Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0020505 (hyperphagia)
 6,116 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Infections caused by the opportunistic yeast pathogen, Candida albicans, are becoming increasingly important. Superficial Candida infections, particularly those of the mouth and vagina, are very common; for example, candidal vaginitis plaques millions of women worldwide, often proving refractory to treatment. Systemic candidosis is much rarer, but it is an important hazard of modern medical procedures such as transplant surgery, i.v. hyperalimentation, and immunosuppressive therapy. One significant virulence factor of C. albicans is its ability to secrete extracellular acid proteinase. This attribute is shared by C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis, but not by other less pathogenic Candida species. The enzymes produced by these yeasts are all carboxyl proteinases capable of degrading secretory IgA, the major immunoglobulin of mucous membranes. Some have keratino- or collagenolytic activity. Two secretory proteinases of C. albicans have been purified and characterized; their properties are reviewed. Possible applications of this work to the treatment and diagnosis of candidosis are discussed.
 ...
PMID:Candida proteinases and candidosis. 306 60

Recent reports suggest that pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is more common among users of the IUD than among those using other forms of contraception and that there is an association between IUD use and pelvic actinomycosis. In 1979 a woman at the University of New Mexico Hospital died from pelvic actinomycosis, the 2nd reported death from this disease associated with the use of an IUD, although her death from pulmonary embolus and Candida endocartidis should more appropriately be considered a complication of intravenous hyperalimentation. At least 25 patients are reported to have had serious pelvic actinomycosis associated with the use of an IUD. No particular type of IUD seems less likely to be associated with actinomycosis. Actinomyces are normally present in the gut and oropharynx, so that inoculation of the vagina with stool or saliva in combination with trauma induced by the foreign body such as an IUD may allow the actinomyces to enter tissues. Actinomyces are easily detected by Papanicolaou-stained cervicovaginal smears and are present in as many as 25% of symptomatic women using IUDs. Culture techniques usually fail in detecting actinomyces, the need for an anaerobic environment or overgrowth by bacteria which invariably accompany actinomyces are the usual causes of failure. Usual signs of IUD-associated actinomycosis are pelvic and lower abdominal or back pain, vaginal discharge, fever, and elevation of leukocyte count which are similar to symptoms of mild PID. Therefore these symptoms demand a Papanicolaou-stained cervicovaginal smear and search for actinomyces. Treatment includes removal of the IUD and administration of penicillin. However at least 1 patient after receiving treatment returned later with actinomycotic tubo-ovarian and subphrenic abscesses. A period of at least 4-6 weeks of therapy is usually recommended. Most patients with pelvic masses underwent hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in addition to penicillin and IUD removal; a few were successfully treated with drainage of an intra-abdominal abscess.
 ...
PMID:Pelvic actinomycosis associated with use of intrauterine device: a new challenge for the surgeon. 706 52