This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vonk, A. G. Articles by Kullberg, B. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Vonk, A. G. Articles by Kullberg, B. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, December 2003, p. 3688-3693, Vol. 47, No. 12
0066-4804/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AAC.47.12.3688-3693.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Treatment of Intra-Abdominal Abscesses Caused by Candida albicans with Antifungal Agents and Recombinant Murine Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor

Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine,¹ Department of Pathology,³ Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Nijmegen,⁴ Nijmegen University Center for Infectious Diseases, Nijmegen, The Netherlands²

Received 7 June 2003/ Returned for modification 20 June 2003/ Accepted 22 August 2003

The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of immunomodulation of host defense with recombinant murine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rmG-CSF) on intra-abdominal abscesses caused by Candida albicans. Mice received prophylaxis or therapy with 1 µg of rmG-CSF/day in the presence or absence of antifungal treatment consisting of amphotericin B (0.75 mg/kg of body weight/day) or fluconazole (50 mg/kg/day). The number of Candida CFU in abscesses was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in mice receiving rmG-CSF prophylaxis (day -1 or day -1 through 2) compared with controls on day 8 of infection. Administration of rmG-CSF therapy alone (for 5 days starting on day 4 of infection) had no influence on the number of Candida CFU in abscesses. Amphotericin B treatment was significantly more effective than fluconazole treatment (3.41 log CFU/abscesses; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.17 log CFU/abscesses; 3.65 versus 3.90 log CFU/abscesses; 95% CI, 3.66 log CFU/abscesses, 4.16 log CFU/abscesses; P < 0.05). Therapeutic administration of rmG-CSF in conjunction with an antifungal agent showed a tendency towards a further reduction of Candida CFU in abscesses than antifungal treatment only. In conclusion, in this experimental model of intra-abdominal Candida abscesses, rmG-CSF administration did not have a detrimental influence on the course of infection. Amphotericin B treatment was most effective, and additional rmG-CSF therapy did not antagonize the effect of antifungal treatment. In contrast, addition of rmG-CSF therapy to antifungal treatment might further enhance the beneficial effect of the antifungal agent.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Stearne, L. E. T., Vonk, A. G., Kullberg, B. J., Gyssens, I. C. (2005). Effect of Recombinant Murine Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor with or without Fluoroquinolone Therapy on Mixed-Infection Abscesses in Mice. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49: 3668-3675 [Abstract] [Full Text]