process of the VW.32 strain by tunicamycin resulted in the absence of cytokinesis and germ tube formation . In such cells, epitope 5B2 was no longer expressed on the bud surface . These cytological results concerning the C . albicans epitope are discussed in relation to recent, more general biochemical data on the yeast glycosylation process. J Am Dent Assoc, 1988 Feb, 116(2), 187 - 92 Juvenile juxtavermilion candidiasis: yet another form of an old disease? Bouquot JE, Fenton SJ. Five cases of a chronic, self-limiting Candida albicans infection of the lip vermilion and juxtavermilion skin in young persons are presented . These infections typically appeared as erythematous, pruritic, yellow crusting plaques of the juxtavermilion skin, with or without desquamation of vermilion surfaces . Evidence of intraoral candidiasis, especially loss of filiform lingual papillae, was present in several cases . The disorder mimics the early stage of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis but remains within a few millimeters of the mucocutaneous junction and affected individuals appear (with a possible exception) to be immune competent . Mild trauma apparently triggers the infection . The authors emphasize that a scientifically sound cause-and-effect relationship between this new disease and Candida albicans is not herein established and present these cases in the hope that others will thereby be identified and a firmer causal relationship be established. Z Kardiol, 1988 Feb, 77(2), 130 - 1 {Pneumopyopericardium--a rare complication following surgical correction of an "upside-down stomach"}; Peters W et al.; The follow-up period after surgery of an upside-down stomach in a 53-year-old patient was complicated by a pneumopyopericardium due to Candida albicans and Enterococcus . Therapy was performed by pericardial drainage . Local instillations of Mezlocillin (100 mg/l) and Amphotericin B (1 mg/l, Candida-MIC = 0.1 mg/l), over a period of 10 days and followed by a systemic antimycosis with 5-Flucytosin (0.14 g/d/kg over 5 days) and Amphotericin B (0.3 mg/d/kg over 11 days) led to recovery . Six months after discharge from the hospital, echocardiography revealed only a thickened pericardium without hemodynamic disorders. J Med Vet Mycol, 1988 Feb, 26(1), 57 - 65 Correlation between the sterol composition of membranes and morphology in Candida albicans; Cannon RD et al.; The opportunistic pathogenic fungus Candida albicans was examined in three distinct morphological forms: yeast, mycelia, and stunted mycelia obtained by growing cells under mycelial-inducing conditions in the presence of ketoconazole at concentrations below the MIC . Comparison of the sterols of the parental strain with those from a mutant unable to produce mycelia, by TLC and GLC, showed no significant differences in sterol composition between the yeast and mycelial morphological forms . However, ketoconazole-treated cells possessed a lower ergosterol content and an increased amount of 14-methylated sterol precursors . The effect of ketoconazole on mycelial cells was quantitatively different from the effect on yeast cells in that the ratio of 4, 14-dimethylsterols to 4-methylsterols was significantly lower in the stunted mycelial morphological forms . A comparison of the effect of terbinafine on sterol biosynthesis and morphology suggests that the effect on ergosterol content is of greater importance than the increase in sterol precursors in determining cell shape. J Med Vet Mycol, 1988 Feb, 26(1), 49 - 56 Oral carriage of Candida albicans, ABO blood group and secretor status in healthy subjects; Burford-Mason AP et al.; ABO blood group and secretor status were determined in healthy subjects in relation to oral carriage of Candida albicans, using a mouthwash technique to identify carriers and non-carriers . Of 100 subjects studied, 32% carried Candida, the main species isolated being C . albicans (94% isolates) . Carriage of C . albicans was significantly associated with blood group O (p less than 0.001) and independently, with non-secretion of blood group antigens (p less than 0.001), with the trend towards carriage being greatest in group O non-secretors . This suggests that in healthy subjects, blood group O and non-secretion of blood group antigens are separate and cumulative risk factors for oral carriage of C . albicans. Chemioterapia, 1988 Feb, 7(1), 33 - 7 A study of the antifungal activity of LY121019, a new echinocandin derivative; Strippoli V et al.; LY121019 is a cyclic peptide antibiotic of the echinocandin group, which is characterized by strong anti-Candida activity (in particular against Candida albicans) as well as by low experimental toxicity . Its anti-Candida activity is thought to be due to an inhibition of the synthesis of beta-glucan, an essential cell wall polysaccharide . The different composition of culture media or the presence of animal serum did not show adverse