J. Cutsem

IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION OF PENICILLIUM MARNEFFEI BY MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY

We present an experimental study on the immunohistochemical identification of Penicillium marneffei in paraffin‐embedded, formalin‐fixed tissue. The monoclonal antibody EB‐A1 detects a specific galactomannan that appears to have at least one epitope identical in P. marneffei and Aspergillus sp. This immunohistochemical approach could be useful in the diagnosis of a rare disease, penicilliosis marneffei, which proves to be difficult to identify by conventional microscopy.

Fungal Models in Immunocompromised Animals

Fungi may be responsible for various superficial, systemic and disseminated infections in man and animals. The frequency of mycoses, the extension and the tendency to invasion by fungi of large body areas and deeper tissues are increasingly due to the presence of predisposing, favouring or stimulating factors (Warnock and Richardson, 1982; Viviani et al., 1989; Neijens et al., 1989). A new group of patients, AIDS patients, have recently joined the great number of people who are highly sensitive to fungal infections and are anxiously demanding active and safe therapeutics.

ITRACONAZOLE VERSUS GRISEOFULVIN IN THE TREATMENT OF TINEA CAPITIS: A DOUBLE‐BLIND RANDOMIZED STUDY IN CHILDREN

Background. Tinea capitis is a fungal infection in which topical therapy is often unsuccessful. Griseofulvin has been considered to be a first‐line therapy. Other antifungal agents are the azole derivatives. Among these, itraconazole was compared with griseofulvin in children in a double‐blind study.

The antiinflammatory effects of ketoconazole: A comparative study with hydrocortisone acetate in a model using living and killed Staphylococcus aureus on the skin of guinea pigs

Several reports have demonstrated the efficacy of topical ketoconazole in dermatologic conditions that are not exclusively related to fungi. Some basic pharmacologic studies have indicated effects of ketoconazole on cholesterol production in keratinocytes, on the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme, and on the metabolism of all-trans-retinoic acid in the skin. These observations have led to the hypothesis that topically applied ketoconazole may possess antiinflammatory properties. This hypothesis was tested in an animal model in which living and killed Staphylococcus aureus applied to the backs of guinea pigs resulted in inflammation with erythema and hyperkeratosis. Ketoconazole 0.5% or 2% was applied topically once daily in an ointment base, either as monotherapy or in combination with hydrocortisone acetate 1%. In addition, untreated, excipient-treated, and hydrocortisone acetate-treated animals were included in the study design. All groups consisted of 10 animals that were observed and scored daily up to 3 days after the experimental therapy was stopped. In the animal model involving killed bacteria (i.e., no infection), topical ketoconazole had antiinflammatory activity comparable to that of hydrocortisone acetate. The activity of ketoconazole on the skin of animals infected with living bacteria (i.e., active bacterial infection) was superior to that of steroid therapy, which suggests some antibacterial effect of topically applied ketoconazole. The combination therapy was highly active under both conditions. These results suggest that, apart from the known antimycotic effects of ketoconazole, this molecule might also have effects against gram-positive bacteria at the high concentrations obtained after local application.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The Activity of Ketoconazole in Mixed Cultures of Fungi and Human Fibroblasts: Die Wirkung von Ketoconazol in Mischkulturen von Pilzen und menschlichen Fibroblasten

Summary: A system is described consisting of mixed cultures of human fibroblasts and fungi that can be used on a large scale for the semiquantitative determination of the fungistatic and cytotoxic activity of chemotherapeutic compounds.

Miconazole in the treatment of mycotic vulvovaginitis

Abstract The efficacy of miconazole in the treatment of mycotic vulvovaginitis was investigated in a blind study on 230 consecutive unselected patients. All had subjective complaints and positive cultures, and 166 had endocrinologic conditions predisposing to the development of candidiasis. Nine different yeasts were identified before treatment, the great majority being Candida albicans. All miconazole treatment regimens were significantly better than the control vehicle alone. The 2 per cent miconazole cream, producing about 95 per cent cures, was significantly (p = 0.011) more effective than the 1 per cent cream, than nystatin (p

Kefoconazofe 2% Emulsion in the Treatment of Seborrheic Dermatitis

Abstract: Fifty patients (42 men, 8 women) with seborrheic dermatitis were included in the trial. Ketoconazole 2% emulsion or the same emulsion without active drug was applied b.i.d. for 4 weeks. Two patients dropped out in the ketoconazole group and nine in the placebo group. Pityrosporum ovale was cultured from all patients at the start and from six out of 23 in the ketoconazole group versus nine out of 16 in the placebo group at week 4. The overall assessment showed a significantly better response to treatment for the ketoconazole emulsion (72%) than for the placebo (32%).

Double-Blind Comparison of Itraconazole with Griseofulvin in the Treatment of Tinea Pedis and Tinea Manuum./Doppelblind-Vergleich von Itraconazol mit Griseofulvin bei der Behandlung von Tinea pedis und Tinea manuum

Summary:  One hundred and fourteen evaluable patients with tinea pedis or tinea manuum have been analysed in this double‐blind study between itraconazole and griseofulvin.

Vapour Phase Activity of Imazalil

A series of in vitro experiments with imazalil is described. It is demonstrated that the compound has fungistatic, fungicidal and even sporocidal activity in the vapour phase against a wide variety of fungal species, e.g., dermatophytes, Candida albicans, and plant-pathogenic fungi. Possible practical applications are discussed.

In-Vitro and In-Vivo Models to Study the Activity of Antifungals against Aspergillus

The in-vitro activity of various antifungals against Aspergillus species was evaluated. Enilconazole and itraconazole appeared to be the most active compounds in-vitro.