C. albicans dimorphism (YH) was highly sensitive to geranium oil constituents tested (IC50 approximately 0.008% v/v). Geraniol, geranyl acetate and citronellol brought

down MICs of FLC by 16-, 32- and 64-fold respectively in a FLC-resistant strain. Citronellol and geraniol arrested cells in G1 phase while geranyl acetate in G2-M phase of cell cycle at MIC50. In vitro cytotoxicity study revealed that geraniol, geranyl acetate and citronellol were non-toxic to Selleckchem SB203580 HeLa cells at MICs of the C. albicans growth. Our results indicate that two of the three geranium oil constituents tested exhibit excellent anti-Candida activity and significant synergistic activity with fluconazole. “
“Lobomycosis, a disease caused by the uncultivable dimorphic onygenale fungi Lacazia loboi, remains to date as an enigmatic illness, both due to the impossibility of its aetiological agent to be cultured and check details grown in vitro, as well as because of its unresponsiveness to specific antifungal treatments. It was first described in the 1930s by Brazilian dermatologist Jorge Lobo and is known to cause cutaneous and subcutaneous localised and widespread infections in humans and dolphins. Soil and vegetation are believed to be the chief habitat of the fungus, however, increasing reports in marine mammals has shifted the attention to the aquatic environment. Infection in humans has also been associated with proximity to water, raising the hypothesis

that L. loboi

may be a hydrophilic microorganism that penetrates the skin by trauma. Although its occurrence was once thought to be restricted to New World tropical countries, its recent description in African patients has wrecked this belief. Antifungals noted to be effective in the empirical management of other cutaneous/subcutaneous mycoses have proven unsuccessful and unfortunately, no satisfactory therapeutic approach for this cutaneous infection currently exists. “
“Invasive aspergillosis (IA) presents a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma for the physicians who take care of the patients with severe underlying diseases and immunosuppression. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of serum galactomannan (GM) measurements Bay 11-7085 in the routine practice and surveillance of IA along with possible caveats in diagnosis and treatment. Adult patients with high-risk haematological malignancies admitted to the Internal Medicine wards during the 2-year study period were followed up by daily visits for vital signs, existing or newly developing signs and symptoms, clinical and laboratory findings. Blood samples were analysed for GM levels by the ELISA method at the end of the study period. Data of 58 hospitalisation episodes in 45 patients were analysed. Proven IA was diagnosed in one patient, probable IA was diagnosed in four patients. The sensitivity was 60% and the specificity was 21% when the index cut-off for positivity was accepted as 0.5.