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Microbiology Insights 2021Risk groups for mucormycosis include persons with immunosuppressed immune system and uncontrolled diabetes. The patients suffering from corona virus or post covid... (Review)
Review
Risk groups for mucormycosis include persons with immunosuppressed immune system and uncontrolled diabetes. The patients suffering from corona virus or post covid patients have been found to be entrapped with this fungal infection due to suppression in the immune system. Also the major attack was reported in those patients who were in Intensive Care units. It arises due to the fungal infection of various species and can occur simultaneously with covid. The development of black fungus mostly affects lungs, eyes, brain, and skin and is not at all contagious. Proper diagnostic can only predict that the patient is in invasive attack of which mucor species. It is better to take prevention by wearing medicated masks, hand gloves, wearing glasses, avoid dusty and damp places.
PubMed: 34866911
DOI: 10.1177/11786361211053003 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Jun 2021
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Mucor; Mucormycosis; Orbital Diseases; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 34011699
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1165_21 -
Journal de Mycologie Medicale May 2022Published studies on coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (CAROCM) were primarily descriptive. Therefore, we aimed to identify... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Published studies on coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (CAROCM) were primarily descriptive. Therefore, we aimed to identify features of COVID-19 that could predispose to CAROCM and explore the pathogenic pathways.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
This retrospective hospital-based study was done during the first (March 2020 - January 2021) and the second (February 2021 - June 2021) waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Subjects were grouped into four categories: first-wave CAROCM (n-4); second-wave CAROCM (n-27); first-wave non-mucor COVID (n-75), and second-wave non-mucor COVID (n-50). Data elements included age, gender, comorbidities, COVID-19 severity, steroid therapy, peak values of interleukin-6 (IL-6), serum ferritin and D-dimer, nadir values of absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC) and platelet count (Pl. C).
RESULTS
Thirty-one patients of CAROCM were included. The mean (SD) age was 51.26 (11.48) years. 27 (87.1%) were aged ≥ 40 years and males. Severe COVID-19 was seen more often in the second wave than the first wave (P-0.001). CAROCM group was significantly younger (P-0.008) and showed a higher incidence of uncontrolled diabetes (P-0.001) and renal dysfunction (P-0.004) than non-mucor COVID. While IL-6, ferritin and D-dimer were significantly elevated in CAROCM than non-mucor COVID, clinical severity, ANC, ALC and Pl. C showed no significant difference.
CONCLUSION
CAROCM is seen often in middle-aged diabetic males with uncontrolled hyperglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, renal dysfunction and those infected by more transmissible delta variants and treated with steroids. IL-6, D-dimer, serum ferritin are more often elevated in CAROCM and might play a pathogenic role.
Topics: COVID-19; Diabetic Ketoacidosis; Ferritins; Humans; Interleukin-6; Kidney Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Mucormycosis; Pandemics; Retrospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 35134736
DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2022.101252 -
Botanical Studies Mar 2023The biodiversity of the mycobiota of soft cheese rinds such as Brie or Camembert has been extensively studied, but scant information is available on the fungi colonizing...
BACKGROUND
The biodiversity of the mycobiota of soft cheese rinds such as Brie or Camembert has been extensively studied, but scant information is available on the fungi colonizing the rinds of cheese produced in the Southern Switzerland Alps. This study aimed at exploring the fungal communities present on rinds of cheese matured in five cellars in Southern Switzerland and to evaluate their composition with regards to temperature, relative humidity, type of cheese, as well as microenvironmental and geographic factors. We used macro- and microscopical morphology, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and sequencing to characterize the fungal communities of the cheeses, and compared them with metabarcoding targeting the ITS region.
RESULTS
Isolation by serial dilution yielded 201 isolates (39 yeasts and 162 filamentous fungi) belonging to 9 fungal species. Mucor and Penicillium were dominant, with Mucor racemosus, M. lanceolatus, P. biforme, and P. chrysogenum/rubens being the most frequent species. All but two yeast isolates were identified as Debaryomyces hansenii. Metabarcoding detected 80 fungal species. Culture work and metabarcoding produced comparable results in terms of similarity of the fungal cheese rind communities in the five cellars.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study has shown that the mycobiota on the rinds of the cheeses studied is a comparatively species-poor community influenced by temperature, relative humidity, type of cheese, and manufacturing steps, as well as microenvironmental and possibly geographic factors.