effects on LY121019's anti-Candida activity and the addition of reducing compounds such as cysteine and hydroquinone did not manifest a negative influence . Analogously the anti-Candida activity was not influenced when C . albicans was grown under aeration . The activity of LY121019 was very high against the mycelial form of C . albicans even when this form was developed in the presence of animal serum. Carbohydr Res, 1988 Feb 1, 172(2), 243 - 53 Structural studies of mannans from the cell walls of the pathogenic yeasts Candida albicans serotypes A and B and Candida parapsilosis; Kogan G et al.; A comparative study of three cell-wall mannans, of Candida albicans serotypes A and B and Candida parapsilosis, by means of methylation analysis supports a model of yeast mannans as having an alpha-(1----6)-linked backbone with some units (depending on the origin of the mannan) being substituted at O-2 with oligosaccharides joined by alpha-(1---2) and, to a lesser extent, by alpha-(1----3) glycosidic bonds . Branching points in the side chains of Candida albicans mannans were found in substantial proportions for the first time, and the corresponding branched hexasaccharides were isolated by means of acetolysis and subsequent gel filtration . 13C-N.m.r . spectroscopy of the mannans, as well as a 1H-n.m.r . spectroscopic study of the oligosaccharides obtained on acetolysis of the mannans, led to results that agreed with those of methylation analysis. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1988 Feb, (2), 87 - 91 {Interaction of Candida albicans with macrophages}; Karaev ZO et al.; Study of the in vitro interaction of mouse peritoneal macrophages with C . albicans has revealed that these macrophages, though easily phagocytizing C . albicans blastospores, are incapable of destroying the fungus . The phagocytic, but not candidostatic, activity of these macrophages has been found to depend on the conditions on their cultivation, as well as on the age and viability of fungal cells . The representatives of 7 C . albicans strains, obtained from various sources and stored at the museum for different spans of time, have shown practically no difference in the character of their interaction with mouse peritoneal macrophages. J Rheumatol, 1988 Feb, 15(2), 362 - 5 Candida albicans infection of a prosthetic knee replacement: a report and review of the literature; Koch AE; A woman with rheumatoid arthritis who underwent total knee arthroplasty is described . The implant became infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis and she received a prolonged course of postoperative antistaphylococcal antibiotics . Four months postoperatively she developed a calf ulcer that grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa and required further antibiotic therapy . One year later she presented with a painful, swollen knee with radiographic findings suggesting loosening of the prosthetic knee implant . Arthrocentesis cultures grew Candida albicans . She was treated with arthrodesis, amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, and ketoconazole and remains free of infection 21 months after removal of the prosthesis . The clinical course of 6 other cases of Candida prosthetic joint infections is reviewed. Mycopathologia, 1988 Feb, 101(2), 77 - 83 Induction of germ-tube formation by Candida albicans in amino acid liquid synthetic medium at 25 degrees C; Sabie F et al.; Candida albicans (3153A) was found to exhibit extensive germ-tube and mycelial development at 25 degrees C when transferred from amino acid synthetic medium at pH 6 to medium of pH 7 . Significant germ-tube formation was detectable after approximately 8 h and in all experimental treatments, the peaks of maximal germination occurred at approximately 40-44 h . Such a transition was not only dependent on the initial pH of the medium but also on the glucose concentration and inoculum size . The optimum initial glucose concentration and inoculum size for maximal germ-tube development was 1.25% and 2 X 10(6) cells ml-1 respectively and above or below these values the extent of germ-tube formation was greatly reduced. Mycopathologia, 1988 Feb, 101(2), 105 - 11 Disseminated cutaneous and peritoneal hyalohyphomycosis caused by Fusarium species: three cases and review of the literature; Rippon JW et al.; Three recent cases of hyalohyphomycosis caused by Fusarium sp . illustrate differing aspects of infections produced by these organisms . One patient was undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis when peritonitis developed caused by Fusarium moniliforme . Removal of the catheter and amphotericin B were used in successful management . In a neutropenic patient on therapy for leukemia, multiple persistent infections occurred including JK diptheroids, and Candida albicans sepsis . Finally, numerous florid skin lesions caused by Fusarium oxysporum developed even while the patient