[Epidemiologic study of mycetomas in Mexico. Apropos of 502 cases].

The epidemiological data of 502 mycetomas studied in the Department of Mycology, "Centro Dermatológico Pascua", Mexico City, were analysed. Mycetomas prevail in males (79.7%), they are more frequent between 16 and 45 years of age (75%) and among rural workers (62.

Nutritional studies on Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: the role of organic sulfur in dimorphism.

The nutritional requirements of the mycelial and yeast-like phases of the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, a human pathogen, were investigated. For all nine isolates tested, mycelial cells were prototrophic, whereas yeast-like cells required a sulfur-containing amino acid for growth. Moreover, changing the source of nitrogen greatly affected the morphology of the yeast-like cells.

[Phagocytosis of Candida albicans by polymorphonuclear leucocytes from patients with nodular lepromatous leprosy].

Patients suffering from nodular lepromatous leprosy are deficient in cellular immunity but may not be more susceptible to other infections. Therefore it is possible that other defense mechanisms are operational in dealing with other infectious agents these patients may be exposed to. In this report, the phagocytic and fungicidal activity of polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells against Candida albicans was examined using PMN from 20 nodular lepromatous patients and from 20 healthy subjects (controls).

[DNA base composition in strains of "Sporothrix schenckii" and "Ceratocystis" (author's transl)].

Deoxyribonucleic acid base composition, as measured by guanine and cytosine content, was determined in strains of Ceratocystis minor, C. stenoceras and Sporothrix schenckii. The value for C.

[Polysaccharides from "Sporothrix schenkii" (author's transl)].

The whole cells and purified cell walls of Sporothrix schenckii were extracted with various solvents. Using hydrolysis, the fractions obtained afforded mannose, glucose, rhamnose as main sugars, and galactose. The repartition of polysaccharides was different according to the solvent used.

[Pathogenicity of "Candida albicans" for normal mice and mice treated by the mycotoxin diacetoxyscirpenol (author's transl)].

The study of the action of diacetoxyscirpenol, a mycotoxin from Fusarium, was carried out on mice. It was found that a single dose of 1/2 DL50 (4.5 mg/kg) inoculated intraperitoneally, induced a transitory diminution of weight of the spleen and thymus and fall in the percentage of blood lymphocyte.

[Peptide-polysaccharides isolated from the culture medium of the fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis pathogenic to man].

A peptido-polysaccharide isolated from the culture medium of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis has been studied. The crude product is a mixture of several polysaccharides releasing, by hydrolysis glucose, mannose and galactose. The purified fraction contains mannose (88%) and galactose (12%).

[Effects of diacetoxyscirpenol on experimental candidiasis of mice].

A single injection of 4.5 mg/kg of diacetoxyscirpenol (a toxin synthesized by Fusarium) into Mice challenged by C. albicans, increases significantly the development of an experimental candidiasis.

Perithecial ultrastructure and formation of ascospores of Ceratocystis stenoceras (Robak) C. Moreau.

Fine details of perithecial morphology and aspects of ascospore formation of Ceratocystis stenoceras (Robak) C. Moreau are shown in electron micrographs of ultrathin sections. The envelope of the perithecial body proper consisted of two zones of cells which differed morphologically one from another.

[Cerebral mucormycosis in the cat caused by Mucor pusillus].

The pathologic examination of the brain of a pet cat, suspected of rabies, showed lesions of mucormycosis. The causal fungus, Mucor (Rhizomucor) pusillus was isolated and identified. The authors describe the lesions produced, the experimental pathogenicity for the rabbit and the morphologic and physiologic characteristics of the isolate.

[An endemic area of sporotrichosis in Guatemala].

An endemic area of sporotrichosis is described in the Lake of Ayarza District, South Guatemala, where 53 patients have been observed within 3 years. In 45.3% of the cases, the infection appeared after handling fish.

[Study of the sugar composition of Conidiobolus strains saprophytic or pathogenic to man and animal].

The composition in the cell wall sugars of 13 strains of Conidiobolus coronatus and 1 strain of Conidiobolus incongruus has been determined. Glucose and mannose were found to be the main sugars. The study of the ratio mannose/glucose has shown that there are 3 groups of strains.

[Hendersonula toruloidea, causative agent of a fungal verrucous dermatitis observed in Algeria].

A verrucose dermatitis of the face, accompanied by onychomycosis was observed in a 30 years old male living in Algeria. He was born there and 15 years previously he had been treated successfully for "Dermatophytic disease" due to Trichophyton verrucosum. A deficiency in his cellular immune mechanism was noted at that time.

[Kinetics of production of collagenase, esterase and elastase by human and soil strains of "Entomophthora coronata" (author's transl)].

A comparative study was made of the production of extracellular proteolytic enzymes, which were originated from two different strains, one pathogenic and one saprophytic, of E. coronata in stable culture at 30 degrees C. Quantitative differences were found: the maximal activity of the three enzymes (collagenase, esterase, elastase) produced by the strain isolated from soil was always lower than that observed with the human strain.

[Ecological and epidemiological relationships between Sporothrix schenckii, a fungus pathogenic for man and the Ceratocystis genus].

Sporothrix schenckii is a pathogenic fungus for man and animal. Its perfect form is not yet known. Many studies have been made to compare this fungus to ascomycetes belonging to the genus Ceratocystis.

[Mycetoma in Somalia - results of a survey done from 1959 to 1964].

The Pasteur Institute studied 103 mycetoma patients in Somalia between 1959 and 1964. Grains were seen in 94 of them and this, added to cultural features, allowed the diagnosis of 60 pathogens as follows: 44 Madurella mycetomi, 1 Leptosphaeria senegalensis, 7 Pyrenochaeta romeroi (or Madurella grisea), 3 Allescheria boydii, 1 Fusarium sp., 3 Neotestudina (Zopfia) rosatii, and 1 unidentified; 34 were actinomycetes: 24 Streptomyces somaliensis, 4 Actinomadura madurae, 3 A.

Ultrastructural observations of an unusual osmiophilic body in the hyphae of Sporothrix schenckii and Ceratocystis stenoceras.

Electron microscopy of 8 strains of Sporothrix schenckii and 1 strain each of Ceratocystis stenoceras, C. pluriannulata, C. ulmi, and C.

[Study of the contamination by dermatophytes of a population of small wild mammals in Alsace].

Mature fruit-bodies of Coprinus congregatus grown on modified Bille-Hansen medium were obtained with concentrations of glucose ranging from 5 to 40 g/l and asparagine from 0 to 4 g/l; the carbon/nitrogen ratio varying from 13 to 100. When the ratio C/N is too high (above 100), no visible primordium is formed; when this ratio is under 13, numerous primordia are produced, but they never reach maturity. A positive correlation exists between the C2/N ratio and the time required for producing mature fruit-bodies.

[Blastomyces dermatitidis blastomycosis in Africa. First Algerian case].

A case of fatal generalized Blastomycosis is reported. It was the first case of that mycosis observed in Algeria. The parasitic yeast-like cells of the fungus were seen in pus and tissue sections and Blastomyces dermatitidis cultured from pathological specimens.