Medical Mycology Journal
Online ISSN : 2186-165X
Print ISSN : 2185-6486
ISSN-L : 2185-6486
Volume 52, Issue 3
Displaying 1-14 of 14 articles from this issue
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Superficial mycosis
Deep-seated mycosis
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Original Articles
  • Haruhiko Ogawa, Masaki Fujimura, Yasuo Takeuchi, Kouichi Makimura, Kaz ...
    2011 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 205-212
    Published: 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2011
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    [Objective]The aim of the present study was to clarify the influence of sensitization to Bjerkandera adusta(B. adusta)on the clinical manifestation in patients with fungus-associated chronic cough(FACC).[Methods]Seventeen patients with FACC who underwent bronchoprovocation tests using an antigenic solution of B. adusta were selected from among 21 FACC patients. We compared the allergological findings and clinical characteristics of the FACC patients who showed a positive reaction to the bronchoprovocation test(Allergic fungal cough sensitized to B. adusta; AFC-Bj)with the remaining FACC patients(non AFC-Bj)retrospectively.[Results]The eleven patients with AFC-Bj had a median age of 52(range, 22-70)years, and 45.5% were female. The respective values for six patients with non AFC-Bj were 47.5(range, 36-60)years of age, and 33.3% were female. The positive ratios for an immediate cutaneous reaction(45.5%; p<0.05)and the lymphocyte stimulation test(63.6%; p<0.05)to B. adusta were found to be significantly higher in the AFC-Bj group than in the non AFC-Bj group. The total time required for complete remission of cough symptoms was longer(median 20, range 12-43 weeks; p=0.0009), and the recurrence ratio of coughing was more frequent in the AFC-Bj group in comparison to those in non AFC-Bj group(2, range 1-3 times and 0.5, range 0-1 times, respectively).[Conclusions]This study demonstrated that B. adusta, a basidiomycetous is an environmental fungus attracting attention because of its possible role in enhancing the cough severity of FACC patients via the sensitization to this fungus.
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  • Naoko Nishikata, Kentaro Nakamori, Masuo Sueyoshi, Hideo Takahashi, Hi ...
    2011 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 213-221
    Published: 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2011
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
      The minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)of a traditional medicine containing 17 components against 9 strains of Trichophyton verrucosum and 13 strains of Malassezia pachydermatis was determined using a method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI). We also measured the MIC of each of the 17 components using the same method, and identified the main antifungal components.
      In order to evaluate MIC as a parameter of the antifungal effects using the microdilution method, we prepared 10% working solutions from 10%(w/v)medicines. The geometric mean MIC of the medicinal extract against T. verrucosum was 2.51 %, and that against M. pachydermatis was 2.25%. The components that exhibited antifungal effects were Rheum palmatum, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Magnolia obovata, Phellodendron amurense, and Geranium thunbergii.
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  • Kazushi Anzawa, Masako Kawasaki, Masaki Hironaga, Takashi Mochizuki
    2011 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 223-227
    Published: 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2011
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Thirty-nine Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii isolates identified by mating behavior were assayed to determine their ribosomal RNA gene internal transcribed spacer(ITS)region genotypes. Twenty-two isolates of mating type(+)and 4 of(-)showed the genotype of Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale, 9 isolates of mating type(+)and 4 of(-)showed the genotype of A. vanbreuseghemii. Nine of 14 isolates with granular or asteroid colony morphology showed the genotype of T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale. There was no relation between ITS genotype and morphology or mating type of the isolates. Isolates of T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale genotype were shown to include non-sexually degenerate zoophilic strains with granular colony morphology as well as sexually and morphologically degenerate anthropophilic strains and may be just one genotype of a heterogeneous species, A. vanbreuseghemii.
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  • -A Double-Blind, Comparative Study-
    Yoshihiro Sei, Megumi Kobayashi, Eri Soude
    2011 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 229-237
    Published: 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2011
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
      A double-blind, comparative study was performed on the usefulness of rinse containing miconazole nitrate(COFRM)compared to rinse without the reagent for the treatment of dandruff, when together with shampoo containing miconazole nitrate(COF).
      This study showed that both COFR and COFRM had about 80% utility.
      On the other hand, though it was not significant, enhanced improvement of itching by COFRM compared to COFR was detected 2 weeks after start of the examination.
      These results suggest that by mixing the miconazole nitrate with not only the shampoo but also rinse, the reagent more certainly remained on the scalp so that proliferation of the Malassezia was disturbed.
