Summary
I chose to summarize an article about a new antifungal called eberconazole. Twenty to twenty-five percent of the world’s population is affected by a dermatophytic infection. This is a parasitic skin infection caused by a fungus. The most common species of fungi to cause dermatophytosis are Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, and Microsporum. It is caused by parasitic organisms attaching to the keratin on the skin. They feed on the keratin and form colonies. These infections are only limited to the superficial layers of the skin so topical antifungal agents are a great treatment. Although oral and topical antifungals can be used, topical treatments are the first line drugs of choice for localized dermatophytosis due to a decrease in the amount of adverse reactions, increased efficacy and aim in treatment, shorter treatment period needed, ease of use and application, decrease in treatment time, and increased compliance. There are a lot of antifungals on the market and choosing the best drug for treatment is made harder due to problems with diagnosing the infection, signs and symptoms that are not the norm for clinical presentation, the prevalence of drug resistant strains, the increasing population of immunocompromised people, and poor adherence to treatment. Eberconazole is an imidazole derivative that was originally launched on the market in Spain in 2005 by Laboratories Salvat and is now on the market in many countries. This article reviews the pharmacology of this drug and its clinical use and efficacy.
The molecular structure of eberconazole is C18H14Cl2N2. It is a broad spectrum antifungal that has be proven to be successful in fighting dermatophytosis, candidiasis, other yeast infections including Malassezzia furfur...
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...eberconazole besides this article and it seems like a promising drug for the future. It makes me want to keep watching for its emergence in the United States. It is currently being used in many other countries besides the U.S. It is possible to come across patients who may be using this drug because they obtained it elsewhere. The more knowledge we have about drugs that are being studied or are available in other countries can better help us treat patients that may be using these drugs. I will continue to watch for this drug to become available in the U.S. so that I may be able to use it in my practice someday.
Works Cited
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Arch Dermatol. 2007;143(1):124–125. Puchenkova, S. G. (1996). "
Bacteria vaginosis is treated with antibiotic medications (CDC). Metronidazole is commonly used. Metronidazole treatment does not adversely affect lactobacilli so they are able to recolonize the vagina and reduce the risk of late-stage relapse (Catlin, 1992). The cephalosporins available in the late 1970s were not very active against G. vaginalis.
For medical care, no treatment is needed for those who are asymptomatic, just monitoring for mild symptoms (2). For those who cannot fight the disease as easily as the majority, there are an array of treatments available. To start, blood cultures should be performed in all patients, and sputum cultures should be taken for those with chronic histoplasmosis (2). Chest radiology would be preferred for individuals with acute pulmonary histoplasmosis, steroids and possible laser treatment for ocular histoplasmosis, and CT scans for those with cerebral histoplasmosis (2). With prolonged symptoms of more than 4 weeks, medical therapy via itraconazole is recommended for 6-12 weeks, followed by chest imaging (2). Bronchiectasis caused by the microbe is treated with either a bronchoscopy or surgical removal (3). Phrenological treatments to histoplasmosis include amphorcetericin B, ketoconazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole (3). Currently, antifungal agents are being developed to offer alternative treatment (3). To successfully survive as a pathogen, the virus must change itself on a micro level to survive changing conditions, macrophages, and other threats to the fungi’s reproduction (4). Being able to go from an environmental mold to an intercellular yeast is extremely useful for a microbe in an ecosystem that fights for control of those it infects (4). These advantages present within histoplasmosis are what keeps it as a cause of respiratory and systemic disease in mammals (4). There are plenty of treatments available to accommodate all forms of histoplasmosis, making it a microbe that is very simple to cure, despite how hard it tries to
Plenty of fungal problems exist, including athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm, and onychomycosis (fungal infection beneath nails). However, many antifungal drugs exist as well, such as Lamisil, which is the most effective. Using the molecule terbinafine hydrochloride, it puts holes in the cell membranes of fungal cells, and can destroy fungi. Despite this, Lamisil has many problems such as harmful side effects, and a high cost, and can therefore be vastly improved. Some of Lamisil’s competitors, such as Tinactin, offer a similar medication for a cheaper price, and other analogs of the drug could prove to be safer and even more effective. For now though, Lamisil, the 87th best selling prescription drug in the world, is the best antifungal medication1.
If you have toenail fungus and have tried topical or home remedies that haven’t worked, you don’t need to worry any longer. Today, laser technology LightPod Forte is used to treat toenail fungus very effectively. The unique high-power output is fast and efficient laser energy that heats the fungus without burning the surrounding skin. This kills the fungus in and under the nail. There are no drugs used or any side effects.
