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vertebral north american blastomycosis.a single case of back pain due to blastomyces dermatitidis infection limited solely to the skeleton is reported with a discussion of the differential diagnosis. this rare disease must be differentiated from other destructive bone lesions such as tuberculosis or tumors because of the availability of effective treatment.19806445602
evaluation of commercial reagents to identify the exoantigens of blastomyces dermatitidis, coccidioides immitis, and histoplasma species cultures.commercially available individual serologic reagents (nolan/scott biological laboratories, inc.) and an "exoantigen identification system" (a kit supplied by immuno-mycologics, inc.) were evaluated at two laboratories for their possible application in the microimmunodiffusion test to identify blastomyces dermatitidis, coccidioides immitis, and histoplasma species. both laboratories accurately identified all the cultures, and comparison of the results obtained with the commercial products and tho ...19846465085
the spectrum and significance of pleural disease in blastomycosis.to determine the incidence and significance of pleural disease in blastomycosis, we reviewed the chest roentgenograms and medical records of 26 consecutive patients with biopsy- or culture-proved blastomyces dermatitidis infection. twenty-three of the 26 (88 percent) had radiographic evidence of blastomycotic pleural disease. pleural reaction that regressed on therapy was mild (less than 1.0 cm thickening on epa chest film) in 12. more extensive pleural thickening (1.5 to 3.0 cm) was observed in ...19846478898
blastomyces dermatitidis chemotactic factor: kinetics of production and biological characterization evaluated by a modified neutrophil chemotaxis assay.chemotactic activity for human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (pmns) was detectable in culture filtrates (cfs) of blastomyces dermatitidis and may have influenced the pathogenesis of blastomycosis. production of this chemotaxin depended upon culture age and medium; peak levels were achieved after incubation for 17 days or more in minimal essential medium. this factor was also chemotactic for human monocytes. cf was temperature stable even after treatment at 100 degrees c for 60 min. the activity ...19846480118
epidemic of pulmonary blastomycosis (namekagon fever) in wisconsin canoeists.epidemics of pulmonary blastomycosis have rarely been reported. the following epidemic occurred in a minnesota family and several of their acquaintances after a canoeing trip in northwestern wisconsin. the common exposure area was most likely a campsite, located along the upper reaches of the namekagon river. the namekagon river valley is a known endemic area of namekagon fever (blastomycosis) in dogs. approximately one month after returning home, five of the eight members of the group had posit ...19846488903
conversion of blastomyces dermatitidis to the yeast form at 37 degrees c and 26 degrees c.a partially defined agar medium, kt, has been developed and compared with brain heart infusion agar for the conversion of blastomyces dermatitidis to the yeast form. on the kt medium, the mold form converted to a yeast form within 72 h of incubation at 37 degrees c or after 3 weeks at 26 degrees c. a nutritionally dependent dimorphism in b. dermatitidis was observed.19846490843
a case of blastomycosis from zaria, nigeria.a case of blastomycosis from zaria, nigeria is reported. the clinical features were indistinguishable from those of tuberculosis which is very common in this environment. lack of response to anti-tuberculosis therapy within eight weeks prompted the search for other organisms which resulted in the isolation of blastomyces dermatitidis. compatible histological evidence was obtained. subsequent favourable response to amphotericin b was evident. infection with this organism should be included in the ...19846506148
live blastomyces dermatitidis yeast-induced responses of immune and nonimmune human mononuclear cells.peripheral blood mononuclear cells from humans with treated blastomycosis or from normal persons were cultured with live blastomyces dermatitidis yeast. there was no inhibition of growth of the fungus in this suspension culture technique but morphologic and functional differences of the human cells were great between the two groups. lymphocyte stimulation by live blastomyces yeast was found in the patient group but not in the normal donors. these events add to the observations that cellular immu ...19846513994
ultrastructural changes in blastomyces dermatitidis after in vitro exposure to lidocaine.electron microscopic examination of yeasts of blastomyces dermatitidis, exposed in vitro to concentrations of lidocaine that occur when the drug is used for topical anesthesia, showed that lidocaine rapidly damaged intracellular structures. the extent of damage was dependent on the concentration of drug and length of exposure. the observed ultrastructural changes were very similar to those reported for other drugs that directly damage membranes. this relationship suggests that the antifungal eff ...19846527699
the iron-hydrogen peroxide-iodide system is fungicidal: activity against the yeast phase of blastomyces dermatitidis.a series of experiments show the potency of a newly described microbicidal system, involving iron, h2o2, and halide, in killing a fungus (blastomyces dermatitidis). b dermatitidis has previously been shown susceptible to the myeloperoxidase-h2o2-halide system. the present studies show killing of either of two strains in 1 hour if fe++ at 5 x 10(-5)m, h2o2 at 5 x 10(-5)m and kl at 5 x 10(-4)m are all present (p less than 0.001). edta, a fe++ chelator, abrogates killing. the mechanism presumably u ...19846592286
blastomycosis: a new endemic focus in canada.a survey of the 38 patients resident in ontario from whose sputum, body fluids or tissues blastomyces dermatitidis was cultured by our laboratory between 1970 and 1981 revealed a new endemic focus to the north and east of lake superior, where 20 of 27 traceable patients lived. direct microscopy revealed b. dermatitidis in 90% of the cases. a lack of clinical awareness, however, had often resulted in a delay (average 15 weeks) in diagnosis. in two cases the disease was identified only at autopsy. ...19836616383
inhibition of blastomyces dermatitidis by topical lidocaine.this study was designed to determine if lidocaine inhibited growth of blastomyces dermatitidis and thereby reduced recovery of the fungus from bronchoscopy specimens. case records of 36 patients with pulmonary blastomycosis showed that when the fungus was present at microscopy, whether the specimen was sputum or bronchial washings, culture of the bronchoscopic specimen was more frequently negative than the culture of the sputum specimen (p less than .05). in addition, lidocaine was shown to inhi ...19836617278
