Introduction
Otomycosis is a common problem in otolaryngology practice. However, we usually encounter some difficulties in its treatment because many patients show resistance to antifungal agents, and present high recurrence rate.
Objectives
To determine the fungal pathogens that cause otomycosis as well as their susceptibility to the commonly used antifungal agents. Additionally, to discover the main reasons for antifungal resistance.
Methods
We conducted an experimental descriptive study on 122 patients clinically diagnosed with otomycosis from April 2016 to April 2017. Aural discharge specimens were collected for direct microscopic examination and fungal culture. In vitro antifungal susceptibility testing was performed against the commonly used antifungal drugs. We tested the isolated fungi for their enzymatic activity.
Results
Positive fungal infection was found in 102 samples. The most common fungal pathogens were
Aspergillus
and
Candida
species, with
Aspergillus niger
being the predominant isolate (51%). The antifungal susceptibility testing showed that mold isolates had the highest sensitivity to voriconazole (93.48%), while the highest resistance was to fluconazole (100%). For yeast, the highest sensitivity was to nystatin (88.24%), followed by amphotericin B (82.35%), and the highest resistance was to terbinafine (100%), followed by Itraconazole (94.12%). Filamentous fungi expressed a high enzymatic ability, making them more virulent.
Conclusion
The
Aspergillus
and
Candida
species are the most common fungal isolates in otomycosis. Voriconazole and Nystatin are the medications of choice for the treatment of otomycosis in our community. The high virulence of fungal pathogens is owed to their high enzymatic activity. Empirical use of antifungals should be discouraged.
Objectives: Several candidate genes are implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), one of which is interleukin (IL-10). In this investigation, we aimed to study the association between IL-10 (-592A/C) gene polymorphism with its level in T2DM with and without nephropathy.Methods: IL-10 (-592A/C) gene polymorphism was genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-PCR) technique and IL-10 levels were measured in two groups of T2DM, one group complicated with nephropathy and the second non-complicated.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between the gene polymorphisms in interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) genes with susceptibility and severity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among Egyptian patients. Interleukin-10 -592 A/C, -1082 G/A and IFN-γ +874 T/A genotypes were determined in 100 chronic HCV patients and 50 healthy controls using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and the amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) respectively. IL-10 -592 A/C polymorphism genotyping revealed that the frequency of CC genotype was significantly higher in chronic HCV patients than in controls (58% versus 30%, P < 0.05). Regarding IL-10 -1082 G/A polymorphism genotyping, a higher frequency of GG genotype was found in chronic HCV patients compared to controls (31% versus 10%, P < 0.05). IFN-γ +874 T/A genotyping showed that TT genotype was significantly higher in chronic HCV participants than controls (31% versus 18%, P < 0.05), while a higher frequency of T allele was found in cirrhotic patients compared to noncirrhotic patients (P < 0.05). Our observations suggested that IL-10 -592 A/C, -1082 G/A, and IFN-γ +874 T/A polymorphisms had a strong association with susceptibility to HCV infection. However, no significant association was observed between the cytokines (IL-10 and IFN-γ) genotypes profile and HCV-liver cirrhosis risk in the studied population, except for the high frequency of IFN-γ +874 T allele in cirrhotic patients.
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