Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Riviera.
The in vitro antifungal properties of the antibiotic siccanin were determined by the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values against 51 fungal strains (yeasts and filamentous fungi). The comparison was made with econazole, clotrimazole, 5-fluorocytosine and griseofulvin. The results show the useful antidermatophytic activity of siccanin.
The antifungal activity of the protiofate, a molecule derived from thiophene, was determined in vitro. For the testing, we determined the MIC values of 63 fungal strains (27 yeasts, 36 filamentous fungi, 14 of which were dermatophytes) at different pH values and different inoculum sizes. The comparison was made with econazole and clotrimazole. The results indicate that protiofate has good inhibitory activity vs yeasts at pH 7 and that it is active on filamentous fungi at pH 6.5 and 7.
From clinical specimens (urine, pharyngeal and vaginal exudates, sputum and skin) 46 yeasts have been identified. The cultures have been divided into 3 groups, according to their morphological characters: unicellular, yeasts having hyphae, pseudohyphae, blastospores and yeasts producing also arthrospores. Tests for fermentation and assimilation of carbohydrates have been employed for S.cerevisiae, T.cutaneum and T.glabrata. By the agglutination tests with monospecific antisera, 40 strains of Candida spp. and T.glabrata are identified; this method was able to differentiate 2 C.stellatoidea from C.albicans group B and 4 C.tropicalis from C.albicans group A. The immunologic method proved highly valuable and practical.
The therapeutic activity of two new benzofuran-imidazoles, IM/B/4-62 and IM/B/4-66, formulated as 1% cream, has been evaluated against Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes by inducing experimental vaginal candidosis in female rats and dermatophytosis in female guinea pigs. Results of the treatment were compared with those obtained by the same therapeutic regimen carried out with bifonazole. IM/B/4-66 proved to possess superior antimycotic activity to that of IM/B/4-62 and similar to that of bifonazole in both infections. Nmaley vaginal candidosis was cured in all the treated in animals at 6 days post-inoculation and skin lesions were healed in 9 of 10 animals at 15 days after infection, with negative cultures from all the infected sites.
Extracerebral and cerebral pathology in AIDS (with particular emphasis on the opportunistic infections). The Authors present the extracerebral pathology of 27 cases of AIDS observed at the Department of Pathology of Milan and the cerebral pathology of 80 cases of AIDS collected by three Institutes (Department of Pathology of Milan, Department of Pathology of Rimini and Department of Neuropathology of Münster) with particular emphasis on the pathology of the opportunistic infections. In the adults' group, the most frequent infections are the protozoan ones (T. gondii) followed with equal incidence by the viral and fungal diseases. In the pediatric group the viral diseases are the most frequently seen. Almost all of the adults show multiple infections in the same organ or in different organs. Diffuse lesions with heavy pathologic fields were observed also without tissue reaction. As to cerebral pathology AIDS' patients with opportunistic infections show focal symptoms, whereas the so called "subacute microglial encephalitis" generally appears as a demential syndrome. In cases with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy JC virus was always found and in one case also SV 40 - and BK virus. The diffuse demyelinization in some cases of HIV-Encephalopathy is aspecific. In HIV-positive newborns with cerebral signs, the lesions are characterized by oedema, spongiosis and microcalcifications of the basal ganglia; these are aspecific lesions which can be found in toxic and infectious encephalopathies.
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The authors describe a case of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis with lethal outcome within five weeks from surgical resection. The lesion consisted of a multilocular abscess in the left parietal lobe. The histopathologic findings showed a granulomatous reaction surrounding the abscess cavities. The causative fungus was clearly visible because of its brown-pigmented, septate, branched hyphae and spherical thick-walled cells, sometimes inside the multinucleated giant cells. Although no cultures were obtained from the exsudate, the possible diagnosis of cerebral cladosporiosis is discussed.
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The Author briefly sums up the morphological featues of the pathogenic fungi which may be present in sputum and bronchoaspirates. Furthermore the opportunity of a histological test for every types of pathological material is pointed out.
Bone marrow cryptococcosis as initial sign of AIDS. The Authors describe a case of bone marrow cryptococcosis in a patient, female aged 27, in which a toluene-induced aplastic anemia was suspected. The mycosis was at first extracerebral and represented the initial manifestation of unexpected AIDS. The Authors discute the symptomatology and the clinical findings leading to the diagnosis and remark the main point of bone marrow evaluation as aid in diagnosing the infective pathology.
BACKGROUND: Oro-pharyngeal candidosis is a frequently initial clinical manifestation of HIV infection and the adhesive properties of Candida spp. represent a very important pathogenicity factor. METHODS: In this study the adhesivity rate of Candida albicans to the oral epithelial cells of 33 HIV-positive patients and 12 healthy volunteers, have been assessed before and after the exposure of blastospores to inhibitory concentrations of fluconazole, in relation to 11 morphotypes obtained from 13 C. albicans strains. RESULTS: Results can be summarized as follows: 1) the number of blastospores adhering to the HIV-positive donor' cells is higher than that of blastospores adhering to the healthy donors' cells (rate is 2.7:1); 2) blastospores from strains producing rough or very coarse fringes show adhesive properties higher than those of strains with different morphology; 3) in the group of HIV-positive patients the adhesivity inhibition of blastospores from strains producing rough or very coarse fringes was higher (38.3%) than that of strains with different morphology (33.8%); 4) overall, adhesivity inhibition due to exposure to fluconazole is higher for epithelial cells from healthy donors. CONCLUSIONS: These results can suggest the validity of an antimycotic pretreatment of persons at risk of oro-pharyngeal candidiasis.