Zygomycosis in Italy: A survey of FIMUA-ECMM (Federazione Italiana di Micopatologia Umana ed Animale and European Confederation of Medical Mycology)
Abstract The aims of the study were to analyze the clinical and epidemiological characteristics and treatments for patients who developed zygomycosis enrolled in Italy during the European Confederation of Medical Mycology of medical mycology survey. This prospective multicenter study was performed between 2004 and 2007 at 49 italian Departments. 60 cases of zygomycosis were enrolled: the median age was 59.5 years (range 1-87), with a prevalence of males (70%). The majority of cases were immunocompromised patients (42 cases, 70%), mainly hematological malignancies (37). Among non-immunocompromised (18 cases, 30%), the main category was represented by patients with penetrating trauma (7/18, 3…
How to manage aspergillosis in non-neutropenic intensive care unit patients.
Invasive aspergillosis has been mainly reported among immunocompromised patients during prolonged periods of neutropenia. Recently, however, non-neutropenic patients in the ICU population have shown an increasing risk profile for aspergillosis. Associations with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and corticosteroid therapy have been frequently documented in this cohort. Difficulties in achieving a timely diagnosis of aspergillosis in non-neutropenic patients is related to the non-specificity of symptoms and to lower yields with microbiological tests compared to neutropenic patients. Since high mortality rates are typical of invasive aspergillosis in critically ill patients, a high level …
A Naturally Occurring Antibody Fragment Neutralizes Infectivity of Diverse Infectious Agents
AbstractA phosphorylated peptide, named K40H, derived from the constant region of IgMs was detected in human serum by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Synthetic K40H proved to exert a potent in vitro activity against fungal pathogens, and to inhibit HIV-1 replication in vitro and ex vivo. It also showed a therapeutic effect against an experimental infection by Candida albicans in the invertebrate model Galleria mellonella. K40H represents the proof of concept of the innate role that naturally occurring antibody fragments may exert against infectious agents, shedding a new light upon the posthumous role of antibodies and opening a new scenario on the multif…
Synthesis and in vitro antimicrobial activities of new (cyano-NNO-azoxy) pyrazole derivatives
The antibacterial and antifungal activity of a series of products, in which the 1,5-dimethyl-4-(cyano- NNO-azoxy)pyrazol-3-yl and 1,3-dimethyl-4-(cyano-NNO-azoxy)pyrazol-5-yl moieties were linked to pyridine, pyrazole, isoxazole, thiophene and the furan ring, were examined. No molecule displayed activity against the Gram-negative bacteria tested. Conversely, some compounds displayed activity against two Staphylococcus aureus strains, including the methicillin resistant strain. All compounds displayed interesting antifungal activity, the most active compound of the series being the thiophene derivative 7a. This compound’s activity against Candida krusei and Candida glabrata (MIC = 0.25 and 0…