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Cureus Dec 2023Background and purpose The complex is a globally distributed group of geophilic dermatophytes that primarily affect animals but can also rarely cause dermatomycoses in...
Background and purpose The complex is a globally distributed group of geophilic dermatophytes that primarily affect animals but can also rarely cause dermatomycoses in humans. With some regional and occupational variations, tinea corporis is the most prevalent presentation of the infection. The aim of this study was to report on the diagnosis and treatment of dermatophytosis cases among related families, and their pets, from southern Saudi Arabia. Up-to-date information on dermatophytes and dermatophytosis is needed. Methods This is a prospective case series undertaken at the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. Six patients with suspected dermatophytosis were received at our hospital in 2022 and have been followed for recovery with or without scars. Characteristics of fungal pathogens were examined phenotypically on the basis of microscopic and growth characteristics, and laboratory data were used to initiate treatment with oral fluconazole, topical terbinafine cream, or oral itraconazole. Results Clinical features and culture results confirmed tinea capitis and tinea corporis caused by , which was also present in a pet cat. Tinea capitis cases (n = 4) did not respond to fluconazole and terbinafine treatment, but treatment with itraconazole resulted in a full recovery. Tinea corporis cases (n = 2) were treated with terbinafine, which resulted in a full recovery within four weeks, with no signs of scarring. Conclusions presents with serious persistent lesions and is extremely contagious. Treatment is durable but challenging, and breaking the transmission chain is more difficult.
PubMed: 38292972
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.51402 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023Exclusive physicochemical and biological properties of carbon allotrope graphene have attracted the peer attention of researchers for the synthesis and development of...
Exclusive physicochemical and biological properties of carbon allotrope graphene have attracted the peer attention of researchers for the synthesis and development of newer topical remedies including films, scaffolds, microspheres, and hydrogels. Here, graphene nanoplatelets (GN) were embedded into a different ratio of polymeric ERL100/ERS100 solution and fabricated in the form of a scaffold through the electrospinning process. FTIR spectra displayed characteristic similar peaks present both in GN and GN-loaded scaffold owing to the compatibility of GN and polymeric mixture. XRD curve revealed a distinct GN peak at nearly 26° whereas from DSC/TGA thermal stability was observed between polymers and graphene nanoplatelets. FESEM images showed ultrathin architecture of GN-loaded scaffold in a range of 280 ± 90 nm. The fabricated scaffold exhibited hydrophilicity (contact angle 48.8 ± 2.8°) and desirable swelling index (646% in skin pH media) which were desired criteria for the scaffold for topical application. In vitro, antifungal activity was conducted through the broth microdilution method against different virulent dermatophytes i.e., , , , and . For in vivo evaluation, inoculum was applied on the dorsal surface of each group of Swiss albino mice, and the degree and intensity of mycelial growth or erythema on skin surfaces was visually investigated. The study depicted complete signs of cure after 14 days of application of G3-loaded scaffold on the infected dorsal site. Hence graphene-loaded scaffold represented a possible alternative for the treatment of topical fungal infections caused by dermatophytes.
PubMed: 37630890
DOI: 10.3390/nano13162305 -
Veterinary World Mar 2024Catnip essential oils have antimicrobial effects against bacteria, yeast, and fungi; however, there is limited information regarding their antimicrobial activity against...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Catnip essential oils have antimicrobial effects against bacteria, yeast, and fungi; however, there is limited information regarding their antimicrobial activity against pathogens that cause canine skin infections. This study aimed to identify the phytochemical constituents of catnip essential oil and assay its antimicrobial activity against , , , , , and .
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Catnip essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation, and its chemical constituents were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). antimicrobial activity was investigated using broth microdilution and time-kill tests. To evaluate the effect of catnip essential oil on microbial morphology and cell membrane integrity, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and leakage studies were conducted.
RESULTS
GC-MS analysis revealed that the principal components of catnip essential oil were - and -nepetalactone (57.09% of peak area), --nepetalactone (39.69% of peak area), -caryophyllene (1.88% of peak area), and caryophyllene oxide (1.34% of peak area). The minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, and minimum fungicidal concentration values determined by broth microdilution ranged from 0.0625 mg/mL to 4.0 mg/mL. Time-kill testing showed that the germicidal effects of catnip essential oil were time and concentration-dependent, respectively. Environmental SEM and cell leakage analysis indicated that catnip essential oil disrupted the integrity of cell membranes in the tested microorganisms.