enhancing effect of murine polymorphonuclear neutrophils (pmn) on the multiplication of blastomyces dermatitidis in vitro and in vivo.the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of murine polymorphonuclear neutrophils (pmn) on the multiplication of the fungal pathogen blastomyces dermatitidis in vitro and in vivo. with a newly devised method, pmn were obtained in adequate numbers (7 x 10(6) per mouse) and purity (92%) for these studies. in 24 h co-cultures pmn, but not lymph node cells (lnc), enhanced the replication of virulent (v) and avirulent (av) strains of b. dermatitidis 61% and 34%, respectively. in 72 h co-c ...19836652972
activation of murine polymorphonuclear neutrophils for fungicidal activity with supernatants from antigen-stimulated immune spleen cell cultures.an in vitro model of in vivo immunological activation of murine polymorphonuclear neutrophils (pmn) was developed. culture supernatants of spleen cells from blastomyces dermatitidis-immunized mice stimulated with b. dermatitidis antigens in vitro were studied. incubation of the supernatants with thioglycolate-elicited pmn enabled the cells to significantly reduce (31 +/- 6%) b. dermatitidis inoculum cfu. optimum production of active supernatants occurred after 4 to 6 days of stimulation in vitro ...19846746099
cultural and histopathologic confirmation of canine blastomycosis diagnosed by an agar-gel immunodiffusion test.sixteen sera from 17 dogs with blastomycosis produced a precipitin band identical with the diagnostically significant precipitin a band formed by a blastomyces dermatitidis reference antiserum and a soluble b dermatitidis yeast-form antigen in the agar-gel immunodiffusion test (94% sensitivity). the other serum from a dog with histopathologic demonstration of b dermatitidis in pulmonic tissues produced an unrelated precipitin band. sixteen of the 17 diagnoses made by the detection of precipitin ...19806778271
serologic response in blastomycosis: diagnostic value of double immunodiffusion assay.double immunodiffusion (did) is a useful, inexpensive antibody screening test that is more specific than complement fixation for blastomycosis. seven of 10 patients with proved blastomycosis had positive results on did assays for antibody to the a antigen of blastomyces dermatitidis. sputum cytologic examination and skin or other tissue biopsies may be diagnostic if the organism is demonstrated. culture remains the sina qua non of diagnosis, and a negative did test result for a precipitin does n ...19816786147
use of the exoantigen test to identify blastomyces dermatitidis, coccidioides immitis, and histoplasma capsulatum in mixed cultures.cultures of blastomyces dermatitidis, coccidioides immitis, and histoplasma capsulatum were inoculated with each of five saprophytes to simulate contaminated cultures. the cultures were extracted and tested in the immunodiffusion exoantigen test. twenty-nine of 30 cultures were correctly identified. the saprophytes did not appear to interfere with the exoantigen test.19816789667
identification of the active precipitin components in a purified preparation of the a antigen of blastomyces dermatitidis.a purified a-antigen preparation of blastomyces dermatitidis was determined to be composed of five major glycoprotein bands, visible with coomassie blue and periodic acid-schiff staining of polyacrylamide gels. at least 20 additional protein bands were detected by using a silver stain, which was 100 times more sensitive than the coomassie method. two components of this mixture were determined to be associated with the a-antigenic activity of b. dermatitidis. of several antigen preparations exami ...19816790440
blastomycosis: report of the first case from alberta canada.the first known case of laboratory confirmed blastomycosis in alberta occurred in 1970. the patient, who is believed never to have left alberta, presented with of headaches, sore neck and impaired intellect. initially, tuberculous or cryptococcal meningitis was suspected, but laboratory findings did not support the diagnosis. a fungus resembling blastomyces dermatitidis was isolated from the venticular cerebrospinal fluid and lung at autopsy. a few yeast cells suggestive of b. dermatitidis were ...19826813742
diagnosis of histoplasmosis and blastomycosis by an antiglobulin hemagglutination test.an antiglobulin hemagglutination test was developed for detection of antibody directed to histoplasma capsulatum and blastomyces dermatitidis. the substances responsible for spontaneous agglutination of erythrocytes were removed from histoplasmin and blastomycin by vacuum dialysis, and partial purification of the antigens by gel filtration chromatography on sephadex g-150 allowed removal of additional nonantigenic material which competed with the antigens for binding on the erythrocyte surface. ...19826819794
pulmonary blastomycosis: filamentous forms in an immunocompromised patient with fulminating respiratory failure.a 72-year-old woman with sjögren's syndrome manifested acute fulminating respiratory failure and was treated with high-dose corticosteroids. autopsy revealed overwhelming pulmonary infection by blastomyces dermatitidis with no evidence of extrapulmonary dissemination. hyphal forms, usually not observed in vivo, were noted in premortem sputum samples as well as in sections of lung obtained at autopsy. it is proposed that the immunocompromised state of the patient played a pathogenetic role in the ...19836832764
activation of peritoneal macrophages by concanavalin a or mycobacterium bovis bcg for fungicidal activity against blastomyces dermatitidis and effect of specific antibody and complement.with a new short-term assay, where the reduction of cfus in the inoculum could be measured, we investigated the killing of the dimorphic fungal pathogen blastomyces dermatitidis in its yeast phase by murine peritoneal macrophages. peritoneal macrophages from concanavalin a- or mycobacterium bovis bcg-treated mice, but not resident or thioglycolate-elicited macrophages, significantly reduced the cfus of b. dermatitidis in the inoculum. the activation of peritoneal macrophages for fungicidal activ ...19836832821
immunomodulation by blastomyces dermatitidis: functional activity of murine peritoneal macrophages.cell-mediated immunity plays the dominant role in the immune response of mice to blastomyces dermatitidis infections. since macrophages play an important role in cell-mediated immunity, the interactions between sensitized murine peritoneal macrophages and the yeast phase of b. dermatitidis were investigated. scanning electron microscopy showed that the sensitized macrophages readily phagocytized b. dermatitidis yeast cells. in addition, there appeared to be activation of metabolic pathways withi ...19836840859
inbred mouse strains differ in resistance to lethal coccidioides immitis infection.inbred strains of mice were infected intraperitoneally with coccidioides immitis, and the mean lethal dose was determined after 28 days. dba/2n mice had a mean lethal dose of greater than 10(5) arthroconidia, whereas balb/cann, c57bl/6n, and c57l/j mice had a mean lethal dose of less than or equal to 10(3). since both balb/c and dba/2 mice are the h-2d haplotype, resistance is not primarily determined by the major histocompatibility locus. resistance was the dominant phenotype. the pattern of c. ...19836852925
