ritonavir and Candidiasis

The emergence of Candida auris has created a global health challenge. Azole antifungals are the most affected antifungal class because of the extraordinary capability of C. auris to develop resistance against these drugs. Here, we used a combinatorial therapeutic approach to sensitize C. auris to azole antifungals.. We have demonstrated the capability of the HIV protease inhibitors lopinavir and ritonavir, at clinically relevant concentrations, to be used with azole antifungals to treat C. auris infections both in vitro and in vivo. Both lopinavir and ritonavir exhibited potent synergistic interactions with the azole antifungals, particularly with itraconazole against 24/24 (100%) and 31/34 (91%) of tested C. auris isolates, respectively. Furthermore, ritonavir significantly interfered with the fungal efflux pump, resulting in a significant increase in Nile red fluorescence by 44%. In a mouse model of C. auris systemic infection, ritonavir boosted the activity of lopinavir to work synergistically with fluconazole and itraconazole and significantly reduced the kidney fungal burden by a 1.2 log (∼94%) and 1.6 log (∼97%) CFU, respectively.. Our results urge further comprehensive assessment of azoles and HIV protease inhibitors as a novel drug regimen for the treatment of serious invasive C. auris infections.

Topics: Animals; Antifungal Agents; Azoles; Candida auris; Candidiasis; Drug Resistance, Fungal; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Itraconazole; Lopinavir; Mice; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Ritonavir

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been demonstrated to be the cause of pneumonia. Nevertheless, it has not been reported as the cause of acute myocarditis or fulminant myocarditis.. A 63-year-old male was admitted with pneumonia and cardiac symptoms. He was genetically confirmed as having COVID-19 according to sputum testing on the day of admission. He also had elevated troponin I (Trop I) level (up to 11.37 g/L) and diffuse myocardial dyskinesia along with a decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on echocardiography. The highest level of interleukin-6 was 272.40 pg/ml. Bedside chest radiographs showed typical ground-glass changes indicative of viral pneumonia. Laboratory test results for viruses that cause myocarditis were all negative. The patient conformed to the diagnostic criteria of the Chinese expert consensus statement for fulminant myocarditis. After receiving antiviral therapy and mechanical life support, Trop I was reduced to 0.10 g/L, and interleukin-6 was reduced to 7.63 pg/mL. Moreover, the LVEF of the patient gradually recovered to 68%. The patient died of aggravation of secondary infection on the 33rd day of hospitalization.. COVID-19 patients may develop severe cardiac complications such as myocarditis and heart failure. This is the first report of COVID-19 complicated with fulminant myocarditis. The mechanism of cardiac pathology caused by COVID-19 needs further study.

Topics: Acute Disease; Antiviral Agents; Bacteroides Infections; Betacoronavirus; Biomarkers; Candidiasis; Coronavirus Infections; COVID-19; Drug Combinations; Echocardiography; Fatal Outcome; Humans; Interleukin-6; Lopinavir; Male; Middle Aged; Myocarditis; Pandemics; Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination; Pneumonia, Viral; Ritonavir; SARS-CoV-2; Stroke Volume; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Troponin I

The effect of ritonavir and saquinavir, HIV proteinase inhibitors, on the secreted aspartyl proteinase (Sap) activity of Candida parapsilosis was studied. In a proteinase-inducing medium (yeast carbon base-bovine serum albumin), Sap activity in all clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis (n = 20) was observed at 37 degrees C but not at 22 degrees C. The presence of ritonavir at a concentration of 8 microg/ml produced an inhibition close to 50% albumin consumption and also delayed yeast growth; however, saquinavir did not have any effect on growth or on Sap activity. In Sabouraud broth, which does not induce Sap production, no effect was shown on yeast growth by either of the two HIV proteinase inhibitors studied.

Topics: Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; Candida; Candidiasis; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Ritonavir; Saquinavir

Topics: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; Candida albicans; Candidiasis; HIV; HIV Infections; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Ritonavir

Topics: Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; Candida albicans; Candidiasis; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Indinavir; Isoenzymes; Pichia; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Ritonavir; Saquinavir

To analyse the characteristics of opportunistic infections in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART).. A retrospective study performed in seven hospitals, included all patients starting treatment by ritonavir or indinavir between 26 March and 31 December 1996. Patients were evaluated for the development of AIDS-defining events. Clinical evaluation, plasma HIV-1 RNA quantification, CD4 cell count were recorded at baseline and at the onset of the event.. Four hundred and eighty-six patients were included: 44.2% had a CD4 cell count below 50 x 10(6) cells/l. Fifty clinical events were recorded in 46 patients with a mean follow-up of 6.1 months, of which 34 events (68%) were observed during the first 2 months of HAART. Eighteen of these occurred despite a reduction of viral load by at least 1.5 log10) and a 100% increase of the CD4 cell count compared with that at the onset of the event, corresponding to 11 cytomegalovirus infections, five mycobacterial infections, one case of cryptococcosis, and one case of Varicella-Zoster virus-related acute retinal necrosis. Among the 16 events observed after the second month, six occurred despite a marked biological improvement, corresponding to a recurrence in five of six patients who had stopped their maintenance therapy. Events were one cytomegalovirus infection, two mycobacterial infections, one episode of oesophageal candidiasis and one cryptococcal meningitis.. In patients at high risk of developing an opportunistic infection prior to the institution of a HAART regimen, prophylaxis should not be discontinued during the first 2 months of treatment, and maintenance therapy should be carried on despite a significant increase in the CD4 cell count.

Topics: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; Anti-HIV Agents; Candidiasis; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Cryptococcosis; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Disease Progression; Drug Therapy, Combination; HIV Infections; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Hospitals, University; Humans; Indinavir; Mycobacterium Infections; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis; Retrospective Studies; Ritonavir; RNA, Viral; Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral; Viral Load