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Emerging Microbes & Infections Dec 2023Dermatophytic pseudomycetoma is a rare invasive infection, involving both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Since the discovery of inherited immune...
Dermatophytic pseudomycetoma is a rare invasive infection, involving both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Since the discovery of inherited immune disorders such as the impairment of gene, extended dermatophyte infections are mostly ascribed to any of these host factors. This study is to present and explore the potential causes in a fatal dermatophytic pseudomycetoma patient. We present a chronic and deep pseudomycetoma caused by the common dermatophyte which ultimately led to the death of the patient. Mycological examination, genetic studies and host immune responses against fungi were performed to explore the potential factors. The patient had decreased lymphocyte counts with significantly reduced CD4 T cells, although all currently known genetic parameters proved to be normal. Through functional studies, we demonstrated that peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the patient showed severe impairment of adaptive cytokine production upon fungus-specific stimulation, whereas innate immune responses were partially defective. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of fatal dermatophytic pseudomycetoma in a patient with non-HIV CD4 lymphocytopenia, which highlights the importance of screening for immune deficiencies in patients with deep dermatophytosis.
Topics: Humans; Dermatomycoses; Mycetoma; Female; Middle Aged; Microsporum; Fatal Outcome; Caspase 9; Receptors, Interleukin-7; Mutation; Rare Diseases; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Immunity, Innate
PubMed: 37128909
DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2208685 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2023Treatment of dermatophytosis is quite challenging. This work aims to investigate the antidermatophyte action of Azelaic acid (AzA) and evaluate its efficacy upon...
Treatment of dermatophytosis is quite challenging. This work aims to investigate the antidermatophyte action of Azelaic acid (AzA) and evaluate its efficacy upon entrapment into transethosomes (TEs) and incorporation into a gel to enhance its application. Optimization of formulation variables of TEs was carried out after preparation using the thin film hydration technique. The antidermatophyte activity of AzA-TEs was first evaluated in vitro. In addition, two guinea pig infection models with () and () were established for the in vivo assessment. The optimized formula showed a mean particle size of 219.8 ± 4.7 nm and a zeta potential of -36.5 ± 0.73 mV, while the entrapment efficiency value was 81.9 ± 1.4%. Moreover, the ex vivo permeation study showed enhanced skin penetration for the AzA-TEs (3056 µg/cm) compared to the free AzA (590 µg/cm) after 48 h. AzA-TEs induced a greater inhibition in vitro on the tested dermatophyte species than free AzA (MIC was 0.01% vs. 0.32% for and 0.032% for . and vs. 0.56%). The mycological cure rate was improved in all treated groups, specially for our optimized AzA-TEs formula in the model, in which it reached 83% in this treated group, while it was 66.76% in the itraconazole and free AzA treated groups. Significant ( < 0.05) lower scores of erythema, scales, and alopecia were observed in the treated groups in comparison with the untreated control and plain groups. In essence, the TEs could be a promising carrier for AzA delivery into deeper skin layers with enhanced antidermatophyte activity.
PubMed: 37107069
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12040707 -
Mycopathologia Oct 2023To investigate the current etiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic characteristics of tinea capitis in children in Jilin Province.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate the current etiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic characteristics of tinea capitis in children in Jilin Province.
METHODS
Sixty pediatric patients with tinea capitis were enrolled between August 2020 and December 2021. Data on calcofluor white (CFW) fluorescence microscopy, fungal culture, Wood's lamp examination, dermoscopy, treatment, and follow-up were collected and analyzed.
RESULTS
1. Of all the enrolled patients, 48 had a history of animal contact, mostly with cats and dogs. Fifty-one strains were isolated, of which 46 were Microsporum canis (M. canis). 2. All enrolled patients were examined using fluorescence microscopy, and 59 were positive. Forty-one cases of tinea alba were examined using Wood's lamp, and 38 were positive. Forty-two cases of tinea alba were examined using dermoscopy, and 39 demonstrated specific signs. Effective treatment manifested as a fading bright green fluorescence, decreased mycelial/spore load, reduced specific dermoscopic signs, and hair regrowth. 3. Treatment was terminated in 23 and 37 cases based on mycological and clinical cures, respectively. No recurrence occurred during follow-up.
CONCLUSION
1. M. canis is the predominant pathogen causing tinea capitis in children in Jilin Province. Animal contact is considered the main risk factor. 2. CFW fluorescence microscopy, Wood's lamp, and dermoscopy can be used to diagnose ringworms and follow-up patients. 3. Both mycological and clinical cures can be the endpoint of adequate treatment for tinea capitis.
Topics: Humans; Child; Animals; Cats; Dogs; Tinea Capitis; Microsporum; Hair; Tinea
PubMed: 37022619
DOI: 10.1007/s11046-023-00718-0 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2023Natural products have important pharmacological activities. This study sought to investigate the activity of the compound betulinic acid (BA) against different strains...