fungal infection of the lung. the big 3--histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis.diseases caused by the normally pathogenic fungi histoplasma capsulatum, blastomyces dermatitidis, and coccidioides immitis are common but seldom serious. treatment is usually needed only if respiratory status is compromised, if there is progressive tissue destruction, or if the infection disseminates outside the lungs. the recent availability of ketoconazole has changed the approach to treatment of some forms of fungal disease. although this drug has no firmly established role, it has proved us ...19836856531
susceptibility of blastomyces dermatitidis strains to products of oxidative metabolism.three strains of blastomyces dermatitidis which differ in their virulence for mice were exposed in their yeast form to various components of the peroxidase-hydrogen peroxide-halide system. susceptibility to h2o2 alone correlated with virulence, with the most virulent strain (atcc 26199) least susceptible (50% lethal dose, greater than 50 mm) and an avirulent strain (atcc 26197) most susceptible (50% lethal dose less than 3.3 mm). a strain of intermediate virulence (atcc 26198) was of intermediat ...19836885169
granuloma formation and killing functions of granuloma in congenitally athymic nude mice infected with blastomyces dermatitidis and paracoccidioides brasiliensis.we did this experiment to clarify the mechanism of granuloma formation and the killing functions of granuloma in nude mice against blastomyces dermatitidis and paracoccidioides brasiliensis infections. b. dermatitidis a-295 and p. brasiliensis b-1183 were the cultures used. congenitally athymic nude (nu/nu) mice and their heterozygous (nu/+) littermates of balb/c background were the test animals. from culture a-295, 0.1% and 1% cell suspensions (wet weight) were prepared and from culture b-1183 ...19836888503
immunoadjuvant effects of blastomyces dermatitidis against el 4 lymphoma in c57bl/6j mice.the ability of thimerosal-killed blastomyces dermatitidis yeast cells, which greatly enhance the cell-mediated immune response in c57bl/6j mice, to act as an immunopotentiator against el 4 lymphoma was investigated. mice treated with yeast cells were protected from as many as 10(4) tumor cells. complete suppression of tumor growth was observed in treated animals that received ip injections of 10(2) or 10(3) tumor cells. the mice, however, were not immune to further el 4 lymphoma cell challenge. ...19826958909
presumed blastomycosis endophthalmitis.a 49-year-old outdoor laborer had an endophthalmitis in one eye and small posterior segment lesions in the other, as well as raised lesions on his skin. the diagnosis of disseminated north american blastomycosis was established by the performance of a biopsy on one of the skin lesions. the ocular inflammation slowly improved with intravenous amphotericin b therapy, and the ocular lesions, presumably caused by blastomyces dermatitidis, were followed clinically for six months. the patient died of ...19826984622
experimental murine candidiasis: cell-mediated immunity after cutaneous challenge.male cba/j mice, sensitized by cutaneous inoculation with viable candida albicans blastospores, were used to study in vivo and in vitro cellular immune responses. three antigens of c. albicans, viz., a cell wall glycoprotein (gp), a membrane extract (ppt-hex), and soluble cytoplasmic substances (scs), were used in vitro in a lymphocyte stimulation assay, whereas the gp and ppt-hex were used in vivo to detect delayed hypersensitivity by the footpad assay. delayed hypersensitivity to gp and ppt-he ...19806987165
lymphocyte function in relapsed pulmonary blastomycosis.lymphocyte function was studied in two patients with multiple relapses of pulmonary blastomycosis following antifungal therapy. neither patient was anergic to routine delayed hypersensitivity skin testing with common antigens. both had normal in vitro lymphocyte transformation responses to standard mitogens and common microbial antigens. the ability of lymphocytes from the two patients to respond to antigens of the infecting organism was evaluated using a yeast phase blastomyces dermatitidis ext ...19806989877
lymphocyte transformation in presumed ocular histoplasmosis.lymphocytes from individuals with inactive macular disciform lesions of presumed ocular histoplasmosis challenged with three histoplasmin antigens incorporated tritiated thymidine at a significantly higher rate than histoplasmin-stimulated lymphocytes of matched control and peripheral scar groups. this finding is consistent with the etiologic association of the disciform ocular syndrome and previous systemic infection with histoplasma capsulatum. the disciform group had a higher mean response t ...19817020663
blastomyces dermatitidis antigen-induced lymphocytes reactivity in human blastomycosis.because of the unavailability of a suitable antigen, specific in vitro lymphocyte reactivity has not been investigated in persons who have had systemic blastomycosis. twelve persons who had recovered from blastomycosis were evaluated, and all were found to exhibit strongly positive and apparently specific in vitro cellular responses to an alkali-soluble, water-soluble extract of blastomyces dermatitidis yeast-phase cell walls. significant lymphocyte transformation induced by this soluble antigen ...19817024130
safety considerations in handling exoantigen extracts from pathogenic fungi.currently, exoantigen test procedures for identifying mycelial form cultures of pathogenic molds require that the fungi being extracted be treated with thimerosal to render them safe for handling. recent studies have demonstrated that thimerosal may not be fungicidal. in view of these reports, we investigated the effects of thimerosal and formaldehyde on a variety of exoantigen preparations. mature mycelial form fungal cultures, including cultures of blastomyces dermatitidis, coccidioides immiti ...19827040464
antigens and chemical composition of blastomyces dermatitidis. 19827048101
blastomycosis.blastomycosis is the infection caused by the dimorphic fungus blastomyces dermatitidis. the fungus was believed to be limited in distribution to north america but is found in africa and northern south america, too. the exact natural habitat of b. dermatitidis is still uncertain with only rare reported isolation of the fungus from the environment. the inability to recover the organism from nature along with the absence of both a reliable skin test antigen and a sensitive serological test have sig ...19827049575
the effect of growth media upon the ultrastructure of blastomyces dermatitidis.the ultrastructure of yeast, intermediate transitional forms, and mycelia of blastomyces dermatitidis cultured in brain heart infusion (bhi) was compared with that of like forms grown in leucine-glucose (lg) medium. blastomyces dermatitidis yeasts were also grown in yeast extract - peptone (yp) medium and in glucose - yeast extract - peptone (gyp) medium, and their ultrastructures were compared with bhi-grown yeasts. yeast, intermediate, and mycelial cells cultured in lg had more granular cytopl ...19827066766
