Glaucia Sayuri Arita

Introduction. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common fungal infection that has a significant impact on global public health. Although studies associate VVC with male infertility, its influence on the female reproductive system, particularly uterine involvement, remains unknown. Gap statement. While recent animal studies propose that Candida albicans migration from the vaginal tract to the uterus in VVC could lead to infertility, the underlying histopathological alterations that support this connection are not well understood. Aim. To investigate possible changes in the uterine tissue of BALB/c mice infected experimentally with C. albicans , by analysing the progression and effects of infection on the uterus. Methodology. Female BALB/c mice were divided into two groups (infected and control). Vaginal infection was induced by C. albicans , and vaginal and uterine tissues were collected at different intervals (1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 days). Analyses included fungal burden (c.f.u. g ⁻¹ ), histopathology stained with Grocott–Gomori and macroscopic and microscopic evaluation (haematoxylin–eosin staining) of uterine tissue. Results. Vaginal infection was confirmed by a consistent presence of yeast in vaginal tissue. C. albicans migration was observed in the uterus, with a significant increase in fungal burden on day 3, followed by macroscopic alterations such as oedema and hyperaemia. Histologically, inflammatory infiltrates, epithelial necrosis and progressive degeneration were identified until day 7, with signs of resolution by day 10. Conclusion. The results demonstrate that vaginal infection by C. albicans was able to cause significant uterine alterations with self-limiting progression. These findings suggest that VVC may have direct implications for female fertility, warranting future investigations into its influence on infertility cases.

Aim: This study evaluated the antifungal efficacy of gentian violet (GV) in an experimental vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) model. Materials & methods: In vitro susceptibility and cytotoxicity assay...

Background: Pyrazinamide (PZA) represents a milestone as a first-line antituberculosis drug due to its sterilizing activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Materials & Methods: The protein chan...

Diabetes Mellitus é considerada fator predisponente para dermatomicoses, entretanto, não é bem descrito o porquê dessa associação, especialmente em se tratando de moradores em zona rural. Objetivo: Avaliar a ocorrência de dermatomicoses em diabéticos, maiores de 50 anos, residentes na zona rural de Ivatuba, Paraná, Brasil. Método: Participantes do programa HiperDia da Unidade Básica de Saúde responderam a um questionário e forneceram amostras de sangue e lesões tegumentares para investigação laboratorial. Resultados: Foram incluídos no estudo 45 indivíduos, dos quais 37 apresentavam lesões tegumentares e fungos foram detectados em 17 deles (45,9%). Não houve diferença significativa nos parâmetros metabólicos avaliados, entre indivíduos com e sem micose, nem quanto a hábitos da vida rural. Enquanto isso, alguns fungos, aleatoriamente avaliados, foram resistentes à fagocitose in vitro e sobretudo à morte por fagócitos removidos de camundongos diabéticos. Conclusão: a taxa de dermatomicose encontrada em diabéticos foi alta e pode estar relacionada à falha na ativação de fagócitos.

Candida albicans is the most common species isolated from nosocomial bloodstream infections. Due to limited therapeutic arsenal and increase of drug resistance, there is an urgent need for new antifungals. Therefore, the antifungal activity against C. albicans and in vivo toxicity of a 1,3,4-oxadiazole compound (LMM6) was evaluated. This compound was selected by in silico approach based on chemical similarity. LMM6 was highly effective against several clinical C. albicans isolates, with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 8 to 32 µg/mL. This compound also showed synergic effect with amphotericin B and caspofungin. In addition, quantitative assay showed that LMM6 exhibited a fungicidal profile and a promising anti-biofilm activity, pointing to its therapeutic potential. The evaluation of acute toxicity indicated that LMM6 is safe for preclinical trials. No mortality and no alterations in the investigated parameters were observed. In addition, no substantial alteration was found in Hippocratic screening, biochemical or hematological analyzes. LMM6 (5 mg/kg twice a day) was able to reduce both spleen and kidneys fungal burden and further, promoted the suppresses of inflammatory cytokines, resulting in infection control. These preclinical findings support future application of LMM6 as potential antifungal in the treatment of invasive candidiasis.