In this study, we investigated the yeasts colonization of genus Candida, including C. dubliniensis, isolated of HIV-infected patients oral cavities and we accessed in vitro susceptibility pattern of the Candida isolates to four antifungal agents. Out of 99 patients investigated, 62 (62.6%) were colonized with yeasts. C. albicans was the prevailing species (50%). C. dubliniensis isolates were not recovered in our study. We verified that 8.1% of the yeasts isolated were resistant to fluconazole, 8.1% to itraconazole and 3.2% to voriconazole. The isolates demonstrated very low voriconazole MICs, in which 79% (49/62) presented values of 0.015 mug/ml. All Candida isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B. The results reported here showed that although C. albicans continues to be present in one-half of oral Candida carriage of HIV-infected patients, Candida non-albicans species are increasing among these patients. Besides, the findings of resistant isolates endorse the role of antifungal susceptibility testing whenever antifungal treatment with azoles is planned.

Onychomycosis defined as fungal infection of the nail represents more than 50% of all onychopathies. Epidemiological studies have shown that this mycosis is worldwide in occurrence, but with geographical variation in distribution. The direct microscopy and culture of the nail samples were performed to identify the causative agent. Out of 2273 patients with nail infection examined between January 2000 and December 2004 in Goiania, state of Goias, Brazil, diagnosis of onychomycosis was confirmed in 1282 cases, with dermatophytes and Candida species being the most common aetiological agents isolated. Dermatophyte onychomycosis was more common in toenails than in fingernails, while onychomycosis caused by yeast had a similar frequency in both toenails and fingernails. Among the species identified, Candida albicans was responsible for 492 cases (38.4%) of onychomycosis, Trichophyton rubrum was found in 327 cases (25.6%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes in 258 cases (20.1%). Other fungi isolated from nail infections included Aspergillus sp., Trichosporon sp., Geotrichum sp. and Fusarium sp. In our study, yeast of the genus Candida were the dominant cause of onychomycosis in women and dermatophytes were the principal cause of this condition in men.

The development of more effective and less toxic antifungal agents is required for the treatment of dermatophytosis. Plants and their preparations have been used as medicines against infectious diseases. Extracts of Ocimum gratissimum leaves were investigated for in vitro antifungal activity, using agar dilution technique against dermatophytes. The extracts (hexane, chloroform fractions, the essential oil and eugenol) produced antifungal activities against Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes. Trichophyton rubrum, the most common aetiological agent of dermatophytosis in Goiânia, state of Goiás, Brazil, was also the most susceptible dermatophyte. The hexane fraction and eugenol were the most active. Hexane fraction inhibited the growth of 100% of dermatophytes at a concentration of 125 microg ml(-1), while eugenol inhibited the growth of 80% of dermatophytes at this same concentration. These results show that extracts of O. gratissimum are active in vitro against human pathogenic dermatophytes.

We evaluated the antifungal activities of amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole in 70 Cryptococcus neoformans strains obtained from cerebrospinal fluid from AIDS patients and 40 C. neoformans strains isolated from the environment. Four clinical isolates were identified as C. neoformans var. gattii. The susceptibility test was done using a broth microdilution method according to NCCLS M27-A2. Range minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for C. neoformans clinical isolates were 0.06-1.0 microg/mL for amphotericin B, 0.125-8 microg/mL for fluconazole, 0.03-0.5 microg/mL for itraconazole and 0.03-0.25 microg/mL for voriconazole. C. neoformans environmental isolates showed range MICs 0.015-0.125 microg/mL, 0.25-2.0 microg/mL, 0.007-0.125 microg/mL and 0.03-0.25 microg/mL for amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole respectively. The MICs results obtained from clinical and environmental isolates showed similar pattern of susceptibility and no resistance has been found in our isolates.