[Evaluation of anti-Candida properties of cationic peptides derived from Rana ridibunda skin]

Background: Antimicrobial peptides with relative length [2-100 amino acids] and positive charge [pure charge [+9]-[+2]] are amphiphilic that isolated from a wide range of animals. Recently, these peptides have been known as a part of innate immune response. Nowadays, more than 500 antimicrobial peptides from animals have been reported

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-Candida effects of cationic peptides derived from Rana ridibunda skin

Methods: In this study, using alcohol-acid technique, peptides of frog's skin were isolated and purified by Sep-Pack and Sephadex column. Then the anti-Candida activity [Fluconazole Resistance C. albicans, Fluconazole Sensitive C. albicans, and C. glabrata] of the peptides in different concentrations were evaluated

Results: Regarding to statistical analysis, peptides in concentration ranging from 25 to 100 micro g/ml had the most anti-Candida activities. In respect to different understudy Candida species, these agents had the less effect on the Fluconazole Resistance C. albicans [p<0.05]

Conclusions: The anti-Candida effects of cationic peptide obtained from frog skin are approved in this study

comparative study of digestive tract mycoflora of broilers with layers

Fungal agents, especially yeasts, are resident in digestive system as microflora and they can invade the mucosal tract in animals with predisposing factors. The prevalence of the resident fungal flora in the digestive tract of healthy broilers and layers during April to September 2008 was investigated. The samples were taken from the preventriculus, jejunum and cecum contents of 120 birds and cultured on Sabouraud glucose agar. Both filamentous fungus and yeasts were isolated and a predominance of the Candida species was found, followed by Trichosporon beigelii, Geotrichum candidum, Rhodotorula rubra and Saccharomyces cerevisiae species, which were found in 84.6%, 5.5%, 4.6%, 3.3% and 0.5% of cultures, respectively. Among the yeast isolates, Candida albicans [45.8%] was the most prevalent fungal agent, representing a significant proportion when compared to the other fungal isolates [P<0.05]. The frequency of the yeast in the layers' digestive tract was significantly higher than that found in the broilers [P<0.05]. Mycological examination revealed the highest numbers of yeasts in the cecum and lower numbers in the jejunum and preventriculus in two breeds