Association between Helium-Neon laser (HeNe) and liposomal Amphotericin B (LAB) in the treatment of experimentally induced paracoccidioidomicotic lesions

• Grant number: 13/05898-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2013
• End date: April 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Liana Maria Cardoso Verinaud
• Grantee: Carolina Vazquez
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), caused by the theriomorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb) is the most relevant systemic mycosis in Latin America. The infection is known to take place firstly in the lungs and then to disseminate to other organs and tissues, including the skin. Cutaneous lesions are extremely painful, sensitive, and difficult to be healed by currently available antimycotic treatment, which is lengthy, costly, and has several side effects, such as anemia and liver and nephrotoxicity. So, alternative strategies have been studied as adjuvant therapies for the eradication of the pathogen and faster healing of cutaneous lesions. Accordingly, low-powered lasers, such as laser Helium-Neon (HeNe) may configure themselves as an excellent alternative treatment, since their microbicidal action and wound healing properties are already well known. This study aims to analyze the healing and microbicidal effects obtained with the association between conventional treatment with antifungal therapy and the HeNe laser irradiation on experimentally induced PCMlesions. (AU)