PubMed: 36905471
DOI: 10.1186/s40529-023-00371-2 -
Fungal Biology Sep 2023Many species of medically important fungi are prolific in the formation of asexual spores. Spores undergo a process of active swelling and cell wall remodelling before a...
Many species of medically important fungi are prolific in the formation of asexual spores. Spores undergo a process of active swelling and cell wall remodelling before a germ tube is formed and filamentous growth ensues. Highly elongated germ tubes are known to be difficult to phagocytose and pose particular challenges for immune phagocytes. However, the significance of the earliest stages of spore germination during immune cell interactions has not been investigated and yet this is likely to be important for defence against sporogenous fungal pathogens. We show here that macrophages restrict the early phases of the spore germination process of Aspergillus fumigatus and Mucor circinelloides including the initial phase of spore swelling, spore germination and early polarised growth. Macrophages are therefore adept at retarding germination as well as subsequent vegetative growth which is likely to be critical for immune surveillance and protection against sporulating fungi.
Topics: Spores, Fungal; Germination; Macrophages; Phagocytes; Phagosomes
PubMed: 37821151
DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2023.08.002 -
Journal of Microbiology (Seoul, Korea) Jun 2019Mucor circinelloides is a pathogenic fungus and etiologic agent of mucormycosis. In 2013, cases of gastrointestinal illness after yogurt consumption were reported to the...
Mucor circinelloides is a pathogenic fungus and etiologic agent of mucormycosis. In 2013, cases of gastrointestinal illness after yogurt consumption were reported to the US FDA, and the producer found that its products were contaminated with Mucor. A previous study found that the Mucor strain isolated from an open contaminated yogurt exhibited virulence in a murine systemic infection model and showed that this strain is capable of surviving passage through the gastrointestinal tract of mice. In this study, we isolated another Mucor strain from an unopened yogurt that is closely related but distinct from the first Mucor strain and subsequently examined if Mucor alters the gut microbiota in a murine host model. DNA extracted from a ten-day course of stool samples was used to analyze the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tracts of mice exposed via ingestion of Mucor spores. The bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS1 sequences obtained were used to identify taxa of each kingdom. Linear regressions revealed that there are changes in bacterial and fungal abundance in the gastrointestinal tracts of mice which ingested Mucor. Furthermore, we found an increased abundance of the bacterial genus Bacteroides and a decreased abundance of the bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila in the gastrointestinal tracts of exposed mice. Measurements of abundances show shifts in relative levels of multiple bacterial and fungal taxa between mouse groups. These findings suggest that exposure of the gastrointestinal tract to Mucor can alter the microbiota and, more importantly, illustrate an interaction between the intestinal mycobiota and bacteriota. In addition, Mucor was able to induce increased permeability in epithelial cell monolayers in vitro, which might be indicative of unstable intestinal barriers. Understanding how the gut microbiota is shaped is important to understand the basis of potential methods of treatment for gastrointestinal illness. How the gut microbiota changes in response to exposure, even by pathogens not considered to be causative agents of food-borne illness, may be important to how commercial food producers prevent and respond to contamination of products aimed at the public. This study provides evidence that the fungal microbiota, though understudied, may play an important role in diseases of the human gut.
Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Biodiversity; Cell Membrane Permeability; DNA, Bacterial; DNA, Fungal; Disease Models, Animal; Epithelial Cells; Feces; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Gastrointestinal Tract; Mice; Microbial Interactions; Mucor; Mucormycosis; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Virulence; Yogurt
PubMed: 31012059
DOI: 10.1007/s12275-019-8682-x -
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical... Apr 2022Mold sensitization and exposure are associated with asthma severity, but the specific species that contribute to difficult-to-control (DTC) asthma are unknown.
BACKGROUND
Mold sensitization and exposure are associated with asthma severity, but the specific species that contribute to difficult-to-control (DTC) asthma are unknown.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine the association between overall and specific mold levels in the homes of urban children and DTC asthma.
METHODS
The Asthma Phenotypes in the Inner-City study recruited participants, aged 6 to 17 years, from 8 US cities and classified each participant as having either DTC asthma or easy-to-control (ETC) asthma on the basis of treatment step level. Dust samples had been collected in each participant's home (n = 485), and any dust remaining (n = 265 samples), after other analyses, was frozen at -20C. The dust samples (n = 265) were analyzed using quantitative PCR to determine the concentrations of the 36 molds in the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index. Logistic regression was performed to discriminate specific mold content of dust from homes of children with DTC versus ETC asthma.