production and characterization of a hybridoma-derived antibody to blastomyces dermatitidis.a hybridoma cell line was isolated which produced monoclonal antibody to one protein component of a yeast-phase cytoplasmic antigenic complex of blastomyces dermatitidis. the immunoglobulin m antibody product was characterized by immunodiffusion, autoradiography of polyacrylamide gels, and cellulose acetate electrophoresis. by attaching the antibody to an affinity gel, one major protein band was identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as the antigen for which the antibody was specific.19827068817
opposite effects of human monocytes, macrophages, and polymorphonuclear neutrophils on replication of blastomyces dermatitidis in vitro.the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of human monocytes, macrophages, and polymorphonuclear neutrophils (pmn) on the fungal pathogen blastomyces dermatitidis in vitro. peripheral blood monocyte monolayers significantly inhibited the replication of a virulent strain (v) and an avirulent strain (av) of b. dermatitidis by 35 and 28%, respectively. macrophage monolayers, derived from monocytes by in vitro culturing for 9 days, also inhibited the replication of v and av in 24-h cocu ...19827076300
maturity as a critical determinant of resistance to fungal infections: studies in murine blastomycosis.marked resistance of 9-week-old mice as compared to that of 5-week-old mice was demonstrated after pulmonary challenge with three strains of blastomyces dermatitidis of various virulences. quantitative studies with graded doses of the strain that was intermediate in virulence indicated that the difference in resistance between the two age groups was 1,000-fold. acquisition of resistance appeared to be gradual between the ages of 5 and 9 weeks. maturational differences among individual mice appea ...19827076304
isolation of blastomyces dermatitidis from the lungs of a bat, rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickei gray, in delhi.the isolation of blastomyces dermatitidis is reported from the lungs of one of 155 insectivorous bats, representing rhinopoma hardwickei hardwickei gray, inhabiting the abandoned first floor of a school building in old dehli. the identity of the fungus was based on its gross and microscopic cultural morphology including demonstration of its dimorphic character. it was further confirmed by determination of the capacity of the isolate to produce the "a" exo-antigen specific for b. dermatitidis and ...19827112335
spontaneous mutant of blastomyces dermatitidis attenuated in virulence for mice.a spontaneous mutation occurred in cultures of a virulent strain of blastomyces dermatitidis during serial passage at 35-37 degrees c. the mutant strain was shown to be 10,000-fold less virulent for mice than the parent strain, and this was independent of the challenge dose, the age of the challenged host, and the route of challenge (although attenuation was greater for pulmonary than for peritoneal challenge). the mutant grows as well as the parent in fungal media or in the presence of murine s ...19827112336
protection against pulmonary blastomycosis: correlation with cellular and humoral immunity in mice after subcutaneous nonlethal infection.a model of pulmonary blastomycosis in the mouse, in which the portal of entry is the same as natural human infection, was used to study resistance to challenge after subcutaneous infection. one week after subcutaneous infection, mice were partially resistant to pulmonary challenge, and mice challenged two weeks after infection were resistant. measurement of cellular and humoral immune responses to blastomyces dermatitidis antigens after subcutaneous infection showed the following. (i) delayed-ty ...19827118253
pathogen factors and host factors in murine pulmonary blastomycosis.factors related to pathogenesis were studied in a murine model of pulmonary fungal infection with strains of blastomyces dermatitidis. strain 26199v was greater than or equal to 10(5)-fold more lethal in pulmonary challenge than strain ga-1. this relationship between the two strains also occurred after intraperitoneal challenge. serial studies with lung cultures and histology of sacrificed animals after pulmonary challenge with similar doses, and challenge studies in mice of differing maturity, ...19827121557
primary inoculation blastomycosis in a veterinarian.a veterinarian cut his finger while performing an autopsy on a dog subsequently confirmed to have died of blastomycosis. a typical chancriform complex developed at the site of inoculation. culture of the lesion grew blastomyces dermatitidis. healing of the lesion occurred after 7 months and a course of potassium iodide. this is the first reported case of a canine necropsy accident leading to primary inoculation blastomycosis.19827174916
blastomyces dermatitidis and the adult respiratory distress syndrome. case reports and review of the literature.the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ards) developed in 2 patients with blastomycosis. in one, ards apparently followed the rupture of an infected subcarinal lymph node into a bronchus. extensive involvement of alveoli with blastomyces dermatitidis was noted at autopsy in both patients. four additional cases of blastomycosis with definite or presumed ards are reviewed. the clinical course of these 6 patients was characterized by a prolonged prodrome (median, 36 days), consistent with pulmona ...19827181230
[gilchrist's disease and fungal taxonomy: a thorny problem].the study of iconographical data and of six american and african strains of b. dermatitidis allows us to conclude that there are several discriminating characters between the members of the blastomyces dermatitidis complex. the african strains are distinguished by the lack of sexual forms and old strains show the lost of the m lead to y conversion. an identical character prevails among the strains of the two continents: tuberculate conidia which are obtained on corn meal agar. the authors are in ...19817197591
the echinulate conidia of blastomyces dermatitidis gilchrist and stokes and the taxonomic status of this species. 19827201567
observations on the chemical compositions of some pathogenic fungi for humans determined by x-ray microanalysis.the electron microprobe analyzer was used to study the chemical compositions of some pathogenic fungi for humans. elementary analysis was based on the characteristic x-ray spectra generated by the electrons passing through the specimens. this is a non-destructive method allowing to perform multiple elementary analysis in the same tissue. in order to increase our understanding of pathogenic fungi, small pieces of fungi tissue were analyzed. the species examined were histoplasma capsulatum, blasto ...19807203265
susceptibility differences of inbred strains of mice to blastomycosis.the susceptibility of inbred strains of mice to pulmonary blastomycosis was studied to derive information relevant to host resistance and genetic background. initial studies with eight strains with various h-2 backgrounds revealed the c3h/hej strain to be highly susceptible and dba/1j mice to be resistant. these observations were confirmed with various challenge inocula. these differences were not dependent on the size of the challenge, the strain of blastomyces dermatitidis, host age, or abilit ...19817216483
