Dematophytes

The classical dermatophytes diagnosis is based on mycological culture and microscopy observation both human and animal hair, skin and nail samples. The aim of this work was to develop the new in-house real-time PCR with pan-dematophyte reaction for detection and identification of the main dermatophytes directly from hair samples, providing a simple and rapid diagnosis of dermatophytosis in dogs and cats. An in house SYBR-Green real-time PCR was designed and used for detecting a DNA fragment encoding chitin synthase 1 (CHS1)...

Fungal infections are quite common in day-to-day practice. The available conventional treatments include various topical and systemic anti-pruritic and anti-fungal agents which are associated with high rates of treatment failure and adverse effects. Fungal infections manifest a great challenge to clinicians due to higher rate of recurrences and if not treated early, can lead to the development of more extensive diseases. In Ayurveda, this condition has resemblance with Dadru kustha. The characteristics of Dadrukustha are circumscribed erythematous, scaly plaques due to dematophytes infection...

OBJECTIVE: Syzygium australe (H.L. Wnddl. ex. Link) B. Hyland, Syzygium luehmannii (F. Muell.) L.A.S. Johnson, Syzygium jambos L. (Alston), Terminalia ferdinandiana Exell. and Tasmannia lanceolata (Poir.) A.C.Sm. are used in traditional Australian Aboriginal and Asian healing systems to treat a variety of pathogenic diseases including fungal skin infections, yet they are yet to be examined for the ability to inhibit the growth of human dermatophytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The fungal growth inhibitory activity of extracts produced from selected Australian and Asian plants was assessed against a panel of human dermatophytes by standard disc diffusion and liquid dilution MIC methods...

The mating type (-)-specific gene of the alpha-box and the mating type (+)-specific gene of the high-mobility group (HMG) DNA-binding domain were confirmed in zoophilic dematophytes of Arthroderma simii and A. vanbreuseghemii. The sequence of the alpha-box gene was 1,375 bp, containing 2 exons (from 172 to 463 bp and from 513 to 1,375 bp) in the A. simii (-) mating type strain and 1,380 bp, containing 2 exons (from 177 to 468 bp and from 518 to 1,380 bp) in the A. vanbreuseghemii (-) mating type strain. The sequence of the HMG gene was 1,871 bp, containing 2 exons (from 181 to 362 bp and from 426 to 1,440 bp, coding a protein of 398 amino acids) in the A...

Here we present a modified protocol for dematophyte diagnosis, utilizing a simple centrifugation step to significantly decrease false-negative results of the original KOH direct microscopy-based technique. Although culture constitutes the gold-standard diagnosis, the time spent for results is a limit. Fast and low-cost techniques are important for infection screening in underdeveloped countries.

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of nails caused by dermatophytes, yeasts and molds. AIMS: To study the efficacy and safety of oral terbinafine pulse as a monotherapy and in combination with topical ciclopirox olamine 8% or topical amorolfine hydrochloride 5% in onychomycosis. METHODS: A clinical comparative study was undertaken on 96 Patients of onychomycosis during the period between August 2005 to July 2006. Forty-eight patients were randomly assigned in group A to receive oral terbinafine 250 mg, one tablet twice daily for seven days every month (pulse therapy); 24 patients in group B to receive oral terbinafine pulse therapy plus topical ciclopirox olamine 8% to be applied once daily at night on all affected nails; and 24 patients in group C to receive oral terbinafine pulse therapy plus topical amorolfine hydrochloride 5% to be applied once weekly at night on all the affected nails...

The allylamine derivatives are a new class of synthetic antifungal agents. The antidermatophytic activity of the two main compounds, naftifine and terbinafine were compared in vitro with those of ketoconazole and itraconazole by agar dilution. Eighty eight clinical isolates of dematophytes comprising of Microsporum canis (50), M. audouinii (5), Trichophyton rubrum (6) T. mentagrophytes (5), T. violaceum (12), T. simii (5), T. verrucosum (1), T. soudanense (1), T. erinacie (1) and Epidermophyton floccosum (2) were tested...

Hairsamples of domestic and laboratory animals suspected of dermatophytosis were examined for the presence of dermatophytes. A nutritionally poor base-medium developed by the author was successfully used in the isolation and identification of dermatophytes. Casein-medium supplemented with vitamins and Sabouraud-liquid medium were used in special cases. Dermatophytes were isolated in 36 of 331 samples (10.9%). The dermatophytes recovered were Microsporum canis: 13 isolates from cat. 4 from dog. 1 from horse; Trichophyton mentagrophytes var...

The effect of PUVA therapy upon 12 dermatophyte strains, 3 of Candida albicans, and 4 of mould fungi was evaluated by the agar dilution method on Sabouraud agar. 8-MOP, 30 microgram/ml medium plus UVA, 4 Joule/cm2 proved to be fungicidal dose to all the strains studied, with the exception of three of the mould fungi. For dematophytes and Candida albicans the MIC was between 1 and 3 microgram, 8-MOP plus UVA, 4 J; and 3 microgram when the UVA dose was reduced to 1--2 J. For mould fungi it was higher. The MFC varied within the range 2 to 30 microgram, when the UVA dose was fixed at 4 J...

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The factor present in normal human serum which inhibits growth of dematophytic fungi is characterized and identified. Serum inhibitory factor (SIF) is nondialyzable, heat stable at 56 degrees C. for 4 hours, and fungistatic. SIF was found to be an inhibitor of the dermatophyte genera Trichophyton, Microsporium, and Epidermophyton as well as the dimorphic yeast Candida albicans. SIF activity directly correlated with a serum's unbound iron-binding capacity (UIBC) in that lower UIBC'S were less inhibitory. Addition of iron to serum neutralized the inhibitory activity and this neutrilization was shown to be specific for iron since zinc, magnesium, managnese, and copper failed to alter serum inhibitory activity...

Mycotic zoonoses sensu stricto and mycotic infections acquired from animal polluted environment belong to diseases characterized by the phenomenon of natural focality. On a global scale they comprise 16 different diseases caused by yeast-like organisms, dematophytes, dimorphous agents of systemic mycoses and primarily saprophytic fungi as well. Prevalence of mentioned diseases is influenced by a number of factors concerning not only biology and ecology of pathogenic agents and particular hosts, but also character of specific extra-animal substrates which make possible long-term maintenance or active propagation of agents in the environment...

Dematophytes invade hosts when their state is suitable for the production of their pathogenicity. When the host's resistance is reduced, the prevalence of dermatophytoses can be extremely high or the symptomatology can be very unusual. It is suspected that the 'maladie dermatophytique' and pherhaps dermatophytic mycetoma develop in such situations. The fact is that the behaviour of dermatophytes does not differ from that of the so-called opportunistic fungi and in some cases it is possible to speak of dermatophytic asthenomycosis...