Natural products have important pharmacological activities. This study sought to investigate the activity of the compound betulinic acid (BA) against different strains of bacteria and fungi. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined and then the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). After performing the in vitro tests, molecular modeling studies were carried out to investigate the mechanism of action of BA against the selected microorganisms. The results showed that BA inhibited the growth of microbial species. Among the 12 species (, , , , , , , , , , , and investigated, 9 (75%) inhibited growth at a concentration of 561 µM and 1 at a concentration of 100 µM. In general, the MBC and MFC of the products were between 561 and 1122 μM. In silico studies showed that BA presented a mechanism of action against DNA gyrase and beta-lactamase targets for most of the bacteria investigated, while for fungi the mechanism of action was against sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) targets and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). We suggest that BA has antimicrobial activity against several species.
PubMed: 36986372
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12030449 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023Antimicrobial resistance is currently one of the greatest threats to global health, food security, and development. In this aspect, medicinal plants have been studied to... (Review)
Review
Antimicrobial resistance is currently one of the greatest threats to global health, food security, and development. In this aspect, medicinal plants have been studied to support the development of viable alternatives to prevent and treat infectious diseases. This study aimed to perform a review of the literature comprising the antimicrobial activity of vegetable species from Brazilian biomes. We selected 67 original scientific publications about extracts, fractions, or isolated molecules from plants in the Brazilian biomes, published between 2016 and 2020 in Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and Scielo. Data demonstrated that 98 plant species, especially collected in the Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, and Caatinga biomes, were tested against 40 fungi and 78 bacterial strains. Bioactive fractions of methanolic stump wood extract were active against and (MIC 2.50 µg/mL). The catechin purified from leaves had activity against (MIC 2.83 µg/mL) and ethanolic extract obtained from bark and fruit pulp exhibited MIC of 4.1 µg/mL on For bacteria, compounds isolated from the dichloromethane extract of , lectin extracted from a saline extract of and essential oils of exhibited significant effect against (MIC 0.78 µg/mL) (MIC 4.06 µg/mL) and strains (MIC 5.0 µg/mL), respectively. The findings support the antimicrobial and bioeconomic potential of plants from Brazilian biodiversity and their promising health applications.
PubMed: 36978294
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12030427 -
Veterinary Medicine and Science May 2023Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) as the recognition of pathogenic fungal structures induce the secretion of cytokines by immune systems. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2...
BACKGROUND
Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) as the recognition of pathogenic fungal structures induce the secretion of cytokines by immune systems. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4 are the main PRRs that recognize fungal components.
AIM
The present study aimed to assess the presence of dermatophyte species in symptomatic cats in a region of Iran and to investigate the expression of TLR-2 and 4 in cat lesions with dermatophytosis.
METHODS
A total of 105 cats suspected of dermatophytosis with skin lesions were examined. Samples were analysed by direct microscopy using potassium hydroxide (20%) and culture on Mycobiotic agar. Dermatophytes strains were confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and then sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer rDNA region. Also, for pathology and real-time PCR studies, skin biopsies were taken by sterile single-use biopsy punch from active ringworm lesions.
RESULTS
Dermatophytes were found in 41 felines. Based on the sequencing of all strains, Microsporum canis (80.48%, p < 0.05), Microsporum gypseum (17.07%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (2.43%) were the dermatophytes isolated from cultures. Cats under 1 year (78.04%) revealed a statistically significantly higher prevalence of infection (p < 0.05). Gene expression by real-time PCR revealed the increased TLR-2 and 4 mRNA levels in skin biopsies of cats with dermatophytosis.
CONCLUSIONS
M. canis is the most prevalent dermatophyte species isolated from feline dermatophytosis lesions. Increased expression of TLR-2 and TLR-4 mRNAs in cat skin biopsies suggests that these receptors are involved in the immune response by recognizing dermatophytosis.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Toll-Like Receptor 2; Tinea; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; DNA, Ribosomal; Gene Expression; Cat Diseases
PubMed: 36913145
DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1120 -
Archives of Microbiology Mar 2023This study aims to identify and assess the antimicrobial activity of endophytic fungi found in the endemic plant Abies numidica. Among all isolates, the ANT13 isolate...
Anti-multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and anti-dermatophyte activities of secondary metabolites of the endophytic fungus Penicillium brevicompactum ANT13 associated with the Algerian endemic plant Abies numidica.