virulence of fungi: correlation of virulence of blastomyces dermatitidis in vivo with escape from macrophage inhibition of replication in vitro.strains of blastomyces dermatitidis which are virulent (v), attenuated (a), or avirulent (av) in mice have been identified. virulence of v has been reported to be associated with its ability to replicate in vivo, causing lethal infections in the lungs or in the peritoneal cavity. we report here that v, but not a or av, has the ability to replicate in vivo in nonlethal subcutaneous lesions. the possibility that v was able to replicate in vivo by evading primary host defenses was investigated. we ...19817251152
electron microscopy of the tissue phase formation of blastomyces dermatitidis in vitro and in naturally infected canine lung. 19817278879
[morphology of blastomyces dermatitidis gilchrist and stockes, agent of gilchrist's disease]. 19817296739
strain differences in resistance to infection reversed by route of challenge: studies in blastomycosis.the inbred mouse strains c3h/hej and dba/1j have been shown to represent the extremes of susceptibility and resistance, respectively, to pulmonary blastomycosis. this pattern was completely reversed when challenge was performed by the intraperitoneal route, whether a virulent or an attenuated strain of blastomyces dermatitidis was utilized. by a third route (subcutaneous), the differences were insignificant. inhibition of replication of blastomyces in vitro by macrophages from both strains, befo ...19817309244
ultrastructural studies on the dimorphism of paracoccidioides brasiliensis, blastomyces dermatitidis and histoplasma capsulatum.whole cells or cell walls of the yeastlike and mycelial forms of paracoccidioides brasiliensis, blastomyces dermatitidis and histoplasma capsulatum were treated successively with sodium hydroxide, beta-1,3-glucanase and pronase. the microfibrils in the insoluble residues, probably composed of chitin, were examined in the electron microscope. in the yeastlike form, tightly interwoven, randomly oriented microfibrils were seen. on the other hand, in the mycelial form, a large portion of microfibril ...19817323909
susceptibility of zoopathogenic fungi to phytoalexins.phytoalexins are a group of low-molecular-weight antibiotics produced by higher plants in response to infection by relatively avirulent microorganisms. they are of relatively low toxicity for mammalian cells and have been reported to possess a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against bacteria and phytopathogenic fungi. employing a broth dilution technique, we have found the zoopathogens petriellidium boydii, aspergillus flavus, a. fumigatus, candida albicans, coccidioides immitis, crypto ...19807387136
cell-mediated immunoprotection in blastomycosis.delayed hypersensitivity can be induced in c57bl/6j mice by two subcutaneous injections of merthiolate-killed blastomyces dermatitidis yeast cells in freund incomplete adjuvant. development of delayed hypersensitivity peaked at the day 18 post-primary antigen-emulsion injection, as determined by footpad sensitivity tests. mice rendered hypersensitive to b. dermatitidis were protected from the lethal effect of a blastomyces infection. the protection effects were shown both in mortality tests and ...19807399670
epidemiological studies on blastomycosis in the state of wisconsin.a study was made of 73 wisconsin cases of canine blastomycosis. each case was studied with respect to the life history of the animal. it was considered that a large percentage of the dogs were infected while in wisconsin, since 40 had never left the state, and it was highly probable that in a large percentage of the other 33 cases the disease was contracted while the dog resided in wisconsin. a study of the cases with respect to county of residence, birth and visitation revealed that there were ...19807434131
blastomycosis in an african lion.using fluorescent antibody techniques, blastomyces dermatitidis was identified in pyogranulomatous lesions in the lungs, mediastinum, trachea, and cerebrum of an african lion (panthera leo). clinical signs included anorexia and dry inspiratory rales. signs of nervous system dysfunction were not reported prior to death even though a large lesion was found in the cerebrum at necropsy. the lion was shipped from a geographic area where b dermatitidis infection is endemic. it was evident from histolo ...19807451322
the cytological diagnosis of pulmonary blastomycosis.we reviewed 30 episodes of pulmonary blastomycosis among 29 patients to compare the methods of diagnosis and to assess the usefulness of cytological sputum examination. complement fixation and skin tests were not helpful in diagnosis. confirmation by culture of sputum or tissue required, on average, five weeks. we compared the cytological examination of bronchial secretions with that of microbiologic wet smears. the cytological technique yielded a positive diagnosis in 93% of patients and in 70% ...19817463675
non-specific incorporation of nucleic acid precursors in blastomyces dermatitidis and histoplasma capsulatum.incorporation of thymidine, thymidine monophosphate (tmp), thymidine triphosphate (ttp), uridine and orotic acid into dna, rna and protein in blastomyces dermatitidis and histoplasma capsulatum was studied utilizing a specific acid hydrolysis technique developed for these fungi. thymidine was incorporated to the greatest extent (approximately 0.5% of added label) followed by uridine, orotic acid, tmp and ttp. in blastomyces, uridine and orotic acid labeled primarily rna. tmp and ttp labeled rna, ...19807464897
bronchoalveolar lavage for diagnosis of fungal disease. five years' experience in a southern united states rural area with many blastomycosis cases.to determine the relative frequency of blastomyces dermatitidis among other microorganisms in bronchoalveolar lavage (bal) specimens.19957483983
pediatric spinal blastomycosis: case report.a 5-year-old male patient presented with flank pain, limping, weight loss, and cachexia. magnetic resonance imaging revealed destructive vertebral changes, an epidural mass, psoas abscesses, and lack of involvement of the disc spaces. blastomyces dermatitidis was isolated from a needle aspiration specimen. sparing of the disc spaces, an unusual finding, suggested that the spread of infection was by way of paravertebral structures and surrounding potential spaces. management was simplified by usi ...19957501124
detection of specific antibodies in human blastomycosis by enzyme immunoassay.serologic tests for the diagnosis of blastomycosis have had inadequate sensitivity, but results are improved with enzyme immunoassay (eia) with a-antigen of blastomyces dermatitidis. the premier blastomyces eia kit (meridian diagnostics inc, cincinnati, ohio) detected antibody against the b dermatitidis a-antigen in sera from 104 of 125 patients (83%) with culture-proven blastomycosis. semiquantitative index values (positivity multiplied by the dilution) ranged from 1.0 to 423.3; the degree of p ...19957502120
