The effect of limited exposure to antifungal agents on the germ tube formation of oral Candida albicans

Candidal adherence has been implicated as the first step in the pathogenesis of oral candidosis, and germ tube formation by Candida albicans has been attributed as a co-factor that promotes adherence. Oral candidosis is treated with polyenes and the azole group of antifungal agents. As the intraoral concentrations of antifungals fluctuate considerably due to the dynamics of the oral cavity, we investigated the effect of short exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of antifungals on the germ tube formation of Candida albicans. After determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the antifungal agents, ten oral isolates of Candida albicans were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of nystatin (6xMIC), amphotericin B (8xMIC), 5-fluorocytosine (8xMIC), ketoconazole (4xMIC) and fluconazole (4xMIC), for 1 h. Following removal of the antifungal agent and subsequent incubation in a germ tube-inducing medium, the germ tube formation of these isolates was quantified. When compared with the controls, exposure to nystatin and amphotericin B almost completely inhibited germ tube formation of all the isolates (mean percentage reduction of 97.68 and 97.52%, respectively; P <0.0001), while ketoconazole suppressed this activity to a lesser degree (30.84%; P =0.0174). However, 5-fluorocytosine- and fluconazole-mediated germ tube suppression was minimal (12.63 and 15.93%, respectively; P =0.3255 and P =0.3791). In clinical terms, these findings indicate that short exposure to sub-therapeutic levels of commonly prescribed antifungals may modulate candidal germ tube formation, and thereby the clearance of the organisms from the oral cavity.     

Australian Dental Research Fund Trebitsch Scholarship* Efficacy of antifungal prophylaxis in bone marrow transplantation

Oral candidal infection is a common problem in bone marrow transplantation. This prospective study compared the effectiveness of antifungal prophylaxis with topical antifungals (nystatin and amphotericin B suspensions) versus oral fluconazole in 196 patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation. Oral candidosis occurred frequently in the group receiving topical antifungals (61/113, 54%), but was rare in the group receiving fluconazole (6/83, 7%). The difference in efficacy between the two groups was highly significant (p<0.00001). There was no difference in the incidence of suspected systemic fungal infection between the two groups. While nausea was a problem with antifungal suspensions, no significant adverse reactions to fluconazole occurred. Because of greater efficacy in preventing oral candidosis and better patient tolerance, oral fluconazole is preferred to antifungal suspensions for prophylactic use in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation.     

HIV感染患者口腔念珠菌的培养鉴定

目的 :比较科玛嘉念珠菌显色培养基 (Chromagar)和API 2 0CAUX酵母菌系统 (API 2 0C)在人体免疫缺陷病毒 (HIV )感染者口腔念珠菌鉴别中的优缺点。方法 :6株念珠菌标准菌株和 17例HIV感染合并口腔念珠菌病患者舌背白色刮取物 ,分别接种于沙氏培养基和Chromagar ,3 7℃ 48h后取沙氏培养基上生长物作API 2 0C鉴定。结果 :API 2 0C、Chromagar在鉴定白色念珠菌上无显著性差异 ,API 2 0C鉴定非白色念珠菌准确率高于Chromagar ,但Chromagar可鉴别混合菌种感染。 结论 :在HIV感染患者口腔念珠菌分型初筛可用Chromagar ,做准确分型时需用API 2 0C鉴定 ,两种方法互有裨益。     

In vitro susceptibility of Candida albicans isolates from apical and marginal periodontitis to common antifungal agents

The susceptibility of a total of 70 Candida albicans strains to five common antifungal agents was determined. Thirty-five of the strains were isolated from persistent cases of apical periodontitis and 35 from cases of marginal periodontitis. The susceptibility of the strains to amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine and three azoles: fluconazole, miconazole and clotrimazole, was tested. The antifungal agents and yeast inoculums were prepared according to the NCCLS (National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards) recommendations. The yeasts were incubated with ten different concentrations of antifungal agents at 35 degrees C for 48 h. Yeast growth was measured spectrophotometrically. All strains from both isolation sources were susceptible to low concentrations of amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine, whereas the susceptibility to the three azoles varied, and three of the strains showed azole cross-resistance. These findings are in agreement with recent reports of increased azole resistance in Candida species in general and suggest the possibility that the oral cavity may act as a reservoir of resistant yeast isolates in systemic infections.     