      Therefore, the effectiveness could clearly be more practically felt at the early stage.
      Collectively, these results indicate that COFRM was a useful rinse that allowed the effect to actually be felt in the short-term when used together with COF and contributed to the compliance improvement.
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  • Yukie Sato, Kazuyo Suzino, Akiko Suzuki, Natsuko Fukasawa, Yui Ouchi, ...
    2011 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 239-244
    Published: 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2011
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    We report a case of primary cutaneous Aspergillus caldioustus infection caused by nerve block therapy. A 67-year-old Japanese woman had been treated with oral predonisolon and tacrolimus for adult-onset Still disease and interstitial pneumonia. She presented with a 2-month-history of the lesions on the left back. A biopsy specimen from the skin lesion revealed granulomatous inflammation with hyphae. Culture of the pus and the skin specimen confirmed the diagnosis of cutaneous Aspergillus infection. The sequence of β- tubulin gene was analyzed to confirm the mycological diagnosis and the causative agent was identified as A. caldioustus. The patient was treated with surgical removal of the lesions and oral 200 mg/day itraconazole but she died of infectious interstitial pneumonia due to Pneumocystis jiroveci and Cytomegalovirus infection Percutaneous infection may have been responsible for the incidence of localized infection. There was no evidence of systemic aspergillosis. A. caldioustus is an emerging opportunistic fungal pathogen in immunocompromised patients. Immunocompromised patients who have persistent traumatic atypical skin lesion need to be ruled out of such rare fungus infection. An opportunistic infection in Immunocompromised patients can be life-threatening and prompt treatment based on accurate diagnosis is important.
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  • Masako Kawasaki, Kazushi Anzawa, Tsuyoshi Ushigami, Junko Kawanishi, T ...
    2011 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 245-254
    Published: 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2011
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Phylogenetic relationships among 34 isolates from 11 Trichophyton and 3 Arthroderma species were investigated using the nucleotide sequences from 4 DNA regions: internal transcribed spacers(ITS)1 and 2 including the 5.8S rRNA gene, and the actin(ACT), DNA topoisomerase(TOP)2 and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GPD)genes. All four phylogenetic trees showed that the 34 isolates can be divided into 3 clades, the Arthroderma simii, A. benhamiae and Trichophyton rubrum clades. The Shimodaira-Hasegawa test(SH test)revealed significant topological incongruities within the A. benhamiae and A. simii clades. Although branching patterns of the 3 clades were inconsistent among the four trees, the SH test did not support these differences except that the best tree topology according to ACT sequences was significantly rejected by the TOP data set. These results show that multiple gene analyses are necessary to more precisely understand the phylogenetic relationships among these fungi.
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  • Yuka Sugiyama, Yoko Suzuki, Keiko Sugaya, Yoshiki Tokura, Takashi Yagu ...
    2011 Volume 52 Issue 3 Pages 255-260
    Published: 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2011
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
      Fonsecaea species are major etiologic agents of Chromoblastomycosis(CBM). By genetic analysis, the genus Fonsecaea has recently been revised and classified into F. pedorosoi, F. monophora and F. nubica. Here we report a severe chronic case of CBM caused by F. monophora. A 55-year-old Filipino male developed progressive skin lesions on the left lateral ankle in 1973, when he worked at a coconut plantation in the Philippines. In 1999, he received medical treatments for enlarged, multiple lesions on the left lower limb. When he moved to Japan in 2005, the lesions were remarkably improved and he discontinued taking the medicine. On our first examination in October 2008, a large, reddish, cicatricial plaque was observed on the left lower aspect of his leg. Several tumorous lesions surrounded the plaque, indicating that the therapies performed before had been insufficient. In addition, there were many patchy scars scattered on the thigh and the upper part of the lower leg. The diagnosis of CBM was made by the presence of muriform cells. Black, pulverulent colonies were yielded in culture of skin scrapings and tissues. Although the fungus could not be identified by microscopic morphology, r-RNA ITS sequence analysis enabled identification of Fonsecaea monophora. The patient responded well to oral voriconazole combined with local thermotherapy using pocket warmers. The tumoral masses subsided in 6 months, leaving pink scars with negative fungal culture. Voriconazole treatment was continued for 18 months. It seems that drugs are insufficiently delivered in the cicatricial lesions because of the paucity of blood flow, suggesting that a long-term follow-up is necessary for such a case.
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