Bacterial-fungal associations in the intestine under the conditions of colonization by yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida

The composition of the fecal microflora in somatic patients and patients with enteric infections under the conditions of surpluscolonization by yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida was analyzed. The study revealed that the high level of fungal contamination was linked with decreased colonization resistance of the intestine (deficiency in bifidoflora) and with the presence of opportunistic microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic and lactose-negative Escherichia coli, as well as nonfermenting Gram negative bacteria. The antilysozyme activity of enterobacteria was found to increase in the course of their joint cultivation with fungi of the genus Candida, that may be regarded as one of the mechanisms of the formation and maintenance of pathobiocenosis.     

In vitro bactericidal action of a complex of natural cytokins on Streptococcus pyogenes

The data on the antimicrobial in vitro action of a complex of natural cytokins (CNC)--the substance and the preparation "Superlymph"--on virulent museum and clinical macrolid-resistant group A beta-hemolytic streptococci, are presented. CNC suppressed the growth of museum test culture of streptococci in the concentration dependent manner. Moreover, the preparation "Superlymph" proved to be an effective antistreptococcal remedy in its action on erythromycin-resistant group A streptococcal (GAS) strains. The substance of the preparation induced the lysis of GAS cells, grown on lawn plates and in the system of spectrophotometric analysis. The effect thus established could be caused by cationic antimicrobial peptides (protegrins), contained in "Superlymph".     

Comparative evaluation of efficiency of various immunologic reactions with Candida antigens in detecting immediate hypersensitivity

In the dynamic survey of 577 persons having had contacts with yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida the effectiveness of tests for the diagnosis of mycogenic sensitization was made with the use of a number of immunological methods. The basophil degranulation test was shown to have higher sensitivity and specificity in the detection of hypersensitivity to microbial strains used in the production processes of microbiological synthesis, while the use of polysaccharide antigens is more expedient in immunological reactions, such as the precipitation test with the finished product obtained by these processes and with C. albicans. Some prevalence of the level of sensitization in the presence of Candida carriership was established in persons having had contacts with these fungi.     

Drug sensitivity of Candida in patients with kidney diseases receiving immunosuppressive therapy

It was shown that prednisolone and its combination with azathioprine++ increased contamination of the patients with yeast-like fungi and promoted development of candidiasis in them to a greater extent than cyclophosphamide. In the patients treated with the immunodepressants there was observed a carrier state in regard to various yeast-like fungi: 12 species belonging to 6 genera were isolated from the pathological materials. Determination of sensitivity to antifungal drugs in 200 Candida strains revealed that amphotericin B was the most active agent. Then followed mycoheptin, nystatin and nitroxolin. Levorin was the least active drug. The MICs of the drugs for the majority of the cultures were 0.5, 4-8, 8-16 and 32-64 micrograms/ml respectively. Candida resistant strains (mainly to levorin and mycoheptin) were isolated only from recipients of kidney transplants during the early postoperative period when the patients were subjected to intensive immunodepressive and prophylactic antifungal therapy. Among the fungi of the Candida genus C. guillermondii and C. parapsilosis proved to be the most resistant. Under the hospital conditions and in vitro studies it was found that cyclophosphamide and combinations of prednisolone with cytostatics increased resistance of Candida to the antifungal drugs. Rapid increasing of the fungi resistance to levorin and mycoheptin was observed. The increase in the resistance to amphotericin B was somewhat lower and that to nitroxolin and nystatin was extremely low. The study of the combined effect of the immunodepressants and antifungal drugs demonstrated that the immunodepressants increased the antifungal activity of amphotericin B, levorin and nitroxolin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Reactivity of human lymphocytes to yeast-like and mold fungi

The capacity of the allergens of mold fungi (Rhizopus nigricans, Mucor pusillus, Alternaria tenuis, Cladosporum herbarum, Fusarium oxysporum) and yeast-like fungi (Candida albicans) to induce the production of lymphokins by human lymphocytes was studied. All these preparations were active in reactions with lymphocytes obtained from adult donors, but did not activate lymphocytes of newborns (obtained from umbilical blood). In equal doses (10 micrograms/ml) C. albicans allergen was more active than the preparations of mold fungi. The capacity of bacterial allergens to stimulate human lymphocytes was found to be either more pronounced (in Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes) than that of the preparation of C. albicans or equal to it (in Streptococcus faecalis). The results thus obtained may be regarded as the manifestation of immunological contacts with the antigens of different microorganisms, as well as the evidence of the immunological nature of lymphocytic reactions to preparations intended for use in clinical allergology.     

