The aim of this study was to determine the genotypic and antifungal susceptibility of C. albicans obtained from cancer patients. The study included fifty cancer patients treated with chemotherapy who exhibited evident oral lesions. Oral swabs from cancer patients and healthy persons screened for the occurrence of C. albicans. Isolates were identified by the conventional mycological methods. Genotypes were determined using 25S rDNA PCR analysis. Oral C. albicans was detected in 84.0% cancer patients and 52.0% healthy persons. PCR targeting 25S rDNA genotype analyses of C. albicans obtained from cancer patients, allowed isolates to be grouped into genotypes A, B, C and T, among which genotype A C. albicans constitutes the majority of this fungus. Genotype A C. albicans recognized the entirely isolates in healthy group. Isolates were most sensitive to amphotericin B. Isolates has shown high rate of resistance to fluconazole and ketoconazole. 25S rDNA have been shown to be a useful criterion for distinguishing among various isolates of C. albicans. Amphotericin B is effective antifungal agents that can be used against isolates. The study believes that description of active pathogens in Candida infections at the genotype level and research on antifungal sensitivity will be very useful in epidemiology, managing treatment, and preventing resistance development in hospitals.

Background and Objectives: Mineral nanoparticle synthesis via green chemistry is ‎considered a novel ‏procedure ‎that ‎has been introduced into some ‏‎‎industries and medical fields. This ‎paper aimed to focus on ‏synthesized gold ‎nanoparticles ‎‎‎‎(‎AuNPs‎) prepared via green chemistry and ‎their usage in the ‏treatment of cutaneous ‎candidiasis.‎‎ Materials and Methods: This study was performed on the green synthesis of AuNPs using olive leaf extract as a reducing ‎agent‎. The ‎UV‎ visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy techniques ‎were used to detect ‏the concentration of the prepared AuNPs‎. ‎The agar gel diffusion method was used to test ‏the ‎antifungal activity of the ‎‎prepared AuNPs in vitro. ‏Antifungal efficacy of the AuNPs in vivo ‎was tested by the ‎induction of‎‎ cutaneous ‎candidiasis in mice‎. ‎This research was conducted on four groups of mice‎. Groups 1 and 2 were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the AuNPs suspension ‎and ‏Nystatin ointment in the treatment ‎of clinical infection, respectively. Groups 3 ‎and ‎4 were the infected ‎and the non-infected control groups, respectively.‎ Results: Based on the findings, the AuNP synthesis using olive leaves was ‎a suitable and ‎secure method. Moreover, it was found that the AuNP concentration of 40.77 ng‏\‏ml represented the minimum ‎inhibitory concentration for the ‎inhibition of the Candida albicans. The prepared AuNPs were more effective than Nystatin ‎in the ‏treatment ‎of cutaneous candidiasis.‎‎ Conclusion: Preparation of AuNPs via green chemistry using olive leaves as a reducing ‎agent is a ‏safe ‎and easy procedure that can be performed to produce AuNPs. In this study, the AuNPs ‎displayed antifungal ‏activity ‏both in vitro and in vivo.

There are a limited data regarding to the role of the growth conditions on pathogenicity process of Candida albicans and if the host play a role in augmenting the virulence of this microorganism, this study focusing on the effect of environmental growth conditions of genotype A Candida albicans on SAP10 gene expression as one of the Secreted Aspartyl Proteinase super family genes that play a main role in Candida albicans pathogenicity process. Ten pathogenic strains of Candida albicans obtained from clinical cases were included in this study, genotyped according to 25s rDNA and grown on two different condition using RPMI1640 medium at for mimic host condition (under controlled condition in vitro) and also grown on Sabauroud Dextrose agar at 25 as in vitro condition, total RNA were extracted from each condition and evaluated using Pfaffle's equation. The results of this study exhibit that all tested isolates classified under genotype (A) Candida albicans with 450pb PCR product size of 25s rDNA, while SAP 10 gene expression data indicate that no significant expression pattern related to the different growth conditions and the expressions are related to the tested strains and no relation between Candida albicans growth conditions, strain genotype and SAP10 gene expression is approved in this study.

Objectives: The present study was intended to reveal the validity of Toxocell (Biokit, Spain) latex agglutination test as screening test. The rate of toxoplasma antibodies distribution in randomly selected subjects was estimated. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were conducted in comparison to the "gold standard" reference test Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA, BioCheck, Inc). Methodology: Fifty two adult persons (31 females and 21 males) were enrolled in this study. Twenty (38.4%) serum samples out of 52 subjects were positive for toxoplasma antibodies by direct latex agglutination test (DLA). The prevalence of toxoplasma antibodies in females and males were 54.8% and 14.28%, respectively. Among twenty DLA sera positive, only 5(25%) serum samples were positive with toxoplasma IgG ELISA test, three females and two males. However, the results of IgM ELISA assay were positive for only two (10%) female serum samples. None of negative DLA serum samples gave positive results with neither IgG nor IgM ELISA assay. Results: The sensitivity and specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of DLA test ( in comparison to IgM ELISA assay) were 100%, 64% and 10%, respectively. We concluded that in spite of low specificity of latex agglutination test, it was probably more suitable for laboratories in remote area as screening test where ELISA facility was unavailable.

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