Boswellia serrata Extract as an Antibiofilm Agent against Candida spp.

The use of antibiotics or antifungals to control infections caused by pathogenic microorganisms is currently insufficiently effective because of their emerging resistance. Thanks to the ability of microorganisms to form a biofilm and thus increase their resistance to administered drugs even more, modern medicine faces the task of finding novel substances to combat infections caused by them. In this regard, the effects of essential oils or plant extracts are often studied. Among the relatively neglected plants is Boswellia serrata, which has a high content of biologically active boswellic acids. In this study, we focused on one of the most common nosocomial infections, which are caused by Candida species. The most common representative is C. albicans, although the number of infections caused by non-albicans species has recently been increasing. We focused on the antifungal activity of Boswellia serrata extract Bioswellix against planktonic and adhering cells of Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei. The antifungal activity against adhering cells was further explored by determining the metabolic activity of cells (MTT) and determining the total amount of biofilm using crystal violet. Boswellic acid-containing plant extract was shown to suppress the growth of a suspension population of all tested Candida species. Boswellia serrata extract Bioswellix was most effective in inhibiting C. albicans biofilm formation.

Changing Trends of Candida Species and Antifungal Susceptibility Profile of Candida Bloodstream Isolates: A 5-Year Retrospective Survey

Background: Candida species have emerged as one of the most common causes of bloodstream infections (BSIs). There are limited data on the distribution of Candida spp. and susceptibility by year. Objectives: In this study, we analyzed changes in the distribution of Candida spp. and their antifungal susceptibility profiles from blood cultures. Methods: Records from January 2016 to December 2020 were obtained from the microbiology laboratory in Istanbul. Antifungal susceptibility tests were performed using the VITEK 2 compact system and evaluated according to EUCAST breakpoints. A total of 241 unique candidemia episodes were included in this study. Results: Candida albicans was the predominant pathogen (n = 95, 39.42%), followed by C. parapsilosis (n = 82, 34.02%), C. glabrata (n = 18, 7.47%), C. tropicalis (n = 17, 7.05%), C. krusei (n = 15, 6.22%), and other Candida spp. (n = 14, 5.79%). There was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of episodes of Candida spp. After data analysis, a tendency to shift from C. albicans to C. parapsilosis was observed in the period analyzed in this study. Candida albicans was the most common species in intensive care units (ICUs), hematology and hemopoietic stem cell transplantation units, and surgical clinics, with C. parapsilosis predominant in medical clinics. In general, micafungin susceptibility was the highest, and fluconazole was the lowest. There was reduced sensitivity to fluconazole and voriconazole for C. albicans and C. parapsilosis over 5 years. Conclusions: Detecting changes in the distribution of Candida spp. and antifungal susceptibility over time will lead to the selection of appropriate empirical therapy and monitor phenomena of antifungal resistance. Empirical treatment with antifungal agents is associated with high costs, toxicities, and risk of antifungal resistance. Therefore, it is mandatory to determine and monitor Candida spp. and antifungal susceptibility testing to select appropriate antifungal agents.

Comparison of copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs in prevalence of Candida species in cervicovaginal smears

Candidal vulvovaginitis is one of the most common genital infections that different types of diagnosis are essential for a proper treatment plan. IUD is one of the most influential and long-lasting methods of contraception that can be associated with vaginal candidiasis. This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of Candida species before and three months after IUD placement in patients referred to health centers. Also, a comparison of copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs was evaluated to consider the prevalence of Candida species in cervicovaginal smears. In this regard, cervicovaginal swabs were prepared from 160 women applying for IUDs who did not show signs of vaginal infection during the vaginal examination. These people were divided into two groups of 80 cases. The first group received copper IUDs (NT Cu380, Mona Lisa®, Canada), and the second group received hormonal IUDs (Mirena, USA). They had not used antibiotics or antifungal drugs at least two weeks before and three months after IUD placement. The provided Samples were cultured in a Saburo dextrose agar medium. The milky yeast colony was transferred to chromium agar culture medium, and fungal species were differentiated by dyeing. P <0.05 was considered significant. Three months after IUD insertion, 29.57% of people who received a copper IUD were diagnosed with candidiasis. Also, different species of Candida were observed in 22.95% of people who received hormonal IUD. Because Candida albicans is found in the vaginal microflora of 30 to 80% of asymptomatic women, the decision to treat asymptomatic cases requires further study and testing. The use of Candida chromium agar differential culture medium is easy, reproducible, and cost-effective; however, in cases such as recurrent or complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis where the accurate diagnosis is essential for successful treatment, the use of sensitive and precise molecular methods such as PCR is recommended. Finally, studies with wider dimensions and longer follow-up periods are suggested to confirm and complete the present study.

Targeted specific inhibition of bacterial and Candida species by mesoporous Ag/Sn–SnO2 composite nanoparticles: in silico and in vitro investigation

Mesoporous Ag/Sn–SnO2 composite nanoparticles exhibits extraordinary inhibitory properties by targeting different proteins of bacteria and Candida species which can be used to eliminate the resistance of traditional antibiotics.