purification and characterization of the major antigen wi-1 from blastomyces dermatitidis yeasts and immunological comparison with a antigen.the lack of well-defined antigens from blastomyces dermatitidis has hampered the ability to reliably diagnose human infection and study the immunobiology of blastomycosis. we recently discovered a novel surface protein on b. dermatitidis yeasts, designated wi-1, and demonstrated it to be a key antigenic target of humoral and cellular responses during infection. in the present article, we purified and characterized wi-1 and compared it immunologically with the only blastomyces antigen commerciall ...19947520423
the wi-1 antigen of blastomyces dermatitidis yeasts mediates binding to human macrophage cd11b/cd18 (cr3) and cd14.three genetically related strains of blastomyces dermatitidis (bd) yeasts that differ in their expression of wi-1, an immunodominant cell wall ag, were tested for their capacity to bind to human macrophages (m phi) in the absence of serum. these strains included american type culture collection (atcc, rockville, md) atcc 26199, which is virulent for mice; an attenuated mutant strain atcc 60915, which expresses 2.5-fold more wi-1 than strain 26199; and an avirulent mutant strain, atcc 60916, whic ...19957529285
genetic diversity in clinical isolates of the dimorphic fungus blastomyces dermatitidis detected by a pcr-based random amplified polymorphic dna assay.blastomyces dermatitidis is a dimorphic fungus causing localized or systemic infection in areas where the organism is endemic in the central and southeastern united states. in this study, 19 independent isolates of b. dermatitidis from little rock, ark., were grouped into three classes based on restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns in mitochondrial dna with a heterologous probe from histoplasma capsulatum. one large class of 15 isolates and two smaller classes (classes 2 and 3), each ...19957559971
unraveling the secrets of histoplasma capsulatum. a model to study morphogenic adaptation during parasite host/host interaction.early in the developmental period of microbiology, pasteur first observed the phenomenon of dimorphism in fungi when he noticed that the bread mold mucor grew as a filamentous mold aerobically on the surface of broth cultures but at the bottom of the flask where the environment was anaerobic it reproduced as budding yeast cells. several infectious fungal pathogens of humans, namely histoplasma capsulatum, blastomyces dermatitidis, paracoccidioides brasiliensis, sporothrix schenkii, and coccidioi ...19957571855
the endemic mycoses: surgical considerations.surgical consultation is regularly requested for diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary complications of the endemic mycosis, histoplasma capsulatum, blastomyces dermatitidis and coccidioidomycosis immitis, and the yeast cryptococcus neoformans. all resemble pulmonary malignancies. histoplasmosis causes pericarditis, mediastinal fibrosis and mediastinal granuloma, which can cause entrapment of vascular structures, the esophagus, and the trachea. coccidioidomycosis can cause spontaneous pneumothora ...19957612761
cloning and nucleotide sequence of a specific dna fragment from paracoccidioides brasiliensis.we cloned and sequenced a species-specific 110-bp dna fragment from paracoccidioides brasiliensis. the dna fragment was generated by pcr with primers complementary to the rat beta-actin gene under a low annealing temperature. comparison of the nucleotide sequence, after excluding the primers, with those in the genbank database identified approximately 60% homology with an exon of a major surface glycoprotein gene from pneumocystis carinii and a fragment of unknown function in saccharomyces cerev ...19957650207
induction and detection of delayed dermal hypersensitivity in guinea-pig immunized with blastomyces dermatitidis lysate and filtrate antigens.guinea-pigs were immunized using yeast phase antigens (lysate and filtrate preparations) from two strains of blastomyces dermatitidis (t-58 and le). following a sensitization period, the animals were skin tested on days 40 and 216 using t-58 and le yeast and mycelial phase lysate and filtrate antigen preparations for the detection of delayed dermal hypersensitivity (dth). using the friedman's analysis of variance by rank test, significant differences were found in the efficacy of the immunogens ...19957650574
the value of the premier enzyme immunoassay for diagnosing blastomyces dermatitidis infections.one hundred and three sera drawn from 20 proven and 65 suspected cases of blastomycosis were examined concurrently with the enzymes immunoassay and microimmunodiffusion tests for the 'a' antibody specific for blastomyces dermatitidis. results indicated that all 20 proven sera were positive by both these tests. thirteen of the 65 sera from suspected blastomycosis cases were positive by the enzyme immunoassay only, whereas none reacted positively in the micro-immunodiffusion test. eighteen sera fr ...19957658303
blastomycosis of the forearm synovium in a child.blastomyces is a pathogen that may infect healthy and immunocompromised hosts. frequently entering the lungs, the initial pneumonitis usually is followed by skin and bony involvement secondary to hematogenous spread. infection of the synovium without bone or skin involvement in the pediatric population has not been reported previously. a soft tissue mass of the forearm in a 9-year-old boy was the initial manifestation of blastomycosis. radiographic images, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imag ...19957671483
combined histochemical stains in the differential diagnosis of cryptococcus neoformans.three combinations of histochemical stains were used to study 69 routinely processed tissues containing various "yeast-like" fungal organisms (cryptococcus neoformans, blastomyces dermatitidis, coccidioides immitis, histoplasma capsulatum, paracoccidioides brasiliensis, and candida albicans). fontana-masson stain combined either with mucicarmine or alcian blue produced distinctive staining of c. neoformans (fontana-masson-positive wall and mucin-positive capsule) that was not identified in other ...19937678937
production of a murine monoclonal antibody that recognizes an epitope specific to coccidioides immitis antigen 2.antigen 2 (ag2) has been implicated as a t-cell-reactive component of the pathogenic fungus coccidioides immitis. we report the production of a murine monoclonal antibody (mab) of the immunoglobulin g2a isotype that recognizes an epitope specific to c. immitis ag2. this specificity was evidenced by the finding that the mab did not recognize other antigens present in coccidioidin or spherulin and did not show reactivity with antigenic extracts from histoplasma capsulatum or blastomyces dermatitid ...19937682998
