asbestos--amosite and Candidiasis

The effects of Candida albicans, of amosite dust, and of the 2 agents combined, on some biochemical parameters of the lung in male guinea pigs were determined. Adult guinea pigs were intratracheally injected with 50 mg of amosite dust and 0.3 mg of viable suspension of mycelia of Candida albicans. The other groups received either dust or organism or none. Biochemical measurements done at 30, 60 and 90 days after infection showed that the superimposed state produced more rapid and drastic changes in pulmonary contents of collagen, mucopolysaccharides and phospholipids and activities of lactic dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase. The levels of lactic acid and pyruvic acid were also more profoundly changed after amosite + Candida. These results indicate that Candida albicans which is commonly found in upper respiratory tract could aggrevate the lesions caused by exposure to asbestos.

Topics: Animals; Asbestos; Asbestos, Amosite; Candida albicans; Candidiasis; Collagen; Glycosaminoglycans; Guinea Pigs; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Male; Organ Size; Phospholipids; Pneumoconiosis; Proteins; Succinate Dehydrogenase