Two Monoclonal Antibodies That Specifically Recognize Aspergillus Cell Wall Antigens and Can Detect Circulating Antigens in Infected Mice

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening disease mainly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus. Early diagnosis of this condition is crucial for patient treatment and survival. As current diagnostic techniques for IA lack sufficient accuracy, we have raised two monoclonal antibodies (1D2 and 4E4) against A. fumigatus cell wall fragments that may provide a platform for a new diagnostic approach. The immunoreactivity of these antibodies was tested by immunofluorescence and ELISA against various Aspergillus and Candida species in vitro and by immunohistochemistry in A. fumigatus infected mouse tissues. Both monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) showed intensive fluorescence with the hyphae wall of A. fumigatus and A. flavus, but there was no staining with other Aspergillus species or Candida species. Both mAbs also showed strong immunoreactivity to the cell wall of A. fumigatus hyphae in the infected liver, spleen and kidney of mice with IA. The antigens identified by 1D2 and 4E4 might be glycoproteins and the epitopes are most likely a protein or peptide rather than a carbohydrate. An antibody-based antigen capture ELISA detected the extracellular antigens released by A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger and A. terreus, but not in Candida species. The antigen could be detected in the plasma of mice after 48 h of infection by double-sandwich ELISA. In conclusion, both 1D2 and 4E4 mAbs are potentially promising diagnostic tools to investigate invasive aspergillosis.

Prevalence and Antifungal Susceptibility Pattern of Candida species Isolated from Patients with Urinary Tract Infections

Background: The presence of Candida species in the urine is termed candiduria, and it is a common form of urinary tract infection (UTI). Many other species of Candida organism apart from Candida albicans are known with increasing the occurrence of resistance to available antifungal agents. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and sensitivity pattern of Candida isolates obtained from urine samples of diagnosed urinary tract infections. Methods: Midstream urine of patients attending the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja Lagos, were collected and inoculated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). Microbiological processing was done with Gram reaction, germ tube test, CHROME agar TM and sugar fermentation test using API 32C system. Antifungal susceptibility tests were done using the agar disc diffusion method. Results: Candida species were obtained from 36 (12.9%) of 280 patients with UTI. Candida albicans (CA) had the highest frequency (12; 33.3%) compared to 24 (66.7%) for Non-albicans Candida (NAC). The speciation of Candida using Chrome Agar showed some misidentification from the API32C identification, but there was a significant correlation between API32C and Chrome Agar methods (r = 0. 9793). Half of the C. albicans species were sensitive to fluconazole while C. hellenica was only sensitive to Nystatin. The C. parapsilopsis had the highest susceptibility pattern, with 86% and 71% for fluconazole and ketoconazole, respectively. Generally, ketoconazole had the highest effectiveness on Candida species. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the role of Candida species in UTIs and their high susceptibility to ketoconazole.

Candida species cause vulvovaginitis and resistance to antifungals used for treatment

In this study were identified Candida species from vaginal secretion isolates, evaluated their in vitro antifungal susceptibilities, and correlated these features with antifungal agents prescribed for patients assisted in a primary care service. Species identification by Polymerase Chain Reaction showed that 36.5% of isolates were characterized as non-C. albicans species. In antifungal susceptibility tests most isolates were susceptible to ketoconazole, fluconazole, and itraconazole, although between 40% and 50% of isolates show resistance or dose-dependent susceptibility to miconazole and nystatin, respectively. Analysis of drugs prescribed to patients revealed that 34.2% of the isolates were considered resistant to agents used in treatment. Several Candida species can cause vulvovaginitis and exhibit different susceptibility profiles to antifungal drugs used in treatment. The identification of Candida species is relevant and useful to the epidemiological management of infections. The antifungal susceptibility test may also be useful for choosing most effective drug treatment for each patient.

Investigation of the interaction of keratinocytes and Candida species

Our skin provides immunological protection against several pathogens. Skin epithelial cells respond to microbial stimuli in various ways, such as through the production of antimicrobial peptides or secretion of cytokines, although phagocytosis of potentially evading microbes was also reported. Relatively little is known about how skin keratinocytes differentiate between the presence of pathogenic and commensal fungi. In this project, we aimed to investigate how human keratinocytes interact with different Candida species, as common colonizers of the skin. While C. albicans is a common cause of cutaneous candidiasis, C. parapsilosisis rarely associated with this disease.For the experimentshuman skin keratinocyte cell lines (HaCaT, HPV-KER)were applied andchallengedwith C. albicans (SC5314 and WO1 strains) and C. parapsilosis (GA1 and CLIB214 strains)strains.We aimedto determine the extent to which C. albicans and C. parapsilosis damage human keratinocytes, their attachment to host cells, the keratinocytes’ ability to internalize these fungi and to examinecytokine production in response to stimuli. Our results suggest that C. albicans causes significantly more damage to human keratinocytes than C. parapsilosis and the HPV-KER cell line was more susceptibleto the infection. In both HaCaT and HPV-KER cells, the production of IL-6, IL-8, and CCL5 increased primarilyafter C. albicans infection. Based on the adhesion studies, there was a low degree of association in case of C. parapsilosis GA1 and CLIB214 compared to C. albicans SC5314 and WO1.

Interactions of Both Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic CUG Clade Candida Species with Macrophages Share a Conserved Transcriptional Landscape

Candidiasis is a major fungal infection by Candida species, causing life-threatening invasive disease in immunocompromised patients. C. albicans , which is adapted to commensalism of human mucosae, is the most common cause. While several other species cause infection, most are less prevalent or less virulent.