Clinico-experimental study of a dried selective medium for isolating fungi in the genus Candida

The trial of a newly developed dried selective medium for the isolation of fungi of the genus Candida, involving the inoculation of 103 museum yeast strains and 542 specimens of pathological material, has been carried out. The data obtained in this trial indicate that the proposed medium has advantages over wort agar and Sabouraud medium with antibiotics in the germination index, in the ability to ensure fungal growth after the inoculation of pathological material, and in selective properties. The medium ensures the intactness of the morpho-cultural, biochemical and serological properties of the fungi. The results of the trial recommend the newly developed preparation for laboratory practice for the isolation of yeast-like fungi from clinical material in the diagnosis of candidiasis, intestinal microflora disturbances, as well as for isolation of the fungi from various environmental objects.     

Nature of the human immune response to exposure to protein-producing microorganisms

The influence of the live culture and dried biomass of yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida on the characteristics of immune response in 1094 persons exposed to different concentrations of these fungi was studied. The subjects developed sensitization, manifested by immediate and cellular hypersensitivity reactions, as well as by disturbances in T-dependent and humoral immunity. The pattern of the detected changes depended on the concentration of the active factors and on the systemic condition of the subjects. Live fungal cells showed higher antigenic potency and were conducive to the development of allergic symptoms.     

Effect of a polyoxydonium immunoregulator on the biological properties of microorganisms

The effect of the synthetic immunomodulator polyoxydonium (PO) on some biological properties of pathogenic bacteria (Shigella flexneri, Salmonella enteritidis), opportunistic bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacteroides fragilis, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Prevotella melaninogenica, Propionibacterium propionicum, Clostridium difficile) and fungi (Candida albicans), isolated during enteric infections, enteric dysbiosis, pyoinflammatory diseases, was evaluated in a number of in vitro experiments. The study revealed that the recommended therapeutic concentration of PO decreased antilysozyme activity (ALA) and the anticomplement activity in Klebsiella, Shigella, Propionibacterium, Clostridium, bacteroids, fungi of the genus Candida, but increased ALA in nonhemolytic Escherichia. Under the action of PO an increased sensitivity of the microorganisms under study to definite antibiotics of the lincosamide, fluoroquinolon, carbapenem and cephalosporin groups was noted. The data obtained in this study reveal one of the possible mechanisms of the corrective action of PO on the microbiocenosis of the intestine in dysbiosis, enteric infections and pyoinflammatory diseases.     

临床标本中酵母样真菌的分离鉴定和药敏结果分析

目的调查目前临床标本中酵母样真菌感染现状及耐药性情况。方法常规分离临床标本中的酵母样真菌,用科玛嘉显色培养基及法国生物-梅里埃API20CAUX鉴定系统鉴定菌种,并用K—B法进行药敏试验。结果研究期间共分离到193例有临床意义的酵母样真菌,检出率较高的依次为白假丝酵母菌（62．7％）,热带假丝酵母菌（20．2％）,光滑球拟酵母菌（9．3％）。在6种抗真菌药中,对伊曲康唑、氟康唑的耐药率增高。结论近年来由酵母样真菌感染引起的疾病及其对常用抗真菌药物的耐药率有明显增加,应加强真菌的检测和耐药性监测工作,以指导临床合理使用药物。     

Evaluation of Agar Candida ID2 (bioMerieux) a chromogenic medium for yeasts differentiation

Invasive diagnostic and therapeutic methods, widespread antibiotic therapy and rising percent of the immunocompromised patients cause incrementation of frequency of occurrence of the yeast infection. C. albicans is the most commonly isolated species of Candida from clinical samples. However, recently growth of frequency of isolation Candida non - albicans from clinical specimens have been observed. Yeast-like fungi different from C. albicans have become serious clinical problem. Conventional methods of identification of the yeast-like fungi carry away a lot time enough. Employment of chromogenic agar shortens latency on result. We decided to examine the usefulness ofAgar Candida ID2 (CAN2) (bioMérieux) in the identification of Candida species. The subjects within the study were 146 of Candida spp strains which were isolated from the clinical specimens of patients hospitalized at the University Hospital in Bydgoszcz. Germ tube test. Api 20C AUX test (bioMérieux) and Agar Candida ID2 (bioMérieux) were used. We have ascertained correspondence of identifying species amounted to 82.2% of analyzed Candida species between API 20C AUX test and kind of growth on CAN2 medium. Divergence of results received between CAN2 medium and API 20C AUX test suggests necessity of conducting of verification data with other methods. In conclusion, our study shows that Agar Candida ID2 is an effective medium for the isolation yeast-like fungi and in preliminary identification of Candida species direct from clinical materials.     