Heterogeneity in antifungal susceptibility of clones of Candida albicans isolated on single and sequential visits from a HIV-infected southern Chinese cohort

The increased frequency and severity of candidal infections in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals has prompted the wide use of antifungals, such as amphotericin B, ketoconazole, and fluconazole, resulting in the emergence of drug-resistant strains of Candida albicans. To study this phenomenon in an ethnic Chinese cohort, we isolated multiple colonies of Candida from the oral cavities of 16 HIV-infected patients on single and subsequent sequential visits over a period of 12 months. Ten of the 16 patients had sporadic episodes of oropharyngeal candidiasis (Group A), while the remainder were asymptomatic with respect to this condition (Group B). Oral rinses were collected and immediately processed in the laboratory for the isolation of C. albicans in a standard manner. A total of 433 C. albicans isolates were tested for their susceptibility to amphotericin B, ketoconazole and fluconazole by an agar diffusion method using the commercially available E-test. All tested isolates demonstrated variable susceptibility to amphotericin B, ketoconazole and fluconazole. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the isolates for amphotericin B, ketoconazole and fluconazole ranged from <0.002-1.5 microg/ml, <0.002-4.0 microg/ml and <0.016-32 microg/ml, respectively. Sequential isolates of a few patients demonstrated variable susceptibility to all the antifungals, and no discernible MIC pattern emerged either in group A or B over time. Interestingly, significant variation in antifungal susceptibility was also noted in isolates obtained from the same patient on a single visit. Sequential yeast isolates in 9 of 16 patients (56%) demonstrated significant differences in MIC within and between visits for both amphotericin B and ketoconazole, while a lower percentage--44%(7/16)--exhibited this trait for fluconazole. Our study demonstrates the diversity in antifungal susceptibility in either commensal or "infective" oral strains of C. albicans in HIV disease, and shows the need for vigilance for the emergence of resistant strains, and for frequent antifungal susceptibility studies.     

Oral health in 4-year-old Swedish children

ABSTRACT The present study was carried out to investigate the oral status of a group of 4-year-old children who had already been investigated as 3-year-olds 1 year previously. The children were examined for caries, gingivitis, extrinsic stains, supragingival calculus, signs of traumatic injury, occlusion, interdental spacing, and lactobacilli and C. albicans in plaque samples. The parents were interviewed regarding toothbrushing habits, fluoride prophylaxis, and oral habits in the children. The investigation was performed in association with a general physical examination of the children. Caries was demonstrated in 67 % of the children. The mean Gingival Index was 0.52. Lactobacilli in plaque were detected in 34 % of the children and C. albicans in 18 %. The children in whom lactobacilli were demonstrated had significantly more decayed surfaces than the other children. Various sucking habits were noted in 42 % and nocturnal grinding of the teeth in 28%. Most of the parents had received dental advice at the Child Health Centers, and 41 % had given their children fluoride tablets regularly for at least 2 years.     

改进Trizol法提取白色念珠菌总RNA初探

目的:比较Trizol法、改进Trizol法和超声粉碎法提取白色念珠菌总RNA产量、纯度和完整性的差异。方法:对生长至静止期的白色念珠菌标准株ATCC10231分别采用Trizol法、改进Trizol法和超声粉碎法提取总RNA,用紫外分光光度计测量其A260,A280的值,并进行琼脂糖凝胶电泳,对总RNA的产量、纯度和完整性进行比较。结果:三种方法提取白色念珠菌总RNA产量分别为1.904μg、7.208μg和5.000μg,A260/A280比值分别为1.896、1.415和1.612。电泳结果显示改进Trizol法提取的总RNA呈现28 s rRNA,18 s rRNA和5 s rRNA三条清晰的条带,而Trizol法和超声粉碎法提取的总RNA均有降解。结论:改进Trizol法提取的白色念珠菌总RNA产量及纯度均高于Trizol法和超声粉碎法,且完整性更好。该法优于Trizol法和超声粉碎法。     

白假丝酵母菌对人脐静脉内皮细胞株ECV304细胞增殖的诱导作用

目的 研究白假丝酵母菌(S.albicans)对人脐静脉内皮细胞株ECV304细胞增殖及细胞周期的影响.方法 体外培养ECV304,实验分为S.albicans上清液组、S.albicans灭活菌液组、上清液和灭活菌液混合组、对照组.采用MTT法、细胞计数法、倒置显微镜及流式细胞术分别观察各组对ECV304细胞增殖及细...     

Hydrophobicity of graphene as a driving force for inhibiting biofilm formation of pathogenic bacteria and fungi

Objective

To evaluate the surface and wettability characteristics and the microbial biofilm interaction of graphene coating on titanium.

口腔链球菌对白假丝酵母菌的拮抗作用

目的 观测3种口腔链球菌对白假丝酵母菌的生长有无抑制作用.方法 采用直接点种法、反点种菌落计数法和液体共培养法观测口腔变异链球菌、血链球菌、唾液链球菌对白假丝酵母菌的拮抗作用.结果 1)直接点种法中各组均未观察到清晰的抑菌圈;2)唾液链球菌软琼脂上的白假丝酵母菌菌落数较对照组减少(P<0.05);3)活菌与白假丝酵母菌...