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K Tintelnot

Publications and source records attributed to K Tintelnot.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Phagocytosis, oxidative burst, and killing of Candida dubliniensis and Candida albicans by human neutrophils.

Candida dubliniensis is a phylogenetically closely related species to Candida albicans. So far virtually nothing is known about the virulence factors of C. dubliniensis. Cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) plays a critical role in adhesion of microorganisms to phagocytic cells; hydrophobic cells of C. albicans have been reported to be less sensitive to phagocytic killing than hydrophilic cells. C. dubliniensis displays CSH at 37 degrees C in contrast to C. albicans. To elucidate this issue, we determined levels of phagocytosis, oxidative burst and killing by human neutrophils of C. dubliniensis (n=10) compared to C. albicans (n=10) both cultured at 37 degrees C. Obtained test results revealed no statistically significant differences between these two yeast species for the level of phagocytosis (77.3 vs. 76.2% after 60 min), evoked oxidative burst (64.5 vs. 67.3% after 30 min) and killing (72.7 vs. 73.1% after 240 min). Therefore, human neutrophils can be considered to be equally efficient against these two yeast species.

Candida↗

Case reports. Disseminated cryptococcoses without cryptococcal antigen detection.

During the last decade cryptococcoses were most frequently diagnosed in AIDS patients, where serologically high amounts of glucoronoxylomannan (GXM) were detectable. Disseminated cryptococcoses without cryptococcal antigen detection is unusual. Between August and October 1998 disseminated cryptococcoses were diagnosed in three patients consecutively although cryptococcal antigen was not detectable. Only one of the patients was HIV infected.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Evaluation of phenotypic markers for selection and identification of Candida dubliniensis.

Candida dubliniensis is often associated with C. albicans in cultures. Easy-to-perform selective isolation procedures for these closely related species do not exist. Therefore, we evaluated previously described discriminatory phenotypic markers for C. dubliniensis. A total of 150 oral rinses from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients were cultured on CHROMagar Candida. Dark green colonies described as being indicative of C. dubliniensis and other green colonies, 170 in total, were isolated. Chlamydospore formation, intracellular beta-D-glucosidase activity, ability to grow at 42 degrees C, carbohydrate assimilation pattern obtained by the API ID 32C, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used for phenotypic characterization. Sequencing of the 5' end of the nuclear large-subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA gene was used for definitive species identification for C. dubliniensis. C. dubliniensis was found in 34% of yeast-colonized HIV-infected patients. The color of the colonies on CHROMagar Candida proved to be insufficient for selecting C. dubliniensis, since only 30 of 53 proven C. dubliniensis isolates showed a dark green color in primary cultures. The described typical chlamydospore formation can give only some indication of C. dubliniensis. The assimilation pattern proved to be insufficient to discriminate C. dubliniensis from C. albicans. All C. dubliniensis strains showed no or highly restricted growth at 42 degrees C and a lack of beta-D-glucosidase activity. Unfortunately, atypical C. albicans strains can also exhibit these phenotypic traits. FT-IR spectroscopy combined with hierarchical clustering proved to be as reliable as genotyping for discriminating the two species.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Cytotoxicity of triterpenoid saponins. Part 2: Relationships between the structures of glycosides of polygalacic acid and their activities against pathogenic Candida species.

Glycosides of polygalacic acid (2 beta,3 beta,16 alpha,23-tetrahydroxy-olean-12-ene-28-oic acid) is isolated from the aerial parts of Solidago virgaurea L. subsp. virgaurea, Heteropappus altaicus (Willd.) Novopokr. and Heteropappus biennis (Ldb.) Tamamsch. or produced by degradation of these genuine saponins were tested against humanpathogenic strains of Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei and C. tropicalis using a micro-dilution assay. The antifungal action can be influenced the variation of the etherglycosidically bonded carbohydrate units at C-3 as well as of the acylglycosidically bonded oligosaccharide at C-28 of the aglycone.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

PCR-based identification of clinically relevant Pseudallescheria/Scedosporium strains.

Pseudallescheria boydii (anamorph: Scedosporium apiospermum) and S. prolificans can cause severe infections in both the immunocompromized host and accidentally injured people. A species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enabling detection and discrimination of these fungi has not been available to date. In view of the difficult treatment especially of S. prolificans infections, a PCR-based detection system has been developed. Based on results of partial sequencing of ribosomal DNA, Scedosporium DNA could be amplified, either at the genus or at the species level. Hybridization probes for the identification of the PCR-products were established.