CONCLUSION
Catnip essential oil has potential as an alternative antimicrobial against a wide range of canine skin infection pathogens, including , and .
PubMed: 38680153
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.585-592 -
Marine Life Science & Technology Feb 2024Marine microorganisms have long been recognized as potential sources for drug discovery. Griseofulvin was one of the first antifungal natural products and has been used...
UNLABELLED
Marine microorganisms have long been recognized as potential sources for drug discovery. Griseofulvin was one of the first antifungal natural products and has been used as an antifungal agent for decades. In this study, 12 new griseofulvin derivatives [(±)--, (+)-, (±)-, -, and -] and two new griseofulvin natural products ( and ) together with six known analogues [(-)-, -, and ] were isolated from the mangrove-derived fungus sp. QQYB1 treated with 0.3% NaCl or 2% NaBr in rice solid medium. Their 2D structures and absolute configurations were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis (1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS), ECD spectra, computational calculation, DP4 + analysis, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. Compounds - represent the first griseofulvin enantiomers with four absolute configurations (2, 6'; 2, 6'; 2, 6'; 2, 6'), and compounds - represent the first successful production of brominated griseofulvin derivatives from fungi via the addition of NaBr to the culture medium. In the antifungal assays, compounds and demonstrated significant inhibitory activities against the fungi , , and with inhibition zones varying between 28 and 41 mm (10 μg/disc). The structure-activity relationship (SAR) was analyzed, which showed that substituents at C-6, C-7, C-6' and the positions of the carbonyl and double bond of griseofulvin derivatives significantly affected the antifungal activity.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-023-00210-0.
PubMed: 38433970
DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00210-0 -
Antimicrobial and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory flavonoid glycosides from the plant : and approaches.RSC Advances Mar 2024Seven flavonoid glycosides were isolated from the aerial portions of during a phytochemical analysis. This comprised one novel component, ecurvoside, and six...
Seven flavonoid glycosides were isolated from the aerial portions of during a phytochemical analysis. This comprised one novel component, ecurvoside, and six well-studied compounds, namely astragalin, isoquercitrin, nicotiflorin, rutin, hesperidin, and neohesperidin. The chemical structures of compounds were identified using spectroscopic techniques and a comparison with previously published studies. Alpha-glucosidase inhibition testing was carried out on all isolated compounds. The compounds evaluated have IC values between 35.6 and 239.1 g mL, indicating a moderate degree of inhibition. antimicrobial activities of compounds 1-7 have screened against the bacteria (), methicillin-resistant (MRSA), (), and fungi: (), (), and (), where compound 6 showed excellent activity against fungi with an MIC value of 12.5 μM. In accordance with the molecular docking study, ecurvoside (1) or pose 472 interacted well with the 3TOP enzyme: PDB and the molecular dynamic simulations proved that the complex of ecurvoside and 3TOP has a stable simulation time of 50-100 ns and the significant residual amino acids in 3TOP are relative to interactions more than one time such as Asp 960, Glu 961, Lys 1088, Glu 1095, Arg 1097, Gly 1102, Thr 1103, Gln 1109, Glu 1178: A chain and Glu 1095, Thr 1101, and Asp 1107: B chain. The docking studies of compounds 1-7 to the enzyme 2VF5 explain the general mechanism to inhibit bacteria and proved that compound 6 (pose 370) inhibited stronger than compound 7 (pose 362) and compound 5 (pose 280), and compounds 1 to 4 do not interact well with 2VF5.
PubMed: 38505391
DOI: 10.1039/d4ra00666f -
Biotechnologia 2023Plants provide an unlimited source of bioactive compounds, possessing tremendous applications in the pharmaceutical industry. In the search for sources of antioxidants...
