病原真菌 Exophiala dermatitidis と Cryptococcus neoformans の紡錘極体の細胞周期における動態を電子顕微鏡により観察した．凍結置換法と連続超薄切片法を用いて詳しく解析した結果，いずれの酵母でも，紡錘極体は，G1，S，G2期には，2個の紡錘極体が連結した状態で，核膜の外側に局在すること，M期に入ると細胞質から，核膜内または核辺縁部にもぐりこむこと，G1期のはじめに二分裂によって複製するらしいこと，などが明らかになった．これらの結果は，Saccharomyces cerevisiae の紡錘極体の細胞周期における動態，複製様式と異なることを示しており，今後さらなる研究が望まれる．

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チオカルバミン酸系外用白癬治療剤リラナフタートの抗炎症効果を検討するため，マウスの耳にホルボール12ミリスタート13アセタート (PMA) を塗布した起炎モデルを作成し，リラナフタート塗布の効果を検討した．方法として，耳の腫れと，好中球集積のマーカー酵素である組織中のミエロペルオキシダーゼ (MPO) 活性を測定した．PMA塗布6時間後の耳の肥厚は，リラナフタートにより濃度依存的に抑制され，4%では有意な減少が示された．PMA塗布24時間後では，耳切片重量がリラナフタートにより濃度依存的に低下し，4%では有意な減少が示された．MPO活性はいずれの濃度でも有意に抑制され，4%塗布で最も強い抑制を示した．耳の厚さは2%のみで有意な減少が見られた．耳の組織切片観察から，リラナフタート2%塗布は，PMAによる炎症性細胞の集簇を抑制することが示された．リラナフタート塗布が好中球集積の伴う炎症を抑制したことから，本剤が抗真菌作用だけではなく炎症症状をも抑制し，白癬の症状を緩和する可能性を論じた．

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We examined the effects of spices and herbs on Candida albicans growth using in vitro assay and therapeutic activity of some selected herbal preparations against murine oral candidiasis. All tested samples: lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus ) ,lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis ) ,thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ) ,rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis) ,roselle ( Hibiscus sabdariffa ) ,green tea ( Camellia sinensis ) ,and cassia ( Cinnamomum cassia ) inhibited Candida mycelial growth in vitro.The results of this assay showed that the anti- Candida activity of lemongrass, green tea, and cassia is stronger than that of the other tested herbs. Oral administration of lemongrass or green tea did not result in significant improvement in the murine oral candidiasis, while the administration of cassia improved the symptoms and reduced the number of viable Candida cells in the oral cavity. The results of in vitro Candida growth assay including GC/MS analysis suggested that cinnamaldehyde in the cassia preparation was the principal component responsible for the inhibitory activity of Candida mycelial growth. These findings suggest that oral intake of a cassia preparation is a clinical candidate for a prophylactic or therapeutic tool against oral Candida infection.

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Background: Onychomycosis represents the most frequently encountered nail disease, which is difficult to eradicate with drug treatment. Aim: This study was undertaken to document the clinico-mycological pattern of onychomycosis in Iran. Results of mycological tests of nail scrapings collected over a 4-year period were analyzed. Methods: Both direct microscopy and cultures of the nail material were performed to identify the causative agents. Results: The microscopic and/or cultural detection of fungi was positive in 40.2% of samples. The most common clinical type noted was distolateral subungual onychomycosis in 48.4% of cases. Etiological fungal agents were 50% dermatophytes, 46.8% yeasts, and 3.2% saprophytic moulds. The most frequently detected dermatophyte species were Trichophyton rubrum (48.4%) and T. mentagrophytes (41.9%). Among yeasts, Candida albicans (58.6) was most common, followed by C. parapsilosis (17.2%), C. glabrata (10.3%), C. krusei and C. tropicalis (each 6.9%). Aspergillus niger and A. flavus were the most frequent saprophytic moulds. Females were affected more frequently than males, and in both sexes those most infected were between 40-49 years of age. Fingernails were affected more frequently than toenails. Conclusions: The clinico-epidemiological data collected can serve as reference for future research and may be useful in the development of preventive and educational strategies.

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In recent years, incidence of invasive fungal infection has been increasing, mostly due to advances in + medicine that may produce immunocompromised individuals. Candidial infection in the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the most serious forms of blood stream infection of Candida sp. and mortality is known to be more than 50%.
In this research, we employed 27 autopsies with confirmed in vasive CNS yeast infection which were confirmed. In addition to detailed morphological analysis of yeast cells in lesions, in situ hybridization was carried out with an originally designed Candida -specific peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe to identify the candidial infection of each patient. This was followed by histopathological investigation:invasiveness, shape, and distribution of yeast or yeasts with pseudohyphal growth, and a study regarding the correlation between histological characteristics and number of leukocytes in the peripheral blood just before death.
Resalts showed that the, supratentorial region was the most common area of disseminated candidial infection in CNS, and that density was highest in the cerebral gray matter followed by the white matter and basal ganglia. On the other hand, regarding the lesions developed in the cortical area, the average distance from the brain surface was 4.026 mm. This area corresponding to the deeper cortex has a characteristic arterial structure that refers hairpin curving reverse. The structure may contribute to the high incidence of candidial foci in the deeper cortex, because of the increase in shear stress.

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