The growing neutropenic patient population provides an ideal target for opportunistic fungal infections. Several effective antifungal drugs are toxic at high doses and contraindicated for long-term treatment. Recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) has been shown to increase neutrophilic numbers and functions, thus providing enhanced host defense. Improved efficacy by using rhG-CSF in conjunction with various antifungal agents was the primary focus of these studies. Use of rhG-CSF in a murine model of vaginal candidiasis did not reduce vaginal colony counts, or improve vaginal histophathology scores. Administration of rhG-CSF in a murine model of pulmonary aspergillosis improved survival, clinical signs, and gross pathology and histophathology scores of the lungs, and increased weight gain. The rhG-CSF was not shown to be an effective therapeutic treatment in this model of vaginal candidiasis. The rhG-CSF was, however, an effective prophylactic treatment in this model of pulmonary aspergillosis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UTAHS/oai:digitalcommons.usu.edu:etd-4931 |
| Date | 01 May 1995 |
| Creators | Farrell, Lindi |
| Publisher | DigitalCommons@USU |
| Source Sets | Utah State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | All Graduate Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | Copyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact Andrew Wesolek (andrew.wesolek@usu.edu). |
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