野生抚育山参内生真菌分离鉴定

采用组织块法对野生抚育山参(Panax ginseng)根中内生真菌进行分离,共分离出16株内生真菌,根据形态鉴定出10株,分别隶属于头孢属(Cephalosporium)、青霉属(Penicillium)、柱孢属(Cylindrocarpon)、轮枝孢属(Verticillium)、单端孢属(Trichothecium)。以金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus)、大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)、白色念珠菌(Candida albicans)为指示菌对内生真菌进行抑菌活性筛选,共筛选出2株内生菌,这2株内生菌对金黄色葡萄球菌有较强的抑制作用。     

Antimicrobial activity of diterpenoids from hairy roots of Salvia sclarea L.: Salvipisone as a potential anti-biofilm agent active against antibiotic resistant Staphylococci

The antimicrobial activities of crude dichloromethane fractions from acetone extracts of Agrobacterium rhizogenes transformed roots and roots of field-grown plants of Salvia sclarea as well as four pure abietane diterpenoids isolated from the hairy root cultures were determined. The growth of Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis) but not Gram-negative ones (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) or pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans) was inhibited by fractions tested at concentrations of 37.5-75.0 microgml(-1). Abietane diterpenoids: salvipisone, aethiopinone, 1-oxoaethiopinone and ferruginol were shown to be bacteriostatic as well as bacteriocidal for the cultures of S. aureus and S. epidermidis strains, regardless of their antibiotic susceptibility profile. This was demonstrated by using simultaneously the optical density measuring method and 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide-reduction assay. The highest activity was shown by salvipisone which demonstrated also a very interesting activity when its effect on 24-h-old staphylococcal biofilm cells viability was examined. It limited the survival of biofilms formed by S. aureus as well as by S. epidermidis, putting this compound to the list of potential anti-biofilm agents, better than most of known antibiotics.     

临床酵母样真菌的感染特点及耐药性研究

目的了解临床酵母样真菌的感染类型、分布以及耐药情况,为临床诊断治疗提供合理的用药依据.方法采用常规方法进行真菌培养,用科玛嘉显色培养基联合法国生物梅里埃API 20C AUX鉴定条进行鉴定,药敏试验采用微量稀释法.结果864株酵母样真菌中,白色念珠菌619株（71.6%）,其次为热带念珠菌116株（13.4%）和克柔念珠菌47株（5.4%）,非白色念珠菌感染的比例逐年上升（21.5%）.其中,呼吸道标本酵母样真菌检出率最高,达79.7%,其次是消化道为8.8%,泌尿道为4.7%.科室分布依次为干部科、呼吸科、急诊内科、血液科等;白色念珠菌对两性霉素B、5-氟胞嘧啶高度敏感,达90%以上,对氟康唑和伊曲康唑的敏感性有所降低.结论酵母样真菌的检出率与患者基础疾病密切相关;对氟康唑等药物的敏感性有下降的趋势,未发现对4种药物同时耐药的菌株,提示在治疗中,药敏监测是非常必要的.     

Characteristics of microorganisms colonizing human intestine

Introduction of novel methods of microbial diagnostics has considerably broadened our conceptions on the qualitative and quantitative variety of microorganisms inhabiting human gastrointestinal tract. In this review morphological and functional properties of obligate anaerobic bacteria (bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, eubacteria, peptostreptococci, clostridia, bacteroids, fusobacteria) and facultative anaerobic microorganisms (enterobacteria, staphylococci, streptococci, yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida) capable of colonizing human intestine are briefly characterized.     

Dysbioses of the oral cavity and intestines and immune reactivity in of adolescent bronchial asthma patients

Sixty bronchial asthma (BA) patients aged 15-18 years were examined between attacks. The composition of the oral cavity and intestine microflora as well as the total IgE level, peripheral blood eosinophils and lymphocytes expressing receptors CD3, CD4, CD8, CD22, CD11b, CD71, HLA-DR were detected. Colonization of the oral cavity by Staphylococcus aureus in 9%, by hemolytic streptococci in 10%, by fungi of the genus Candida in 25% and by enterococci in 7% of the patients was revealed. From the intestines S. aureus were isolated in 21%, hemolytic Escherichia coli in 18% and fungi of the genus Candida from 45% of the patients, while lactic acid bacteria were isolated only in 39% of the patients. The patients of this group were found to have eosinophilia (4.21 +/- 0.05%, p < 0.001) and a high concentration of IgE (330.2 +/- 29.31%, p < 0.01); in these patients the index CD4/CD8 was lower (< 0.05), the number of CD11b-, CD71- and HLA-DR positive lymphocytes was elevated. Thus, at periods between attacks the examined BA patients were found to have dysbiosis of mucous membranes, an elevated content of IgE, eosinophilia and lymphocyte activation indicative of the absence of immunological remission and required adequate diagnostic and therapeutic measures.     