This study aims to identify and assess the antimicrobial activity of endophytic fungi found in the endemic plant Abies numidica. Among all isolates, the ANT13 isolate demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity in the preliminary screening, particularly Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Candida albicans ATCC 1024, with inhibition zones of 22 and 21.5 mm, respectively. Based on its morphological and molecular features, this isolate was identified as Penicillium brevicompactum. The maximum activity was observed in the ethyl acetate extract, followed by the dichloromethane extract; however, the n-hexane extract exhibited no activity. The ethyl acetate extract demonstrated very significant activity against the five strains of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus used, with average zones of inhibition ranging from 21 to 26 mm, in contrast to more resistant Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 49452 and Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876. The ethyl acetate extract was also very active against dermatophytes, where the zones of inhibition for Candida albicans, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, and Epidermophyton floccosum were 23.5, 31, 43, 47, and 53.5 mm, respectively. The MIC values for dermatophytes ranged between 100 and 3200 µg/mL. The wild isolate of Penicillium brevicompactum ANT13 discovered as an endophyte in Abies numidica may be a distinctive source of novel compounds and drug discovery to trait dermatophytes and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.
Topics: Abies; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus aureus; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Anti-Infective Agents; Staphylococcal Infections; Antifungal Agents
PubMed: 36884139
DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03452-9 -
Medical Mycology Journal 2023Control of infection caused by Microsporum canis in pet animals are important for prevention of zoonosis. Treatments for animal dermatophytosis have generally consisted...
Control of infection caused by Microsporum canis in pet animals are important for prevention of zoonosis. Treatments for animal dermatophytosis have generally consisted of itraconazole (ITZ) and terbinafine (TRF); however, a TRF-resistant M. canis strain from a case of feline dermatophytosis has been reported. In the present study, we examined the in vitro susceptibility of clinical isolates of M. canis to new antifungal drugs, such as ravuconazole (RVZ) and luliconazole (LCZ). The results indicated that RVZ and LCZ are more effective than ITZ and TRF. Therefore, oral administration of RVZ or topical application of LCZ may serve as new treatment options.
Topics: Cats; Animals; Antifungal Agents; Japan; Canidae; Itraconazole; Terbinafine; Tinea
PubMed: 36858629
DOI: 10.3314/mmj.22-00014 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023Most inflammatory dermatophytoses in humans are caused by zoophilic and geophilic dermatophytes. Knowledge of the epidemiology of these fungi in animals facilitates the...
Most inflammatory dermatophytoses in humans are caused by zoophilic and geophilic dermatophytes. Knowledge of the epidemiology of these fungi in animals facilitates the prevention of dermatophytosis of animal origin in humans. We studied the prevalence of dermatophyte species in domestic animals in Switzerland and examined the effectiveness of direct mycological examination (DME) for their detection compared to mycological cultures. In total, 3515 hair and skin samples, collected between 2008 and 2022 by practicing veterinarians, were subjected to direct fluorescence microscopy and fungal culture. Overall, 611 dermatophytes were isolated, of which 547 (89.5%) were from DME-positive samples. Cats and dogs were the main reservoirs of and , whereas was predominantly found in guinea pigs. Cultures with significantly ( < 0.001) outnumbered those with in DME-negative samples (19.3% versus 6.8%), possibly because can be asymptomatic in cats and dogs, unlike , which is always infectious. Our data confirm DME as a reliable, quick, and easy method to identify the presence of dermatophytes in animals. A positive DME in an animal hair or skin sample should alert people in contact with the animal to the risk of contracting dermatophytosis.
PubMed: 36836366
DOI: 10.3390/jof9020253 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023The ability of dermatophytes to develop biofilms is possibly involved in therapeutic failure because biofilms impair drug effectiveness in the infected tissues. Research...
The ability of dermatophytes to develop biofilms is possibly involved in therapeutic failure because biofilms impair drug effectiveness in the infected tissues. Research to find new drugs with antibiofilm activity against dermatophytes is crucial. In this way, riparins, a class of alkaloids that contain an amide group, are promising antifungal compounds. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal and antibiofilm activity of riparin III (RIP3) against , and strains. We used ciclopirox (CPX) as a positive control. The effects of RIP3 on fungal growth were evaluated by the microdilution technique. The quantification of the biofilm biomass in vitro was assessed by crystal violet, and the biofilm viability was assessed by quantifying the CFU number. The ex vivo model was performed on human nail fragments, which were evaluated by visualization under light microscopy and by quantifying the CFU number (viability). Finally, we evaluated whether RIP3 inhibits sulfite production in . RIP3 inhibited the growth of and from 128 mg/L and from 256 mg/L. The results showed that RIP3 is a fungicide. Regarding antibiofilm activity, RIP3 inhibited biofilm formation and viability in vitro and ex vivo. Moreover, RIP3 inhibited the secretion of sulfite significantly and was more potent than CPX. In conclusion, the results indicate that RIP3 is a promising antifungal agent against biofilms of dermatophytes and might inhibit sulfite secretion, one relevant virulence factor.
PubMed: 36836345
DOI: 10.3390/jof9020231