Szepietowski, J. C., Salomon, J., Pacan, P., Hrehorów, E., & Zalewska, A. (2009). Frequency and Treatment of Trichotillomania in Poland. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 89(3), 267-270. doi:10.2340/00015555-0630
The first known use of dermatology was established in 1819 and only in the 1930’s did its practice become more widely accomplished, known and sought after. (“Dermatology” 2014) Since then it has extensively evolved and changed and been able to provide services for women and men around the world. Originally being a part of the medicine field can now be considered a division of the beauty industry due to availability of services and treatments for aesthetic, pampering purposes, rather than just originally founded for medical issues of resolving skin disorders and diseases. Dermatology being defined as ‘a branch of medicine dealing with the skin, its structure, functions and diseases’ (“Dermatology” 2014) now offers many professions one being a dermatologist, whic...
In the business of drug production over the years, there have been astronomical gains in the technology of pharmaceutical drugs. More and more drugs are being made for diseases and viruses each day, and there are many more drugs still undergoing research and testing. These "miracle" drugs are expensive, however, and many Americans cannot afford these prices.
Throughout many generations the success of medicine has been dog-eared throughout history, from penicillin being created through colonized bacteria on an agar plate to chemotherapy being used to combat the ailments of cancer, we as a society rely a great deal on the effectiveness of medicine. Due to this realization one can agree that it is imperative that the medications that are being distributed and placed on the pharmaceutical market are tested and analyzed at all angles and perspectives to ensure they work effectively and successfully resulting in moderate to no side effects. The progressive industry of medicine has greatly increased since the early nineties thanks to the advancement in medical technology making
Galgiani JN, A. N. (2000). Practice guideline for the treatment of coccidioidomycosis. Infectious Diseases Society of America Clin Infect Dis, 30:658-61.
United States. Its use as a medicine has existed for thousands of years in many
The controversy regarding the sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics in animal feeds is that “super-bugs” are able to evolve. This is a threat to both the health of the animals and humans. What a “super-bug” refers to is a strain of bacteria that has evolved to be resistant to bacteria and lethal to the host organism. These super-bugs account for the death of roughly 48,000 Americans each year (Adams, 2013). These superbugs proliferate in the digestive tracts of hosts. Each dose of antibiotics in the animals’ diets at sub-therapeutic levels increases the likelihood of antibiotic resistance bacteria to evolve. The antibiotics kill the antibiotic sensitive bacteria, but bacteria that are resistant proliferate in the gut of the animals. When these antibiotic resistant bacteria are left to grow in the gut, they can cause infection to the animal or people that consume the animal as food (Falco, 2013, Amachawadl et. al. 2013). Antibiotic-resistance can also be conferred through horizontal gene transfer and other methods, making the mere existence of such bacteria a threat that should not be taken lightly.
The advent of penicillin forever changed the world of medicine at its discovery with its ability to treat diseases, deadly at the time, that are now considered commonplace and easily treatable. Penicillin was one of the greatest discoveries of the twentieth century, as antibiotics are one of the most highly prescribed drugs in the world today. Although its discovery is often described as serendipitous, the process by which it was cultivated was quite meticulous, and continued attention has been paid to penicillin's further development. It is because penicillin and its derivatives have played such a vital role in everyday medicine that it is such an important topic.
Fungi are eukaryotic organisms which are either single-celled or multi-cellular organisms, their DNA containing chromosomes are enclosed in a Nucleus inside their cells. Fungi cell structure is very similar to that of the plants however, Fungi do not perform photosynthesis. Fungi is often known to be a nuisance when found within a person’s house, whether on food, the walls or even the floor. People naturally find it disturbing and dirty, however there are good types of Fungi, often referred to as friendly fungi. In 1928 Penicillin, one of the most famous of antibiotic drugs was discovered having derived it from the fungi called Penicillium. This discovery has since has a huge impact on helping people across the globe. However, not all is it seems, there are some nasty fungi that can cause diseases in plants, animals and people. A famous one being Phytophthora infestans. This ...
Infection control is very important in the health care profession. Health care professionals, who do not practice proper infection control, allow themselves to become susceptible to a number of infections. Among the most dreaded of these infections are: hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Another infection which has more recently increased in prevalence is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These infections are all treated differently. Each infection has its own symptoms, classifications, and incubation periods. These infections are transmitted in very similar fashions, but they do not all target the same population.