الفهرس 
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Abstract
Dermatophytosis especially onychomycosis is a widespread public health problem, in which T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes are the commonest causative organisms. Current medical therapy has many drawbacks and side effects. Methylene blue photodynamic therapy proved efficacy in-vitro and in-vivo against dermatophytes. Also, proved to be effective in photodynamic therapy of onychomycosis in comparison to fluconazole but sessions time and course of treatment were long. Methylene blue photodynamic therapy could be optimized by combination of methylene blue photosensitizer and gold nanoparticles in a composite as gold nanoparticles are efficient delivery systems and efficient enhancers of photosensitizers for antifungal photodynamic therapy. Eighty New zealand rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were used and categorized in eight equal groups as follows; healthy and infection control, composite photodynamic therapy and five comparative groups; methylene blue PDT group, gold nanoparticles plus light group, red LED group, green LED group and topical photosensitizers group. Photodynamic therapy was started at day 4 after inoculation, for four sessions with 48-hour time interval in-between sessions. Each group divided and light exposure at two fluencies; 80 J/cm2 and 100 J/cm2. All groups were investigated macroscopically and microscopically (by histopathology and scanning electron microscope) also flowcytometry assessment for cell death and X-ray analysis for gold nanoparticles accumulation in brain and liver tissues were determined. Recovery from infection approached 96٪ in gold nanoparticles plus light group, around 40٪ in methylene blue photodynamic therapy and 34% in composite photodynamic therapy. The observed findings confirmed by apparent decrease of apoptosis, however small amounts of gold nanoparticles was detected by X ray analysis in brain and liver tissues.