HUMAN SALIVARY HISTATIN-5 EXERTS POTENT FUNGICIDAL ACTIVITY AGAINST CRYPTOCOCCUS-NEOFORMANS

Human salivary histatins (Hsns) have been known to be potent antifunga l agents against Candida albicans for more than a decade. Here, we rep ort that Hsns are also effective in killing another medically importan t opportunistic fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, which has be come a new threat among the immunocompromised patients, especially AID S patients. In fact, the cidal activity of Hsn-5 against C. neoformans is as high as that against C. albicans. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V .