was receiving amphotericin B and he died . In a second neutropenic patient on treatment for leukemia, sinus and cutaneous lesions developed due to Fusarium . These resolved on amphotericin B therapy following the return of circulating neutrophils . The literature on Fusarium infections and aspects of the biology of the organism are reviewed. Infect Immun, 1988 Feb, 56(2), 302 - 9 Variable expression of a surface determinant during proliferation of Candida albicans; Chaffin WL et al.; The surface expression of an antigenic determinant that is present in the cell wall of Candida albicans was investigated with monoclonal antibody 24 (MAb24), an immunoglobulin M MAb . The proportion of the cell population that expressed the epitope under different growing conditions was determined by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy . More than 90% of stationary-phase yeast cells of strain B311 grown at 28 degrees C expressed the antigen . Less than 50% of yeast cells grown exponentially at 28 degrees C or either growing or stationary-phase yeast cells cultivated at 37 degrees C expressed the epitope . Germ tubes, which were induced at 37 degrees C from stationary-phase yeast cells grown at 28 degrees C, expressed the determinant on the parent yeast but not the hyphal portion of the germ tube . The change in antigen expression by stationary-phase cells grown at 28 degrees C, when they resumed growth by bud formation, suggested that antigen expression was lost by cells in the inoculum prior to the first cell division . By using the same assay, strong positive reactions were observed in stationary-phase cultures of other isolates of C . albicans, C . guilliermondii, C . stellatoidea, and C . tropicalis, but not with isolates of C . krusei, C . parapsilosis, or Torulopsis glabrata . The identification of the antigenic determinant as a carbohydrate was based on three observations: (i) interaction with a mannan preparation from the same organism, (ii) sensitivity of the antigen to periodate but not proteases, and (iii) coincidence of the migration of antigen during electrophoresis with material which stained intensely with carbohydrate but not with protein reagents . These observations suggest that the expression of the antigenic determinant of MAb24 is dependent on the growth conditions, growth state, and morphology of the cell and that the topography of the cell surface is dynamic. Microbiol Sci, 1988 Feb, 5(2), 58 - 63 The molecular genetics of Candida albicans; Kurtz MB et al.; Candida albicans, the major fungal pathogen of humans, is a diploid with no known sexual cycle . Recent genetic studies in C . albicans include the physical characterization of the genome, the development of systems for parasexual genetics, the cloning of Candida genes, and the development of methods for integrative and ARS-mediated transformation as well as gene disruption. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1988 Feb, 32(2), 209 - 12 Activities of fluconazole (UK 49,858) and ketoconazole against ketoconazole-susceptible and -resistant Candida albicans; Hughes CE et al.; We have compared the activities of fluconazole and ketoconazole against ketoconazole-susceptible and -resistant strains of Candida albicans in a neutropenic-site rabbit model . Oral treatment with fluconazole resulted in much higher serum and extravascular concentrations of this antifungal agent than did comparable doses of ketoconazole . Fluconazole had no additional in vivo activity against the ketoconazole-susceptible strains; no fungicidal activity was observed with peak drug levels as high as approximately 75 micrograms/ml in the infection sites . Significant fungistatic activity against the ketoconazole-resistant strains was observed with fluconazole treatment (80 mg/kg), but not with less fluconazole (20 mg/kg) or with ketoconazole (approximately 67 mg/kg) . In vitro susceptibility tests separated the ketoconazole-susceptible strains from the ketoconazole-resistant strains, but the results were variable when the resistant strains were tested with fluconazole. J Bacteriol, 1988 Feb, 170(2), 895 - 9 Opaque-white phenotype transition: a programmed morphological transition in Candida albicans; Rikkerink EH et al.; This paper reports that the opaque and white phenotypes of Candida albicans constitute a true high-frequency reversible transition system . The rDNA restriction fragment and orthogonal field alternating gel electrophoresis profiles of opaque and white phenotypes are indistinguishable, and a genetic marker introduced into a white strain is present in all opaque derivatives of this strain . Opaque and white derivatives appear markedly different on a bismuth indicator medium and differ in a number of other respects . We have used bismuth medium to examine the spontaneous and temperature-induced frequencies of transition from opaque to white . The temperature-induced transition from