FIGURE 7.

The photodynamic antifungal efficacy of HA in treating cutaneous C. albicans infections. (A) The 0.8 cm diameter wounds were created by removal of the full-thickness skin on the shaved back of the mice. (B) C. albicans skin infections and damage were observed on day 8. The mice in this experiment were divided into three groups: C. albicans infection group (n = 6), C. albicans infection + 0.5 μg/ml HA group (n = 6), and C. albicans infection + 1.0 μg/ml HA group (n = 6). In the C. albicans infection group, the mice were just subjected to C. albicans infection without HA addition. In the C. albicans infection + HA groups, 0.5 or 1.0 μg/ml HA and illumination for 30 min were performed at 30 min post-infection. The treatments in each group were repeated in the following 6 days. On day 8, C. albicans skin infections were evaluated. (C) The fungal burden was evaluated in the infected skin wounds on day 8. The mouse wounds were surgically excised and homogenized in PBS to release C. albicans. After that, the suspensions were subjected to being streaked on YPD agar plates to count CFUs after 24–48 h of incubation at 30∘C. (D) Toxicity of HA was observed in normal mouse skin. 0.5 or 1.0 μg/ml HA and illumination for 30 min daily were conducted on the shaved back of the mice for consecutive 7 days. ^*P < 0.05 and ^∗∗P < 0.01.