Base Sequence↗

[Therapy of infections caused by dematiaceous fungi].

Since dematiaceous fungi belong to the group of rare infectious agents causing mycoses, therapeutic recommendations are mainly deduced from observations of single cases. In cases of eumycetoma or focal phaeohyphomycoses of the central nervous system (e.g. caused by Cladophialophora bantiana or Exophiala dermatitidis) and in certain cases of chromoblastomycoses, the resection in toto is the therapy of choice, which may be accompanied by antimycotic medication. As antimycotic therapy ex juvantibus in case of phaeohy-phomycoses, a simultaneous application of itraconazole and 5-fluorocytosine is presently most promising. The success depends on an adequate duration of therapy.

Antifungal Agents↗

Chronic basidiomycetous endophthalmitis after extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation.

BACKGROUND: Basidiomycetes are known as rare pathogens for meningitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, ulcerative lesions of the hard palate and onychomycosis. To our knowledge, no filamentous basidiomycete has been reported from a case of fungal endophthalmitis. PATIENT: We report on a 67-year-old man with delayed-onset endophthalmitis caused by an opportunistic basidiomycete. Tissue obtained during vitrectomy was cultured and examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. After enucleation the eye was examined by light microscopy. CONCLUSION: The patient had endophthalmitis from a sterile hyphomycete, harboured in remnants of lens capsule and a granuloma on the ciliary body. It was recognized as a Holobasidiomycete on the basis of its dolipore structure with perforated pore cap, seen with transmission electron microscopy. Species identification was not possible because fruiting bodies were absent. The patient failed to respond to intravitreal and systemic amphotericin B and systemic itraconazole. The eye was enucleated. This case demonstrates that filamentous basidiomycetes can cause endophthalmitis when inoculated during cataract extraction.

Aged↗

[Controversies in the standardization of susceptibility testing on yeasts to azole antimycotics].

Due to the different physical-chemical conditions of the therapeutical azoles it is necessary to choose an adequate testing procedure. In the group of azoles caused by its hydrophilia fluconazole susceptibility testing can be handled easily. However it is not possible to take the same test conditions for itraconazole as for fluconazole due to the extreme high hydrophobicity of itraconazole. The current recommendations of NCCLS should be considering these problems. Therefore it is necessary to standardize susceptibility testing for all azoles possible.

Antifungal Agents↗

[Long-term treatment of patients with itraconazole for the prevention of Aspergillus infections in patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD)].

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) represents an innate immunodeficiency: the reduced production of oxygen radicals in phagocytosing cells results in decreased ability to kill pathogenic microorganisms. The patients concerned suffer from severe recurrent infections due to bacteria and fungi. Prophylactic administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, as usual in CGD-patients, has markedly reduced the incidence of bacterial infections. Now as before, however, there is a high risk to become affected by invasive fungal infections, mainly due to Aspergillus spp. which often are lethal. Therefore, a well-compatible antimycotic long-term prophylaxis effective against Aspergillus would be attractive. In the present study the compatibility of the oral triazole itraconazole was tested in 8 CGD-patients with high risk of Aspergillus infections. Itraconazole was administered in capsules with a dosage of 5.1 mg/kg body weight per day on an average for a mean range of 23 months. Periodically liver enzymes, renal retention and electrolytes were assessed as well as itraconazole serum levels. Aspergillus serology tests included complement fixation tests, IgG-ELISA, precipitation tests, IgE determination and Aspergillus-RAST. During the prophylactic treatment in all of the 8 patients no gastrointestinal side effects or hypersensitivity reactions were observed. Renal retention and serum electrolytes as well as liver enzyme values were in normal ranges with all patients. Itraconazole serum levels showed a marked intra- and interindividual variability. However, 82% of the peak levels were in ranges regarded as therapeutically effective for itraconazole. Under prophylaxis a clear decrease of Aspergillus IgG-ELISA values was observed in 5 of 7 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

[Detection of Exophiala dermatitidis (Kano) De Hoog 1977 in septicemia of a child with acute lymphatic leukemia and in patients with cystic fibrosis].

