Aims:  The in vitro activity of some essential oils (EO) (thyme red, fennel, clove, pine, sage, lemon balm and lavender) against clinical and environmental fungal strains was determined. Methods and Results:  The minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined by a microdilution method in RPMI 1640 and by a vapour contact assay. The composition of oils was analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry. The results indicated that the oils antifungal activity depended on the experimental assay used. The inhibiting effects of EO in vapour phase were generally higher than those in liquid state. According to both methods thyme red and clove were found to be the oils with the widest spectrum of activity against all fungi tested. Conclusions:  Despite the differences between the two methods, our results demonstrate that some EO are very active on dermatophytes and dematiaceous fungi. However, more data will be necessary to confirm this good in vitro efficacy. Significance and Impact of the Study:  This study could identify candidates of EO for developing alternative methods to control environmental and clinically undesirable filamentous fungi.

Intestinal colonization by lactobacilli is suggested to be a prerequisite to normal mucosal immune functions. An inadequate level of lactobacilli may be involved in appearance of allergic disease of which, infantile colic, is often considered an early clinical manifestation. The aim of the study is to evaluate intestinal lactobacilli in breast-fed infants with infantile colic and healthy infants. Fifty-six breast-fed infants, aged 15-60 days were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups: colicky (30 cases) and healthy (26 cases) according to Wessel's criteria. Stool samples were collected, diluted and cultured on selective media. The colonies were counted, reported as colony forming unit (cfu) per gram of faeces and identified by biochemical methods. Different colonization patterns of lactobacilli were found among colicky and healthy infants. Lactobacillus brevis (4.34 x 10(8) cfu/g) and L. lactis lactis (2.51 x 10(7) cfu/g) were found only in colicky infants while L. acidophilus (2.41 x 10(7) cfu/g) was found only in healthy infants. Lactobacillus brevis and L. lactis lactis might be involved in the pathogenesis of infantile colic increasing meteorism and abdominal distension. Further studies are required to understand how the observed differences may be involved in the pathogenesis of this common disorder.

Allergic rhinitis is known to be one of the most common chronic diseases in the industrialized world. According to the concept that allergic rhinitis patients generally suffer from an immune deficit, in order to stimulate specifically or aspecifically their immune system, immunomodulating agents from various sources, such as synthetic compounds, tissue extracts or a mixture of bacterial extracts, have been used. The aim of the present trial is to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment with an immunostimulating vaccine consisting of a polyvalent mechanical bacterial lysate (PMBL) in the prophylaxis of allergic rhinitis and subsequently to analyze its in vivo effects on immune responses. 41 allergic rhinitis patients were enrolled: 26 patients were randomly assigned to the group for PMBL sublingual treatment and 15 others to the group for placebo treatment. For all 26 patients blood samples were drawn just before (To) and after 3 months of PMBL treatment (T 3) to evaluate plasma IgE levels (total and allergen-specific) and the cytokine production involved in the allergic response (IL-4, IFN-y). The results of our study indicate that PMBL is effective in vivo in the reduction or in the elimination of the symptoms in rhinitis subjects during the treatment period in comparison to a non-immunostimulating treatment. A significant and clinically relevant improvement was found in 61.5%, a stationary clinical response was registered in 38.4% and no negative side effects associated with the medication or worsening were recorded. At the end of a 3-month follow up period the clinical picture remained the same as that observed at T 3 • PMBL treatment did not affect the serum IgE levels (either total or allergen-specific) and did not induce significant changes in IFN-y concentration. In contrast, PMBL therapy may be accompanied, in some patients, by a potential immunomodulating activity by decreasing IL-4 cytokine expression. In the last 20 years allergies have increased in countries with a relatively high standard of living (I). Residency in urban or industrial areas, changes in lifestyle and the falling incidence of microbial infections may be responsible for this increase to some extent. Prevalence estimates suggest, for example, that seasonal allergic rhinitis occurs in 10% and perennial allergic rhinitis in 10-20% of individuals living in industrialized countries, and for children the prevalence rates may be as high as 40% (2). Poorly controlled allergic rhinitis is also a major risk factor for sinus infections and may contribute to the development of asthma and to exacerbations in those subjects who already have

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The influence of caspofungin on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Candida albicans was investigated. Caspofungin, at all of the concentrations tested (2, 3.2, and 8 g/ml), significantly increased intracellular killing by PMNs through its direct action on both yeast cells and PMNs, indicating the potential ability of caspofungin to synergize with phagocytes for candidal killing. Caspofungin may therefore constitute an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of invasive fungal infections, including those refractory to conventional treatment with azole agents.Echinocandins, such as caspofungin, are new drugs that broaden the available therapeutic arsenal for invasive fungal infection (IFI) treatment (6,7,11). Caspofungin displays favorable pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic characteristics and has an excellent toxicological profile and antifungal activity against Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., Histoplasma spp., Blastomyces spp., and Coccidioides spp. (3,7,11,12,15). As the current trend in therapy requires drugs with high in vitro activity associated with the capacity to potentiate host defense mechanisms, especially in immunocompromised hosts (2, 19), the interaction of caspofungin with human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was evaluated, focusing on both the phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Candida albicans.(This study was presented in part at the Congress of the Italian Society of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Turin, Italy, 20 to 22 June 2008.)A clinical C. albicans strain isolated from blood and identified by biochemical methods was subcultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar (Oxoid S.p.A., Milan, Italy) to ensure viability and purity. Yeast cultures consisted entirely of blastoconidia and had a slight tendency to differentiate into pseudohyphae during the course of the experiments.Caspofungin acetate (Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd., Hoddesdon, United Kingdom) was dissolved in pyrogen-free water and stored at Ϫ20°C. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed with an inoculum of 10 3 CFU/ml, in accordance with CLSI M27-A3 (4), and an inoculum of 10 6 CFU/ml was used to perform tests with phagocytes.PMNs were separated from lithium heparinized venous blood using Ficoll-Paque (Pharmacia S.p.A., Milan, Italy) and adjusted to 10 6 cells/ml in RPMI 1640 medium (Gibco Laboratories, Grand Island, NY) (1, 5). Viability, determined by trypan blue exclusion, was greater than 95%.The effect of caspofungin on the phagocytosis of radiolabeled C. albicans ([ 3 H]uracil [specific activity, 1,270 GBq/ mmol; NEN Life Science Products, Milan, Italy]) by PMNs was investigated by incubating the yeast cells (10 6 invasive fungal cells/ml) and PMNs (10 6 cells/ml) at 37°C in a shaking water bath in the presence of 2 g/ml (MIC), 3.2 g/ml, or 8 g/ml caspofungin; the last two concentrations were within the range achieved clinically (8, 9). Caspofungin-free controls were included. After 30, 60, or 90 min, phagocytosis was assessed (18,19). PMNs were centrifuged twice at 200 ϫ g fo...