Prophylactic efficacy of a basidiomycetes preparation AHCC against lethal opportunistic infections in mice

The prophylactic effects of a Basidiomycetes preparation, AHCC, against exp erimental opportunistic infections were investigated in leukopenic mice. In cyclophosphamide-induced leukopenic mice, oral or intraperitoneal administ ration of the AHCC at doses of 1000 or 50 mg/kg/day, respectively, for 4 co nsecutive days prior to Candida albicans infection significantly prolonged the survival periods of the infected mice, and decreased the viable counts of C.albicans cells recovered from their kidneys. Similarly, the oral treat ment with AHCC protected mice from lethal infection with Pseudomonas aerugi nosa and intraperitoneal one also protected mice from infection with methic illin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These results suggest a poten tial usefulness of the AHCC as a prophylactic agent for the management of p atients with opportunistic infections.