nystatin-a1 and Burkitt-Lymphoma

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is a multi-step process, first requiring virus binding to the host cell, followed by fusion of the viral envelope with the host cell plasma membrane. Efficient EBV entry into B cells requires, at the minimum, the interaction of the EBV-encoded glycoproteins gp350 with cellular CD21 and gp42 with MHC class II proteins. In this study, use of the cholesterol-binding drugs methyl-beta-cyclodextrin and nystatin efficiently inhibited EBV infection of target Burkitt's lymphoma B-cell lines, indicating an important role for cholesterol and suggesting the involvement of lipid rafts in EBV infection.

Topics: beta-Cyclodextrins; Burkitt Lymphoma; Cholesterol; Cyclodextrins; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; Membrane Glycoproteins; Membrane Microdomains; Nystatin; Signal Transduction; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Viral Envelope Proteins

The effect of a multi-agent regimen on oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) prophylaxis in 16 consecutive pediatric bone marrow transplant patients was assessed. The multi-agent regimen consisted of: 1) debriding all mucous membrane surfaces within the oropharyngeal cavity with povidone-iodine 4 times a day, 2) swabbing all mucous membrane surfaces within the oropharyngeal cavity with nystatin 4 times a day, and 3) Ketoconazole given daily by mouth. Multi-agent regimen therapy was initiated on the day marrow ablative therapy began, and was terminated when the patient's absolute neutrophil count recovered to above 500/mm3. Baseline oropharyngeal fungal cultures indicated that 8 out of 16 (50%) of the patients were Candida carriers. Subsequent surveillance cultures indicated that 13 out of 16 (81.3%) of the patients had negative oropharyngeal fungal cultures during the entire period they were on the multi-agent regimen. The remaining three patients had negative oropharyngeal fungal cultures by the end of the experimental period. None of the patients developed Candida esophagitis or sepsis. The above regimen is an effective and non-toxic method to prevent oropharyngeal candidiasis in pediatric BMT patients.

Topics: Adolescent; Anemia, Aplastic; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Burkitt Lymphoma; Candidiasis; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Ketoconazole; Leukemia; Leukemia, Lymphoid; Male; Mouth Diseases; Neuroblastoma; Nystatin; Pharyngeal Diseases; Povidone-Iodine; Transplantation, Autologous; Transplantation, Homologous