Plants provide an unlimited source of bioactive compounds, possessing tremendous applications in the pharmaceutical industry. In the search for sources of antioxidants and antimicrobial agents against human pathogens, ethanol extracts of flowers (CJ flower extract) were evaluated. The highest total phenolic (5.65 μg GAE/ml) and flavonoid (0.43 μg QE/ml) contents were observed in the 100 μg/ml CJ flower extract. To assess antioxidant activity, three antioxidant tests were employed: DPPH radical-scavenging, ABTS radical-scavenging, and hydroxyl radical-scavenging assay. The CJ flower extract demonstrated significant ( < 0.05) antioxidant activity, dependent on the percentage of solvent extraction and the specific assays utilized. The highest antioxidant activity was obtained with 100% ethanol extraction and using the hydroxyl radical-scavenging assay (56.63%). Antimicrobial activity was assessed against six human pathogens, including the fungi and five Gram-positive bacteria (, , , , and ), as well as one Gram-negative bacterium ( ). The CJ flower extract inhibited the growth of both fungal and bacterial pathogens. The cytotoxicity of the CJ flower extract was measured using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and the highest concentration of the extract (100 μg/ml) did not affect L929 cell viability. Moreover, the CJ flower extract demonstrated the ability to suppress HO-induced toxicity in L929 cells. Overall, the CJ flower extract has potential as an alternative source for exploring new antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and cytoprotectants that could prove valuable for biomedical applications.
PubMed: 38213478
DOI: 10.5114/bta.2023.132772 -
Cureus Mar 2024Dermatophytes, fungi specialized in keratin degradation, are key agents in skin infections, commonly referred to as tineas. Tinea manuum, affecting the hands, typically...
Dermatophytes, fungi specialized in keratin degradation, are key agents in skin infections, commonly referred to as tineas. Tinea manuum, affecting the hands, typically presents in noninflammatory or inflammatory forms, with ulcerative manifestations rarely reported. , a relatively uncommon cause of tineas, exhibits variable prevalence influenced by geographic factors. This study investigates a case of Ulcerative Unilateral Tinea Manuum caused by , aiming to explore the differential diagnosis, pathogenesis, and management. A 23-year-old female from the Yucatan Peninsula presented with an ulcerated lesion on her left hand. Initially suspected as Leishmaniasis, subsequent examination revealed tinea manuum. The study discusses differential diagnoses, highlighting the rarity of ulcerative presentations in dermatophytosis, and explores potential pathogenic mechanisms. This case underscores the importance of considering dermatophytes in ulcerative skin lesions and suggests a comprehensive diagnostic approach, particularly in endemic regions.
PubMed: 38576705
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55576 -
Microorganisms May 2024The VITEK MS PRIME (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France), a newly developed matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)...
The VITEK MS PRIME (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France), a newly developed matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) system, alongside the VITEK PICKME pen (PICKME), offers easy sample preparation for bacteria and yeasts. The VITEK MS PRIME also offers two software platforms for filamentous fungi: the IVD database and the RUO database. Our study evaluated its identification agreement on 320 clinical isolates of bacteria and yeasts, comparing PICKME and traditional wooden toothpick sampling techniques against MicroIDSys Elite (ASTA) results. Additionally, we assessed the IVD (v3.2) and SARAMIS (v4.16) RUO databases on 289 filamentous fungi against molecular sequencing. The concordance rates for species-level identification of bacteria and yeasts were about 89.4% (286/320) between the PICKME and wooden toothpick, and about 83.4-85.3% between the VITEK MS PRIME and ASTA MicroIDSys Elite. Retesting with PICKME improved concordance to 91.9%. For filamentous fungi, species-level identification reached 71.3% with the IVD database and 85.8% with RUO, which significantly enhanced basidiomycetes' identification from 35.3% to 100%. Some strains in the IVD database, like , , and , failed to be identified. The VITEK MS PRIME with PICKME offers reliable and efficient microorganism identification. For filamentous fungi, combined use of the RUO database can be beneficial, especially for basidiomycetes.
PubMed: 38792793
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050964 -
Cureus Mar 2024This case report describes a rare occurrence of tinea capitis kerion type caused by in three siblings. The clinical presentation included pseudo-alopecic plaques with a...
This case report describes a rare occurrence of tinea capitis kerion type caused by in three siblings. The clinical presentation included pseudo-alopecic plaques with a dirty appearance, erythema, and honey-like crusts. A direct examination revealed ecto-endothrix parasitization in the hair shaft. Shared use of a comb among the siblings was suspected as the mode of transmission. Treatment with oral terbinafine resulted in a complete resolution. Systematic epidemiological surveys on tinea infections are scarce, and preliminary data from our center indicated a higher prevalence. The literature review identified five reported cases of -induced tinea capitis.
PubMed: 38571824
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55485