Photodynamic Therapy Combined with Antifungal Drugs Against Chromoblastomycosis and the Effect of ALA-PDT on Fonsecaea in Vitro

Overview

Journal PLoS Negl Trop Dis

Specialties Infectious Diseases
Tropical Medicine

Date 2019 Nov 1

PMID 31671098

Citations 10

Authors

Yongxuan Hu

Xinyu Qi

Hengbiao Sun

Yan Lu

Yanqing Hu

Xuyang Chen

Kangxing Liu

Yemei Yang

Zuhao Mao

Zhong Wu

Xianyi Zhou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Chromoblastomycosis is a chronic skin and subcutaneous fungal infection caused by dematiaceous fungi and is associated with low cure and high relapse rates. In southern China, Fonsecaea monophora and Fonsecaea pedrosoi are the main causative agents.

Principal Findings: We treated 5 refractory and complex cases of chromoblastomycosis with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) combined with oral antifungal drugs. The lesions improved after 4 to 9 sessions of ALA-PDT treatment at an interval of one or two weeks, and in some cases, mycological testing results became negative. The isolates were assayed for susceptibility to antifungal drugs and ALA-PDT in vitro, revealing sensitivity to terbinafine, itraconazole and voriconazole, with ALA-PDT altering the cell wall and increasing reactive oxygen species production.

Conclusions: These results provide the basis for the development of a new therapeutic approach, and ALA-PDT combined with oral antifungal drugs constitutes a promising alternative method for the treatment of refractory and complex cases of chromoblastomycosis.

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