Onychomycosis is a common infection of the nail plate caused by fungal microrganisms, and represents approximately 50% of nails disorders and 30% of all superficial mycotic infections. We present a study of the frequency, epidemiology and clinical aspects of onychomycosis in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul during the period 1988-1997.

Tinea pedis in the most common type of dermatophytosis, but can mimic many cutaneous diseases and tend to be chronic. We present a study of the frequency, epidemiology and clinical aspects of tinea pedis in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul during the period 1988-1997.

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This study compared the performance of three culture media used for the determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of amphotericin B and fluconazole against 48 Cryptococcus neoformans strains. For amphotericin B the media employed were RPMI 1640 medium, as indicated by NCCLS as reference, Yeast Nitrogen Base (YNB) as proposed by Ghannoum et al. (YNB-1), Antibiotic medium 3 (AM3) indicated by others, and YNB as proposed by us (YNB-2). In YNB-1, amphotericin B showed broader MIC ranges, varying from 0.125 µg/ml to 1.0 µg/ml; in RPMI 1640 medium and YNB-2 the MICs were similar and in AM3 the MIC ranges were narrower. The same pattern was observed for MIC 90%. For fluconazole the media employed were RPMI 1640 and YNB-1. The MIC ranges were broader and elevated when YNB-1 was employed. MIC 50% were 2.0 µg/ml in RPMI 1640 medium and 4.0 µg/ml in YNB-1. Our results indicate that RPMI 1640 supplemented with 2% glucose allowed a good growth at 48h; YNB as recommended by Ghannoum et al. provided a broader MIC range, AM3 provided a narrow MIC range for amphotericin B, and YNB-2 was very similar to RPMI 1640 medium.

This paper reports a case of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis in a patient without underlying disease. Aspergilluria was the starting point in the search for the origin of the pulmonary disease, later confirmed by an open lung biopsy.