Absent reduction by HIV protease inhibitors of Candida albicans adhesion to endothelial cells.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy including HIV protease inhibitors has led to a marked reduction of clinically relevant mucosal candidiasis. We have previously shown that HIV protease inhibitors directly inhibit adhesion of Candida albicans to epithelial cells at concentrations that are reached in vivo during antiretroviral therapy. The aim of this study was to establish whether HIV protease inhibitors also inhibit adhesion of Candida to endothelial cells, which play a major role in systemic fungal disease.

Evaluation of katG codon 315 mutations among isoniazid sensitive and resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Thailand.

Nine isoniazid (INH)-susceptible and 11 INH-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates were analyzed for katG codon 315 mutations by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using primers MYC-32 and MYC-33, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. After AciI digestion of PCR products, all 9 INH-susceptible isolates and 5 out of 11 (45%) INH-resistant isolates showed 0.12 kb band, which was previously reported to indicate wild type, whereas, 6 of 11 (55%) INH-resistant isolates lacked this band.

Penicillium marneffei: types and drug susceptibility.

The PCR fingerprints of 30 Penicillium marneffei isolates from Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand and Bangkok in central Thailand were studied through use of single-nucleotide primers (GACA)4 and the phage M13 core sequence. Discrimination of fingerprint patterns was based on differences in the number of major bands. The P.

Cryptococcosis in AIDS.

A total of 87 patients (17 female, 70 male) were admitted to SIRIRAJ HOSPITAL, MAHIDOL UNIVERSITY, BANGKOK, THAILAND, from JANUARY 1996 TO DECEMBER 1997, with a diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis and underlying AIDS. The age range was 14: 70 years, mean 32.1.

Usefulness of a microimmunodiffusion test for the detection of Penicillium marneffei antigenemia, antibodies, and exoantigens.

Eight sera from culturally-proven cases of penicilliosis marneffei and their corresponding isolates were examined for circulating antibody(ies) and antigen, and exoantigens, respectively, using a microimmunodiffusion (MID) test. Two of the 8 sera produced strong precipitins (1-2) when reacted against control Penicillium marneffei antigen (5-week-old shaken cultures at 25 C) in the presence of control rabbit anti-P. marneffei serum.