il-4, ige, and interferon-gamma production in pulmonary blastomycosis: comparison in mice untreated, immunized, or treated with an antifungal (sch 39304).the purpose of this study was to determine if there is a correlation between production of certain lymphokines in progressive blastomycosis in untreated mice, resistance to infection in immunized mice, and cure in antifungal triazole (sch 39304)-treated mice. infection was measured by colony-forming units of blastomyces dermatitidis in lungs. serum level of ige was used as a marker for in vivo il-4 activity. serum ige levels rose in untreated mice from 6 micrograms/ml at 3 weeks to 24 micrograms ...19937687197
treatment of blastomycosis with fluconazole: a pilot study. the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases mycoses study group.there are few clinical data concerning the use of fluconazole, a triazole antifungal agent with in vitro activity against blastomyces dermatitidis, in the treatment of human blastomycosis. we conducted a multicenter, randomized, open-label pilot trial comparing two daily doses of fluconazole (200 mg and 400 mg) in the treatment of non-life-threatening, non-cns blastomycosis. twenty-four patients were enrolled in the study, and 23 patients were evaluable for efficacy analysis. overall, treatment ...19957742428
thoracic mycoses from endemic fungi: radiologic-pathologic correlation.the endemic fungi histoplasma capsulatum, blastomyces dermatitidis, and coccidioides immitis are primary human pathogens whose major portal of entry is the respiratory tract. their clinical manifestations are categorized as acute, chronic or chronic progressive, or disseminated fungal disease. most acute pulmonary infections are self-limited, and many are asymptomatic. chronic, progressive, or disseminated disease is much less common and most often occurs in immunocompromised patients. the radio ...19957761632
interactions between human bronchoalveolar macrophages and blastomyces dermatitidis conidia: demonstration of fungicidal and fungistatic effects.the effects of human bronchoalveolar macrophages (bams) on blastomyces dermatitidis conidia were investigated. macrophage monolayers were incubated for 5 days with or without interferon (ifn)-gamma or macrophage colony-stimulating factor (m-csf) before challenge with conidia for 48 h at 37 degrees c. hyphal growth (germination) was inhibited 12% by resident bams (p < .05). in contrast, resident bams blocked conidial phase transition by 88% (p < .05). intermediate forms, aggregates of large cells ...19957769292
brain abscess caused by blastomyces dermatitidis in a child with cystic fibrosis.an 8-year-old girl with moderately severe cystic fibrosis and right upper lobe bronchiectasis developed a cerebellar abscess caused by blastomyces dermatitidis. to our knowledge, this is the youngest child with cystic fibrosis and a brain abscess, and the first documented case caused by a fungus.19947774344
treatment of murine pulmonary blastomycosis with sch 51048, a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal agent.the in vitro and in vivo activities of a new broad-spectrum triazole derivative, sch 51048, against blastomyces dermatitidis were evaluated. as determined by using the new national committee for clinical laboratory standards proposed standard for susceptibility testing of yeasts, sch 51048 was the most active of the four agents tested in vitro against 13 strains of b. dermatitidis. in a well-described murine model of acute pulmonary blastomycosis, sch 51048 was comparable to amphotericin b and a ...19957786012
phylogeny of dermatophytes and dimorphic fungi based on large subunit ribosomal rna sequence comparisons.the phylogeny of dermatophytes and dimorphic fungi was considered using the large-subunit of ribosomal rna (25s rrna). aligned sequences of 595 nucleotides covering the two most divergent domains d1 and d2, permitted a comparison of phylogenetic relationships at different levels. the dimorphic species (onygenaceae) were significantly separated from dermatophytes (arthrodermataceae) and from a third group including geophilic or very weakly pathogenic species (onygenaceae and gymnoascaceae). on a ...19947844699
comparative studies on the detection of delayed dermal hypersensitivity in experimental animals with lysate and filtrate antigens of blastomyces dermatitidis.yeast cell and mycelial lysate and filtrate antigens prepared in our laboratory from two strains of blastomyces dermatitidis (canine isolate t-58 and human isolate le) were evaluated with respect to the detection of delayed dermal hypersensitivity in hairless guinea pigs previously immunized with killed whole yeast cells from two strains of blastomyces dermatitidis (t-58 and le) and histoplasma capsulatum (strain g-217a). the optimal potential reactivity (reactivity minus cross-reactivity) with ...19947898509
comparative stability, sensitivity and specificity studies with different lots of blastomyces dermatitidis yeast and mycelial lysate antigens.comparative studies were performed to assess the stability and lot-to-lot variation of blastomyces dermatitidis yeast and mycelial phase lysate antigens. four lots were prepared from each growth phase of b. dermatitidis strain t-58 (canine isolate) during a 14-month period. serum specimens from dogs with blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, cryptococcosis and aspergillosis were assayed for antibody content using an alkaline phosphatase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). the ...19947898510
evidence for a phylogenetic connection between coccidioides immitis and uncinocarpus reesii (onygenaceae).coccidioides immitis is an anomaly amongst the human systemic fungal pathogens. its unique parasitic cycle has contributed to confusion over its taxonomy. early investigators mistakenly suggested that the pathogen is a protist, while others agreed it to be a fungus but placed it in four different divisions of the eumycota. the taxonomy of c. immitis is still unresolved. ultrastructural examinations of its parasitic and saprobic phases have revealed features that are diagnostic of the ascomycetou ...19947915941
double-stranded rna virus in the human pathogenic fungus blastomyces dermatitidis.double-stranded rna viruses were detected in a strain of blastomyces dermatitidis isolated from a patient in uganda. the viral particles are spherical (mostly 44 to 50 nm in diameter) and consist of about 25% double-stranded rna (5 kb) and 75% protein (90 kda). the virus contains transcriptional rna polymerase activity; it synthesized single-stranded rna in vitro in a conservative manner. the newly synthesized single-stranded rna was a full-length strand, and the rate of chain elongation was app ...19947933142
us case of the day. right epididymo-orchitis due to disseminated blastomyces dermatitidis. 19947938782
utility of anti-wi-1 serological testing in the diagnosis of blastomycosis in wisconsin residents.wi-1, a 120-kd protein found in the outer cell wall of blastomyces dermatitidis, has been purified, labeled with 125i, and used as a target in a radioimmunoassay (ria). in an assessment of the usefulness of anti-wi-1 serology in the diagnosis of blastomycosis, the ria was used to test four panels of sera from residents of wisconsin, a state in which blastomycosis is endemic. twenty-four (75%) of 32 patients whose blastomycosis had been reported to the wisconsin division of health had at least on ...19947948563