RESULTS
Frozen-dust samples were available from 54% of homes of children with DTC (139 of 253) and ETC asthma (126 of 232). Only the average concentration of the mold Mucor was significantly (P < .001) greater in homes of children with DTC asthma. In homes with window air-conditioning units, the Mucor concentration contributed about a 22% increase (1.6 odds ratio; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2) in the ability to discriminate between cases of DTC and ETC asthma.
CONCLUSIONS
Mucor levels in the homes of urban youth were a predictor of DTC asthma, and these higher Mucor levels were more likely in homes with a window air-conditioner.
Topics: Adolescent; Air Pollution, Indoor; Allergens; Asthma; Dust; Fungi; Housing; Humans; Urban Population
PubMed: 34606833
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.07.047 -
Cureus Jul 2023Osteomyelitis of the clivus secondary to mucormycosis is a rare infection of the clivus bone due to infiltration by fungi of the genus Immunocompromised patients and/or...
Osteomyelitis of the clivus secondary to mucormycosis is a rare infection of the clivus bone due to infiltration by fungi of the genus Immunocompromised patients and/or those with diabetes mellitus are most at risk of developing this disease. Here, we present the case of a 63-year-old male patient with findings of gas within the clivus on computed tomography angiography. Diagnosis of mucormycosis osteomyelitis was confirmed after endoscopic biopsy and histopathologic examination. Furthermore, as this condition is very difficult to detect on imaging, we emphasize the discussion of typical radiology findings associated with this disease based on this and other case reports in the literature.
PubMed: 37546115
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.41367 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2022Mucor lusitanicus and some other members of the fungal order Mucorales display the phenomenon of morphological dimorphism. This means that these fungi aerobically...
Mucor lusitanicus and some other members of the fungal order Mucorales display the phenomenon of morphological dimorphism. This means that these fungi aerobically produce filamentous hyphae, developing a coenocytic mycelium, but they grow in a multipolar yeast-like form under anaerobiosis. Revealing the molecular mechanism of the reversible yeast-hyphal transition can be interesting for both the biotechnological application and in the understanding of the pathomechanism of mucormycosis. In the present study, transcriptomic analyses were carried out after cultivating the fungus either aerobically or anaerobically revealing significant changes in gene expression under the two conditions. In total, 539 differentially expressed genes (FDR < 0.05, |log2FC| ≥ 3) were identified, including 190 upregulated and 349 downregulated transcripts. Within the metabolism-related genes, carbohydrate metabolism was proven to be especially affected. Anaerobiosis also affected the transcription of transporters: among the 14 up- and 42 downregulated transporters, several putative sugar transporters were detected. Moreover, a considerable number of transcripts related to amino acid transport and metabolism, lipid transport and metabolism, and energy production and conversion were proven to be downregulated when the culture had been transferred into an anaerobic atmosphere.
PubMed: 35448635
DOI: 10.3390/jof8040404 -
Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology Apr 2016The Mucorales are an important opportunistic fungi that can cause mucormycosis in immunocompromised patients. The fast and precise diagnosis of mucormycosis is very...
BACKGROUND
The Mucorales are an important opportunistic fungi that can cause mucormycosis in immunocompromised patients. The fast and precise diagnosis of mucormycosis is very important because, if the diagnosis is not made early enough, dissemination often occurs. It is now well established that molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) are feasible and reliable tools for the early and accurate diagnosis of mucormycosis agents.
OBJECTIVES
The present study was conducted to evaluate the validity of PCR-RFLP for the identification of Mucorales and some important Mucor and Lichtheimia species in pure cultures of Zygomycetes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Specific sense and anti-sense primers were used to amplify the Mucorales, Mucor, and Lichtheimia DNA. The PCR products were digested by AfIII, XmnI, and AcII restriction enzymes, and the resultant restriction pattern was analyzed.
RESULTS
On the basis of the molecular and morphological data, we identified Mucor plumbeus (10.83%), M. circinelloides (9.17%), Lichtheimia corymbifera (9.17%), M. racemosus (5.83%), M. ramosissimus (3.33%), and L. blakesleeana (0.83%).
CONCLUSIONS
It seems that PCR-RFLP is a suitable technique for the identification of Mucorales at the species level.
PubMed: 27284399
DOI: 10.5812/jjm.35237