Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0022568 (keratitis)
 5,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important cause of infection in immunosuppressed patients, particularly those with cancer. However, it is being recognized with greater frequency in patients who appear to be immunocompetent. Changes in modern lifestyles have led to the appearance of some new manifestations of pseudomonas infection including corneal ulceration and keratitis associated with contact lenses, and hot-tub- or whirlpool-associated folliculitis. These represent additional hazards to patients with cancer. Many studies, both in animals and humans, have contributed to our knowledge of the pathogenesis, immunology, treatment, and prevention of pseudomonas infections. Although the aminoglycosides represented a significant step forward in the treatment of these infections, of greater importance was the discovery of the antipseudomonal penicillins. These antibiotics are more effective than the aminoglycosides in neutropenic patients, who are especially susceptible to pseudomonal infections. The older antipseudomonal penicillins (carbenicillin, tircarcillin) have largely been replaced by newer ones (mezlocillin, azlocillin, pipercillin) which are more potent in vitro against P. aeruginosa. Although the accepted therapeutic practice has been to utilize a penicillin in combination with an aminoglycoside, the introduction of newer beta lactam agents and fluoroquinolones with antipseudomonal properties offers the possibility of other approaches to combination therapy. These include the combination of a penicillin or a cephalosporin or the combination of a quinolone with an aminoglycoside or a betalactam antibiotic. However, the development of newer antimicrobial agents is not likely to be a lasting solution to the problem of pseudomonas infections. Since pseudomonas infection often progresses rapidly, optimal results will always depend upon the prompt initiation of appropriate therapy in febrile patients, particularly those who are at high risk. The use of granulocyte transfusions has proved to be of limited benefit. Early data with the use of monoclonal antibodies is promising, and the results of large-scale trials are eagerly awaited. It is hoped that continuing investigation of pseudomonas vaccines will lead to the discovery of effective prophylaxis for highly susceptible patients. It is also hoped that with the availability of GM-CSF it will become possible to reduce the period of risk for serious infections. Finally, a reduction in the frequency of microbiologically proven P. aeruginosa infections in cancer patients should not lead to the assumption that these organisms do not constitute a problem in such patients anymore. The use of prophylactic antibiotics and prompt empiric antibiotic coverage for therapy has resulted in this decline. Cultures are therefore unlikely to be positive with the same frequency as they were before antimicrobial prophylaxis and empiric antibiotic therapy became standard practice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in cancer patients. 173 12

Fusarium species frequently implicated in human infections include F. solani, F. oxysporum and F. moniliforme. Among immunocompetent patients, tissue breakdown (as caused by trauma, severe burns or foreign body) is the risk factor for fusariosis. Infections include keratitis, onychomycosis and occasionally peritonitis and cellulitis. Treatment is usually successful and requires removal of the foreign body as well as antifungal therapy. Among immunocompromised patients, mainly patients with haematological malignancies, Fusarium spp. are the second most common pathogenic mould. Risk factors for disseminated fusariosis include severe immunosuppression (neutropenia, lymphopenia, graft-versus-host disease, corticosteroids), colonisation, tissue damage, and receipt of a graft from an HLA-mismatched or unrelated donor. Clinical presentation includes refractory fever (> 90%), skin lesions and sino-pulmonary infections ( approximately 75%). Type of skin lesions includes ecthyma-like, target, and multiple subcutaneous nodules. Skin lesions lead to diagnosis in > 50% of patients and precede fungemia by approximately 5 days. In contrast to disseminated aspergillosis, disseminated fusariosis can be diagnosed by blood cultures in 40% of patients. Histopathology reveals hyaline acute-branching septate hyphae similar to those found in aspergillosis. Mortality from fusarial infections in immunocompromised patients ranges from 50% to 80%. Host immune status is the single most important factor predicting outcome. Persistent neutropenia and corticosteroid therapy significantly affect survival. Optimal treatment has not been established. Anecdotal successes have been reported with various agents (high-dose amphotericin B, lipid-based amphotericin B formulations, itraconazole, voriconazole) and with cytokine-stimulated granulocyte transfusions. Preventing fusariosis relies on detection and treatment of cutaneous damage prior to commencing immunosuppression and decreasing environmental exposure to Fusaria (via air and water).
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PMID:Human fusariosis. 1474 3

Fungal keratitis is a relatively common ocular disease requiring positive medical management combined with surgical intervention. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) was reported to promote the activation and mobilization of neutrophile granulocyte to foci of inflammation. This study investigated the effect of IL-17 production from Th17 cells on the progression of fungal keratitis. A mouse model of fungal keratitis induced by Candida albicans was successfully constructed to detect infiltration of inflammatory cells in corneal tissues by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry. Fungal load capacity of mouse cornea was also detected. The regulatory role of IL-17 in fungal keratitis with the involvement of CX43 was investigated with the relevant expression of inflammatory factors detected and activation of vascular endothelial cells assessed. Furthermore, in vivo experiment was also performed to confirm the role of CX43 in keratitis. Mice with fungal keratitis showed increased level of inflammatory cytokines and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Silencing IL-17 in Th17 cells and overexpressing CX43 could inhibit the activation of vascular endothelial cells. Besides, CX43 knockdown in vivo alleviated fungal keratitis in mice. The possible mechanism of the above findings could be IL-17 inhibiting the level of CX43 through the AKT signaling pathway. Taken together, IL-17 could inhibit the occurrence and development of fungal keratitis by suppressing CX43 expression through the AKT signaling pathway. Therefore, this study provides a potential target for the treatment of fungal keratitis.
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PMID:IL-17 produced by Th17 cells alleviates the severity of fungal keratitis by suppressing CX43 expression in corneal peripheral vascular endothelial cells. 3066 59