Problems Associated with Meaningful Research on the Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Mycotic Disease Agents

摘要

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen on microorganisms has been investigated over the last 60 years. While work on bacteria has been careful and systematic, work on fungi has been less critical, often yielding conflicting results. An extensive review of the literature was undertaken to define problems associated with meaningful research on the effects of high oxygen pressures on the growth and development of certain human pathogenic fungi. Problem areas defined were significant variability and contradiction of available data; possible erroneous correlations of susceptibility of certain fungi taxa to inhibition by hyperbaric oxygen; questionable reliability of results of past work stemming from possible misidentification of organisms; nomenclatural controversies involving major human pathogenic fungal groups; and questionable reproducibility of certain studies due to the tendencies of certain fungi to change with time and conditions. (Author)