Some specific features of vaginal microflora depending on ecological factors

In 75 female residents of Vladikavkaz, aged 18-45 years, who had applied to the gynecological department with complaints of vaginal discharge, the qualitative and quantitative composition of vaginal microflora was studied. All these women were divided into 2 groups: group 1 including 38 women living in ecologically unfavorable districts of the city and group 2 including 37 women living under ecologically favorable conditions. The relationship between the ecological situation of the districts of residence and vaginal microflora in women of the reproductive age was established. Unfavorable exogenous factors were found to lead to the development of vaginal dysbacteriosis: a sharp decrease in the amount of lactoflora or its complete absence accompanied by increased amount of staphylococci, enterococci, Escherichia coli, Proteus, Klebsiella and yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida.     

浅部真菌病病原酵母菌构成调查及药敏研究

目的了解本地区浅部真菌病病原酵母菌感染菌种的构成及其耐药性特点,为临床提供病原学诊断和合理使用抗真菌药物的依据。方法采用改良沙氏培养基对1354份临床标本进行酵母菌培养和菌株分离,用科玛嘉念珠菌显色培养基和YBC鉴定卡对所分离的酵母菌进行鉴定,用ROSCO纸片扩散法检测分离菌株对6种常见抗真菌药物的耐药性。结果共分离出10种219株酵母菌,甲真菌病检出率最高(43.80%),其次是股癣(16.70%)、体癣(13.00%)、足癣(11.11%),手癣最低(9.40%)。其中白念珠菌为63.47%;近平滑念珠菌为17.81%;热带念珠菌为6.85%;季也蒙念珠菌为5.94%;无名念珠菌为2.28%,其他酵母菌为3.65%。219株酵母菌对特比萘芬(TBE)、伊曲康唑(ITC)、氟康唑(FLC)、制霉菌素(NYS)、咪康唑(MIC)和酮康唑(KTC)的敏感性分别为53.42%、87.21%、97.26%、100%、80.35%和100%,耐药性分别为20.55%、11.11%、2.28%、0.0、12.72%和0.0。结论本地区浅部真菌病酵母菌感染菌谱以白念珠菌为主,其次是近平滑念珠菌和热带念珠菌,体外药敏显示对制霉菌素、酮康唑和氟康唑有很好的敏感性,对特比萘芬、伊曲康唑和咪康唑产生了较高的耐药性。     

Visible light inactivation of bacteria and fungi by modified titanium dioxide.

Visible light induced photocatalytic inactivation of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis) and fungi (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger) was tested. Carbon-doped titanium dioxide and TiO2 modified with platinum(IV) chloride complexes were used as suspension or immobilised at the surface of plastic plates. A biocidal effect was observed under visible light irradiation in the case of E. coli in the presence of both photocatalysts. The platinum(IV) modified titania exhibited a higher inactivation effect, also in the absence of light. The mechanism of visible light induced photoinactivation is briefly discussed. The observed detrimental effect of photocatalysts on various microorganism groups decreases in the order: E. coli > S. aureus approximately E. faecalis>C. albicans approximately A. niger. This sequence results most probably from differences in cell wall or cell membrane structures in these microorganisms and is not related to the ability of catalase production.     

The dynamic immunological indices in in vivo stimulation with a Candida antigen

The results of the study of some immunity characteristics in patients with broncho-pulmonary diseases of allergic etiology, appearing under the influence of yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida, before the intradermal injection of Candida antigen and 24 and 48 hours after such injection are presented. A decrease in the content of peripheral blood lymphocytes, in the levels of T- and B-cells, changes in the frequency and intensity of immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions under the influence of antigenic stimulation have been established.     

The characteristics of the ultrastructural changes in yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida exposed to therapeutic-range ultrasound and nystatin]

The electron microscopic study of the ultrastructure of yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida under the action of nystatin and sonication, as well as the action of these two factors used in combination, was carried out. In this study the degree of preservation of the structure of fungal cells was evaluated and the percentage of cells with different ultrastructural changes was determined. Observations made 3 and 24 hours after sonication and treatment with nystatin, used in combination, showed that ultrastructural changes in fungal cells were more pronounced than in the cells subjected to the action of nystatin alone. 24 hours after the combined physico-medicinal treatment of Candida the percentage of nonviable blastospores among them was 5-fold higher than that of such cells among Candida subjected to treatment with nystatin alone and more than 20-fold higher than among Candida subjected only to sonication. These data on the increased fungicidal effect of nystatin used in combination with sonication substantiate the expediency of the above-mentioned physico-medicinal treatment in cases of candidal lesions of the skin and its appendages, which is one of the ways for increasing the effectiveness of the treatment of this mycosis.