In 1992 black yeasts of the species Exophiala dermatitidis were isolated for the first time from patients at the University Clinics in Dresden. Since that time this relatively rarely detected fungus has been frequently cultivated from clinical specimens. Our observations were: Patient with acute lymphatic leukaemia: In a 3 1/2 years old boy E. dermatitidis was isolated from 8 blood cultures during a septicaemic phase. Elimination of the fungus and decreasing of the fever were reached after removing a central venous catheter and treatment with amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine for 3 weeks. In this patient E. dermatitidis was assessed to be the cause of the septicaemia setting in via catheter. Patients with cystic fibrosis: In 8 of 51 mycologically surveyed patients E. dermatitidis was frequently - in 2 cases for a long time up to 7 months - isolated from sputum specimens. The occurrence of this fungus was considered to be a colonization with subclinical development. In these patients no fungal invasion or systemic mycosis were seen. The administration of itraconazole for 4 respectively 7 months did not succeed in eliminating E. dermatitidis out of the respiratory tract. It is recommended to include mycological longtime cultures in the surveillance of cystic fibrosis patients for detection of E. dermatitidis.

Adolescent↗

[Taenia crassiceps infection in AIDS].

A 33-year-old patient with AIDS, and a history of episodes of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and cerebral toxoplasmosis, developed a subcutaneous paravertebral infiltrate, which at first resembled a haematoma. Over a period of several weeks, the lesion spread to cover almost the entire back. Initially, numerous investigations failed to reveal the aetiology. His general condition worsened progressively, and intermittent bleeding into the soft tissue of the back occurred, requiring transfusion. This was associated with the development of an isolated deficiency of clotting factor V and a fall in Quick values to 10%. On the 22nd day after admission, the infiltrate ruptured spontaneously, releasing blood and a large number of whitish spherical masses 2-3 mm in diameter. These were identified as Cysticerci longicolles, the larval form of Taenia crassiceps, a tapeworm occurring in Canidae. The blood clotting values returned to normal within two days of incision of the infiltrate and commencement of therapy with mebendazole (6 g/day) and praziquantel (3.6 g/day). The infiltrate subsequently regressed almost completely. After combination treatment for 2 weeks, treatment was continued with praziquantel alone, which, however, the patient stopped himself after 10 weeks. A recurrence at the same site 4 months later was successfully treated with a further course of mebendazole and praziquantel.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[Rapidity versus reliability: a critical analysis of the rapid diagnosis of mycobacterial infections with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)].

In this contribution we analyzed the reliability and the diagnostic value of the results obtained by direct amplification of mycobacterial DNA from patient specimens. Presently, the PCR-method is not as sensitive as recommended culture techniques. In cases of low concentration of mycobacteria in specimens (microscopic negative!) false-negative PCR-results are not rare.

DNA, Bacterial↗

[Little known mycoses caused by dematiaceous opportunists].

The mycoses caused by melanized hyphomycetes are reviewed. Agents of superficial, (sub)cutaneous, paranasal, and systemic mycoses are listed, putting the emphasis on species isolated in Germany. Adaptations to survive in extreme environments may be considered as virulence factors of these fungi. Survival inside human tissue is more or less successful depending on the immune status of the host. Several neurotropic fungi are possibly real pathogens in that they are capable of invading immunocompetent individuals.

Brain Diseases↗

[Interpretation of clinical and serologic findings--1 1/2 years after a long-term coccidioidomycosis].

A 46-year-old soldier of the German airforce stayed in Texas/USA for 6 months. Without clinical complaints the patient revealed nodular lung infiltration and a cavern on a routine-chest-X-ray examination after his return. Serological, cytological, and histological examinations excluded a sarcoidosis, tuberculosis of the lungs and a neoplasm. The finding of precipitating antibodies and a positive skin reaction against coccidioidin led to the diagnosis of a primary pulmonary, spontaneously healed coccidioidomycosis, which did not need any antimycotic therapy.

Coccidioides↗

Rhizopus oligosporus as a cause of mucormycosis in man.

After a fracture of the spinal column a 49-year-old male developed a mucormycosis due to Rhizopus oligosporus. This appears to be the first report of a disease caused by this thermotolerant Rhizopus species in a human being.

Cervical Vertebrae↗

[Effect of Propionibacterium granulosum KP-45 on the resistance to Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium infections].

Killed bacterial cells of Propionibacterium granulosum KP-45 were found to be potent modifiers of non-specific resistance of mice against infection with either Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella typhimurium. Injection of P. granulosum 7 days prior to infection resulted in marked splenomegaly. Disseminated acute inflammatory foci were found histologically in the liver. These mice were apparently less susceptible to infection, since definitely lower bacterial counts were determined. Simultaneous application of both P. granulosum KP-45 and L. monocytogenes resulted, however, in increased susceptibility of mice to infection, since definitely higher bacterial counts were found and the inflammatory reaction to infection was markedly enhanced.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