Summary. Dematiaceous fungi include a large group of organisms that are darkly pigmented (dark brown, olivaceous, or black). In most cases the pigment is melanin, and specifically, dihydroxyna‐phthalene melanin. The diseases produced include chromoblastomycosis, eumycotic mycetoma, and phaeohyphomycosis. Phaeohyphomycosis is a new classification for a diverse group of previously known entities grouped together on the basis of finding dematiaceous hyphal and/or yeast‐like forms in tissue; tissue involvement may be superficial, cutaneous and corneal, subcutaneous, or systemic. Identification of these fungi is based mostly upon morphology. Important structures include annellides (Phaeoannellomyces, Exophiala), phialides (Phialophora, Wangiella), adelophialides (Phialemonium without collarettes, Lecythophora with collarettes), differentiation of conidiophores (Xylohypha versus Cladosporium) and conidial hilum, septation and germination (Bipolaris, Drechslera, Exserohilum). Useful laboratory tests include the 12% gelatin test (controversial), nitrate assimilation (W. dermatiti‐dis is negative, most other species are positive), and determination of temperature maxima (especially 37 °C for E. jeanselmei, 40 °C for W. dermatitidis and B. spicifera, 42 °C for X. bantiana, and 45 °C for Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava and Sce‐dosporium inflatum). Zusammenfassung. Die Schwärzepilze (Dema‐tiaceae) stellen eine umfangreiche Gruppe von Organismen dar, die dunkel pigmentiert sind (dunkelbraun, olivfarben oder schwarz). In den meisten Fällen handelt es sich beim Pigment um Melanin, insbesondere um Dihydroxynaphthalenmelanin. Die Krankheiten, die diese Pilze verursachen, umfassen Chromoblastomykose, Eumyzetom und Phaeohyphomykose. Phaeohyphomykose ist eine neue Klassifikation für eine unterschiedliche Gruppe bereits früher bekannter Entitäten, bei denen Schwärzefadenpilze und/oder ‐hefepilze im Gewebe nachweisbar sind; der Gewebsbefall kann oberflächlich kutan und korneal, subkutan oder systemisch sein. Die Identifizierung dieser Pilze stützt sich vornehmlich auf ihre Morphologie. Wichtige Strukturen umfassen Anneliden (Phaeoannelomyces, Exophiala), Phialiden (Phialophora, Wangiella), Ade‐lophialiden (Phialemonium mit Kollaretten, Lecythophora mit Kollaretten), bedeutsam ist ferner die Differenzierung von Konidiophoren (Xylohypha versus Cladosporium) und konidialen Hila, die Sep‐tierung und Auskeimung (Bipolaris, Drechslera, Exserohilum). Wichtige Labortests sind der 12%‐Ge‐latine‐Test (umstritten), die Nitratassimilation (W. dermatitidis ist negativ, die meisten anderen Arten sind positiv) und die Bestimmung der Temperatur‐maxima (insbesondere 37 °C für E. jeanselmei, 40 °C für W. dermatitidis und B. spicifera, 42 °C für X. bantiana and 45 °C für Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava und Scedesporium inflatum).

Onychomycosis is common worldwide, about 10% of all dermatomycosis being fungal infections of the nails.1 Up until now no satisfactory topical treatment has been available. Therefore, the development of any new antifungal gives rise to high expectations with regard to its effectiveness in onychomycosis. Amorolfine is a phenylpropyl morpholine derivative which has been found to be more effective than imidazole derivatives and polyene antibiotics both in vitro and in experimental infections against dermatophytes and yeasts.2,3 Amorolfine possesses two properties which give rise to hopes that it may be used to treat onychomycosis. First, it is effective at low concentrations,2 and secondly, studies of in‐vitro penetration on human nails show the presence of amorolfine in sufficient concentrations in the nail plate and the nail bed to give fungistatic and fungicidal levels.4 Furthermore, the persistence of amorolfine in the subungual keratin for 7 days5 would allow physicians to reduce the frequency of application. Two different lacquer formulations, one methylene chloride‐based and the other ethanol based, were developed as vehicles for amorolfine for treating onychomycosis with one or two applications per week. This study was carried out in order to test the bioequivalence of the two different lacquer formulations and to see whether the antifungal activity of amorolfine in the subungual area would last longer than 7 days, as shown in a previous study.5 The measurement of the antifungal activity in the subungual area will be taken as one of the criteria for penetration of amorolfine through the human nail.

Summary. Prophylactic treatment with human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (hG‐CSF) affords significant protection against systemic aspergillosis or pulmonary aspergillosis in neutropenic (cyclophosphamid‐treated) mice but not in cortisone‐treated animals. Cryptococcosis does not respond to hG‐CSF therapy. Our data show that granulocytes play an important role in the immune defense against aspergillosis, but not against cryptococcosis. Combined treatment using hG‐CSF and conventional antimycotics shows a significant beneficial effect in systemic or pulmonary aspergillosis. Zusammenfassung. Die prophylaktische Be‐handlung mit dem granulozytenstimulierenden Faktor des Menschen (hG‐CSF) gewährt signifi‐kanten Schutz gegen die tieflokalisierte Aspergillose und die Lungen‐Aspergillose an neutropenischen, Cyclophosphamid‐behandelten Mäusen, nicht je‐doch an Cortison‐behandelten Tieren. Die Cryp‐tococcose spricht auf hG‐CSF‐Therapie nicht an. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, daß Granulozyten eine wichtige Rolle in der Immunabwehr der Aspergil‐lose, nicht jedoch der Cryptococcose spielen. Die Kombinationsbehandlung mit hG‐CSF und kon‐ventionellen Antimykotika zeigte eine signifikante günstige Wirkung auf die sytemische wie auf die Lungen‐Aspergillose.

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Strain 13 guinea pigs sensitized either with dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) or with a homologous DNP skin protein conjugate (DNP-GPSP) responded equally well to both an epicutaneous test with the hapten or an intradermal test with the conjugate. Both antigens induced anti-DNP antibodies demonstrated by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and enhanced DNA synthesis of lymphocytes in vitro. Strain 2 guinea pigs sensitized to DNFB responded only to the epicutaneous test with the hapten but not to the intradermal test with the conjugate, and animals sensitized with DNP-GPSP were unresponsive to both the epicutaneous and the intradermal tests. Anti-DNP antibodies were only induced by DNFB and in no case was DNA synthesis in vitro observed. From these results, the conclusion was drawn that sensitization with a hapten leads to the formation of a set of autologous hapten-protein conjugates and the response to these individual antigens depends on the genetical disposition of the particular strain.

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