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Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic mycoses caused by theyeastlike fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. C. neoformans occasionally causes infections in humans, mainly in those with altered cellular immunity. Patients with HIV disease have defective immunity because of depletion of CD4 lymphocytes. We report the case of a 55 year-old woman with an initial clinical diagnosis of ulcerated basal-cell carcinoma (ulcus rodens) which was later diagnosed by biopsy as cryptococcosis and ultimately mycological demonstration of the causal agent was obtained. HIV infection was confirmed showing Stage 3 AIDS with a CD4 count of 25 cells and a viral load for HIV of 272,409 copies log 5.44. In AIDS patients meningoencephalitis presents in 60% and progresses rapidly, 10% have pulmonary infection and 10 to 20% present the cutaneous form which has beendescribed as centinel to meningeal and systemic signs of the disease, especially when CD4 lymphocytes fall bellow 100. The diagnosis in this case was disseminated cryptococcosis with cutaneous and meningeal involvement. The patient was hospitalized and treated with amphotericin B deoxicolate, adding other drugs later includingfluconazole, posaconazole and antiretroviral treatment with abacavir, lamivudine and efavirenz obtaining a favorable outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paracoccidioidomycosis is a chronic or subacute granulomatous mycosis. It is caused by the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and although it can affect any organ, the most commonly affected are: lung, oral mucosa, nasal mucosa, skin, lymph nodes, suprarenal glands and central nervous system. Objective: To report epidemiological and clinical characteristics of cases assisted at the Centro Dermatologico Pascua. Material and methods: We made a retrospective transversal study at the Centro Dermatologico Pascua, from 1956 to 2006. Results: During 50 years (1956 to 2006), we studied a total of 43,251 first time patients, of whom 12 (0.03%), all men, had clinical diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis. Conclusions: In most cases, the diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis was delayed largely due to low awareness that first contact physician have of this condition, leading to misdiagnosis. It is necessary to deepen the knowledge of clinical and epidemiological characteristics of this fungal infection, to better study and treat our patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor about small eumycetic mycetoma due to black grain.

Background: Sporotrichosis is a chronic fungal infection caused by the Sporothrix schenckii complex, is characterized by the presence of granulomas of epithelioid, tuberculoid or foreign body composed of histiocytes surrounding a central area of neutrophils that contribute to the non-specific immune system. Neutrophils are in lactoferrin which exerts a protective action against fungi and yeasts, attributing the antifungal effect to its ability to sequester an atom of Fe+2 or Fe+3, and they can also join to Cu+2, Zn+2 and Mn+ ions. There is evidence that lactoferrin activity increases blood neutrophil phagocytic activity of NK cells, the number of cells progenitors of neutrophils in the blood and the production of gamma interferon; it is able to display antimicrobial activity on a broad spectrum of pathogens among including: bacteria, yeasts, fungi, protozoa and viruses. Objective: To demonstrate the presence of lactoferrin in Sporothrix sp yeasts present on the histological sections of patients with cutaneous sporotrichosis. Material and method: A retrospective study in which 11 biopsies of patients with diagnosis of cutaneous sporotrichosis attended at Dermatological Center Ladislao de la Pascua and General Hospital Dr. Manuel Gea González, both in Mexico City, were included. Two cuts were made by biopsy, one for the realization of the technique of PAS and the other for the marking of the lactoferrin. We used the commercial kit Cell and Tissue Staining Kit, Goat Kit HRP-AEC System (catalog no. CTS009) R&D Systems, and the primary antibody that was used was the IgG polyclonal anti-human lactoferrin made in goat by Santa Cruz Biotechnology laboratories. Results: We found the presence of lactoferrin on yeasts of Sporothrix sp, previously observed by the reaction of PAS in the studied sections of the 11 patients, already diagnosed with sporotrichosis. Conclusion: It was found lactoferrin present in the specific granules of polymorphonuclear neutrophils attached to the yeasts of the Sporothrix schenckii complex, engaged in kidnapping of ions Fe+2 and Fe+3 function, trying to prevent the development and proliferation of this fungus in the cutaneous sporotrichosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]