opaque to white does not occur when opaque cells are held in water. Clin Immunol Immunopathol, 1988 Feb, 46(2), 284 - 93 Neutrophil accumulation and cutaneous responses in experimental cutaneous candidiasis of genetically complement-deficient mice; Wilson BD et al.; Mice deficient in the fifth component of complement were studied for their ability to respond to and clear experimental cutaneous Candida albicans infections . The complement-deficient animals took longer to clear the infections and developed a significantly greater delayed hypersensitivity response to Candida than did normal animals . However, although the serum of the complement-deficient animals was incapable of generating in vitro chemotactic activity for neutrophils after appropriate stimulation, the epidermal neutrophilic infiltrate in the Candida-infected skin of these animals was equivalent to that in the normal animals . The progression of the infection, including the early relocation of the invading Candida pseudohyphae to a more superficial site in the stratum corneum and the thickening of the epidermis itself, was also similar in the complement-deficient and normal animals . Therefore, although mice lacking the fifth complement component cannot generate complement-derived serum chemotactic factors and are somewhat less efficient in clearing experimental cutaneous candidiasis, the accumulation of neutrophils in the Candida-infected skin of these animals and their initial cutaneous responses to the infections are normal. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 1988 Jan 29, 150(2), 532 - 9 Temporal association of calcium mobilization, inositol trisphosphate generation, and superoxide anion release by human neutrophils activated by serum opsonized and nonopsonized particulate stimuli; Meshulam T et al.; We have investigated the involvement of phospholipase C mediated polyphosphoinositide turnover in activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes by particulate stimuli . Results showed that stimulation of leukocytes with serum opsonized zymosan (ingestible particle), serum opsonized Candida albicans hyphae (noningestible particle), or nonopsonized hyphae was followed by a transient rise in cellular inositol phosphates as has been described for neutrophil activation via the formyl peptide receptor . The kinetics of inositol trisphosphate generation paralleled both the time course of changes in cytosolic calcium concentration and the onset of superoxide anion generation, suggesting that these may be related events. Z Hautkr, 1988 Jan 18, 63(1), 57 - 9 {Granulocyte function in the aged}; Djawari D; 22 patients (10 female, 12 male) aged between 60 and 76 were tested in vitro with regard to granulocyte function (i.e., leucotaxis, chemotaxis, capability of phagocytosis, intracellular killing of bacteria, and oxidase reaction) . Most of the patients showed reduced chemotactic activity of the granulocytes, although the motility of these cells was normal . With regular phagocytosis of candida albicans cells--either active or heat-inactivated the intracellular killing rate of bacteria was clearly decreased in all cases . The intracellular oxidase activity of granulocytes always showed normal function. Scand J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg, 1988, 22(2), 143 - 4 Acute atrophic glossitis after open-heart surgery; Bengtsson L et al.; The problem of Candida infections has become important in connection with transplant surgery and immunosuppression . To clarify the source of the postoperative acute atrophic glossitis (AAG) commonly seen in our department of cardiac surgery, 33 patients admitted for coronary artery bypass or valve replacement underwent clinical and microbiologic investigation before and after operation . None showed signs of AAG preoperatively, but 12 had cultures positive for Candida albicans, and in all 12 AAG appeared postoperatively . Six of the 21 patients with preoperatively negative cultures likewise had postoperative AAG . All 18 affected patients responded well to local nystatin treatment . No patient had disseminated candidiasis. J Ethnopharmacol, 1988 Jan, 22(1), 25 - 31 Anti-infectious phytotherapies of the tree-savannah of Senegal (West-Africa) II . Antimicrobial activity of 33 species; le Grand A et al.; The screening of the antimicrobial activity of 33 medicinal plants from Senegal is reported . None of these plants showed activity against the gram-negative test bacteria and against Candida albicans . Extracts of Cnestis ferruginea and Voacanga africana showed strong activity against Aspergillus niger . The former plant was also active against dermatophytes . Twenty-five of the plants tested showed activity against gram-positive bacteria. Early Hum Dev, 1988 Jan, 16(1), 27 - 33 Does gastric acid protect the preterm infant from bacteria in unheated human milk? Usowicz AG, Dab SB, Emery JR, McCann EM, Brady JP. Althou