laminaran and Chronic-Disease

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a severe disseminated fungal disease that occurs mostly in immunocompromised patients. However, central nervous system IA, combining meningitis and skull base involvement, does not occur only in groups with classic risk factors for IA; patients with chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus are also at risk for more chronic forms. In both of our proven IA cases, voriconazole monotherapy was effective without surgery, and cerebrospinal fluid and serum 1,3-β-d-glucan test results were initially positive, in contrast to galactomannan antigen results.

Topics: Aged; Antifungal Agents; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus fumigatus; beta-Glucans; Candida albicans; Chronic Disease; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Humans; Meningitis, Fungal; Neuroaspergillosis; Otitis; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Sinusitis; Treatment Outcome; Voriconazole

Zymosan was hydrolysed with HCl and fractionated by ultrafiltration and dialysis to obtain water-soluble fragments A, B and C. Physical and chemical analyses showed that these fractions are composed primarily of glucose and have molecular weights of 8 kDa, 5 kDa and 2 kDa, respectively. A glycosidic linkage analysis indicated that they are mainly composed of β-1,3-glucans. Fragment A, which has the highest molecular weight, contains approximately 30% β-1,6-linked glucans, but fragment C is almost entirely composed of linear β-1,3-glucan chains. The anti-chronic atrophic gastritis activity experiments showed that fragment A has significant activity, the activity of zymosan is quite low and the activities of fragments B and C are in between those of fragment A and zymosan.

Topics: Animals; beta-Glucans; Bile; Chromatography, Gel; Chronic Disease; Disease Models, Animal; Gastric Mucosa; Gastritis, Atrophic; Immunization; Inflammation; Molecular Weight; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Swine; Zymosan

Our aim in the study was to investigate the pathogenesis of eosinophilic inflammation in patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP), and to determine the levels of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, which is one of the major components of the cell wall of most fungi, in the BAL fluid (BALF) of those patients with AEP. Six patients with AEP and five patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) that was in the acute stage and had been newly diagnosed, and nine healthy subjects from the Kurume University School of Medicine and the Social Institute Tagawa Hospital between 1995 and 2001 were entered into the study. In AEP patients, (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan was detected in BALF, and these findings were compared with BALF findings in patients with CEP as well as with those in healthy subjects. In the BALF of AEP patients, the mean concentration of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of CEP patients as well as healthy subjects. In patients with AEP, the mean concentration of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in BALF was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in the blood. In four of six patients with AEP, we measured serial changes in (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan levels, and the level of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in the BALF decreased with clinical improvement at follow-up. We concluded that inhaled (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan may be involved in the mechanisms of pulmonary inflammation in patients with AEP.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; beta-Glucans; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Chronic Disease; DNA Fragmentation; DNA, Fungal; Female; Glucans; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumocystis; Pulmonary Eosinophilia

Four sawmills, a wood chipping mill, and five joineries in New South Wales, Australia, were studied for the effects of personal exposure to wood dust, endotoxins. (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi on lung function among woodworkers.. Personal inhalable and respirable dust sampling was carried out. The lung function tests of workers were conducted before and after a workshift.. The mean percentage cross-shift decrease in lung function was markedly high for woodworkers compared with the controls. Dose-response relationships among personal exposures and percentage cross-shift decrease in lung function and percentage predicted lung function were more pronounced among joinery workers compared with sawmill and chip mill workers. Woodworkers had markedly high prevalence of regular cough, phlegm, and chronic bronchitis compared with controls. Significant associations were found between percentage cross-shift decrease in FVC and regular phlegm and blocked nose among sawmill and chip mill workers. Both joinery workers and sawmill and chip mill workers showed significant relationships between percentage predicted lung function (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75%) and respiratory symptoms.. Wood dust and biohazards associated with wood dust are potential health hazards and should be controlled.

Topics: Adult; Air Microbiology; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Ascomycota; beta-Glucans; Bronchitis; Chronic Disease; Cough; Dust; Endotoxins; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Glucans; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Hazardous Substances; Humans; Lung Diseases; Male; Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate; Nasal Obstruction; New South Wales; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Prevalence; Sputum; Vital Capacity; Wood