newer developments in therapy for endemic mycoses.in the 1960s and 1970s, amphotericin b was the only effective therapy for serious systemic endemic fungal infections due to histoplasma capsulatum, blastomyces dermatitidis, and sporothrix schenckii. in the 1980s, ketoconazole was introduced as therapy for endemic mycoses; after this antifungal agent was introduced, some of these infections could be treated orally in an outpatient setting rather than intravenously in an inpatient setting. the 1990s have become the triazole era. it is now standar ...19947948568
[cutaneopulmonary blastomycosis].we observed a new case of blastomycosis in a patient with haemoptysis. the chest x-ray revealed a lesion confined to the upper right lobe of the lung and there was an ulcerating vegetation at the medial angle of the right eye. skin biopsy and bronchial aspiration led to the identification of typical blastomyces dermatitidis. outcome was favourable after oral therapy with ketoconazole. cutaneo-pulmonary blastomycosis is weakly endemic in tunisia. pulmonary lesions are more frequent because of air ...19947979035
extrapulmonary thoracic disease caused by blastomyces dermatitidis.a case of blastomycosis is reported involving the mediastinum and compromising the plexus brachialis. the pathology, pathophysiology, and treatment of this patient and of a previously reported patient are discussed and compared with the characteristics of extrapulmonary thoracic disease caused by histoplasmosis. because of the favorable response of these patients to prolonged antifungal therapy, blastomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of invasive extrapulmonary thoracic ...19947988217
comparative evaluation of chemiluminescent dna probe assays and exoantigen tests for rapid identification of blastomyces dermatitidis and coccidioides immitis.chemiluminescent dna probe (accuprobe) assays developed by gen-probe, inc. (san diego, calif.), for the rapid identification of blastomyces dermatitidis and coccidioides immitis were evaluated and compared with the exoantigen test by using 74 mycelial cultures of b. dermatitidis and 72 mycelial cultures of c. immitis. seventeen isolates of the dimorphic pathogen paracoccidioides brasiliensis were included because of their gross morphologic and antigenic relatedness to b. dermatitidis. the hetero ...19948027336
altered expression of surface protein wi-1 in genetically related strains of blastomyces dermatitidis that differ in virulence regulates recognition of yeasts by human macrophages.the molecular basis for pathogenicity and virulence of the dimorphic fungus blastomyces dermatitidis remains unknown. wi-1 is a major cell wall protein of b. dermatitidis yeasts and is a recognition target of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity. as an initial study to determine if wi-1 might be linked to virulence of b. dermatitidis, we quantified wi-1 expression on three genetically related strains that differ in their virulence for mice: wild-type virulent atcc strain 26199, mutant atcc st ...19948039924
altered expression of surface alpha-1,3-glucan in genetically related strains of blastomyces dermatitidis that differ in virulence.recent studies of the dimorphic fungal pathogens histoplasma capsulatum and paracoccidioides brasiliensis have suggested a role in virulence for the cell surface carbohydrate alpha-(1,3)-glucan. to investigate a possible basis for alpha-(1,3)-glucan in the pathogenicity and virulence of the dimorphic fungus blastomyces dermatitidis, we examined three genetically related strains of b. dermatitidis that differ in their virulence for mice: wild-type virulent strain atcc 26199; mutant strain atcc 60 ...19948039925
intraocular blastomycosis: case report and review.intraocular infection due to blastomyces dermatitidis is rare, and only 10 cases have previously been reported. manifestations of ocular blastomycosis can range from keratitis to panophthalmitis, and it is often difficult to diagnose ocular blastomycosis early. we report the case of a 45-year-old man who had disseminated blastomycosis that involved the lungs, skin, and ocular uvea and who was successfully treated with systemic and local antifungal therapy. we also review the literature describin ...19948075276
marked polymorphonuclear pleocytosis due to blastomycotic meningitis: case report and review.meningitis is an unusual manifestation of infection caused by blastomyces dermatitidis. we describe a patient who presented with fulminant blastomycotic meningitis. examination of the lumbar csf demonstrated > 5,000 polymorphonuclear leukocytes/mm3. the diagnosis of b. dermatitidis meningitis was initially suggested by cytologic examination of csf and confirmed by culture. pleocytosis of this magnitude had not been previously described in association with blastomycosis, although review of the pu ...19948075280
pulmonary sequestration with primary blastomycosis. failure of ketoconazole therapy after resection.infection with blastomyces dermatitidis developed in a girl with occult pulmonary sequestration. six months after resection, while receiving ketoconazole, she developed an abscess due to b dermatitidis over the scar from thoracotomy, with a sinus tract to the eighth rib. this was successfully managed with débridement, rib resection, and amphotericin b. contiguous bone involvement should be suspected in sequestra infected with this organism; débridement and therapy with amphotericin b might be in ...19938131493
blastomyces dermatitidis infection of the paranasal sinuses. 19948161650
cloning and characterization of bys1, a temperature-dependent cdna specific to the yeast phase of the pathogenic dimorphic fungus blastomyces dermatitidis.the pathogenic dimorphic fungal organism blastomyces dermatitidis exists as a budding yeast at 37 degrees c and as a mycelium at 25 degrees c. while the conversion of one morphological phase of b. dermatitidis to another has long been known to be a thermally dependent process, little of the accompanying biochemical or genetic events controlling the phase transition has been elucidated. using differential cdna library screening, we have identified one transcript, bys1, in b. dermatitidis that is ...19948188377
delayed treatment of pulmonary blastomycosis causing vertebral osteomyelitis, paraspinal abscess, and spinal cord compression.a 36-year-old woman with gallbladder disease had an incidental finding of asymptomatic cavitary lung infection with blastomyces dermatitidis. no treatment was given initially, and 2 months later she presented with vertebral osteomyelitis, paraspinal abscess, and spinal cord compression due to dissemination of the fungus. the patient recovered following surgical debridement and treatment with 1 g of amphotericin b, followed by itraconazole 400 mg qd for 6 months. in spite of previous reports of t ...19948191232
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