-
Clinical Microbiology and Infection :... Jun 2021
Topics: Fatal Outcome; Female; Humans; Invasive Fungal Infections; Scedosporium
PubMed: 33253945
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.11.020 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2020and species are filamentous fungi that cause a wide range of infections in humans. They are usually found in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and are the...
and species are filamentous fungi that cause a wide range of infections in humans. They are usually found in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and are the second most frequent fungal genus after species. Several studies have been recently performed in order to understand how fungi and bacteria interact in CF lungs, since both can be isolated simultaneously from patients. In this context, many bacterial molecules were shown to inhibit fungal growth, but little is known about how fungi could interfere in bacterial development in CF lungs. and species present peptidorhamnomannans (PRMs) in their cell wall that play crucial roles in fungal adhesion and interaction with host epithelial cells and the immune system. The present study aimed to analyze whether PRMs extracted from , , , and block bacterial growth and biofilm formation . PRM from and displayed the best bactericidal effect against methicillin resistant (MRSA), , and , but not , all of which are the most frequently found bacteria in CF lungs. In addition, biofilm formation was inhibited in all bacteria tested using PRMs at minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). These results suggest that PRMs from the and surface seem to play an important role in colonization in CF patients, helping to clarify how these pathogens interact to each other in CF lungs.
Topics: Cystic Fibrosis; Glycoproteins; Humans; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Scedosporium
PubMed: 33251161
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.598823 -
JPRAS Open Mar 2022Infections caused by opportunistic fungal organisms such as spp have been increasingly recognized over the last few decades. Most affected patients are...
Infections caused by opportunistic fungal organisms such as spp have been increasingly recognized over the last few decades. Most affected patients are immunocompromised or critically ill, but spp infections have also been described in immunocompetent patients, such as localized disease from direct inoculation or in near-drowning events. We describe a case of a patient with no known underlying immune impairment who experienced significant infection with at both sites of breast augmentation. Once identified, the choice of therapeutics can be challenging given the intrinsic resistance and variable activity of different antifungal agents; however, other factors also impact the outcome of this infection such as the host immune status. Thus, both the recognition and treatment of infections can be challenging.
PubMed: 34934794
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpra.2021.10.010 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2023infections mainly occur after aspiration of contaminated water or inoculation with polluted environmental materials. spp. have been isolated from anthropogenic...
infections mainly occur after aspiration of contaminated water or inoculation with polluted environmental materials. spp. have been isolated from anthropogenic environments frequently. To understand their propagation and routes of infection, possible reservoirs of spp. should be explored. In this study, the impact of temperature, diesel and nitrate on populations in soil is described. Soil was treated with diesel and KNO and incubated for nine weeks at 18 and 25 °C. Isolation of strains was done using SceSel+. For the identification of 600 isolated strains, RFLP and rDNA sequencing were used. , , and were isolated at the beginning and/or the end of incubation. Temperature alone had a minor effect on the population. The combination of 25 °C and nitrate resulted in higher numbers. Treatment with 10 g diesel/kg soil and incubation at 25 °C resulted in even higher abundance, and favored and . The results of this study show that diesel-polluted soils favor dispersal of strains, especially and Higher temperature force the effect of supplementations.
PubMed: 37108859
DOI: 10.3390/jof9040403 -
Microbiology Spectrum Oct 2021An investigation of members of the soil keratinophilic fungi community in China resulted in the identification of one new monotypic genus, , and 10 new species, 2 of...
An investigation of members of the soil keratinophilic fungi community in China resulted in the identification of one new monotypic genus, , and 10 new species, 2 of which are affiliated with , 1 with the new genus , 4 with , and 3 with . These novel taxa form an independent lineage distinct from other species, based on morphological and multilocus phylogenetic analyses. Descriptions, illustrations, and notes are provided for each taxon. These new taxa of the soil keratinophilic fungi add to the increasing number of fungi known from China, and it is now evident that numerous novel taxa are waiting to be described. Keratinophilic fungi are a group that can degrade and utilize keratin-rich material. It is also because of this ability that many taxa can cause infections in animals or humans but remain poorly studied. In this study, we reported a novel genus and 10 novel species, 7 novel species belonging to the order and 3 to the genus , based on multilocus phylogenetic analyses combined with morphological characteristics. Our study significantly updates the taxonomy of and and enhances our understanding of this group of the keratin-degrading fungal community. The findings also encourage future studies on the artificially constructed keratin-degrading microbial consortia.
Topics: Ascomycota; China; Keratins; Multilocus Sequence Typing; Mycobiome; Mycological Typing Techniques; Soil; Soil Microbiology
PubMed: 34612666
DOI: 10.1128/Spectrum.00867-21 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2020Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are associated with high mortality rates and timely appropriate antifungal therapy is essential for good outcomes. Emerging antifungal... (Review)
Review
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are associated with high mortality rates and timely appropriate antifungal therapy is essential for good outcomes. Emerging antifungal resistance among and spp., the major causes of IFI, is concerning and has led to the increasing incorporation of in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing (AST) to guide clinical decisions. However, the interpretation of AST results and their contribution to management of IFIs remains a matter of debate. Specifically, the utility of AST is limited by the delay in obtaining results and the lack of pharmacodynamic correlation between minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values and clinical outcome, particularly for molds. Clinical breakpoints for spp. have been substantially revised over time and appear to be reliable for the detection of azole and echinocandin resistance and for outcome prediction, especially for non-neutropenic patients with candidemia. However, data are lacking for neutropenic patients with invasive candidiasis and some non- spp. (notably emerging ). For spp., AST is not routinely performed, but may be indicated according to the epidemiological context in the setting of emerging azole resistance among . For non- molds (e.g., , or spp.), AST is not routinely recommended as interpretive criteria are lacking and many confounders, mainly host factors, seem to play a predominant role in responses to antifungal therapy. This review provides an overview of the pre-clinical and clinical pharmacodynamic data, which constitute the rationale for the use and interpretation of AST testing of yeasts and molds in clinical practice.
PubMed: 33396870
DOI: 10.3390/jof7010017 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024species are human pathogenic fungi, responsible for chronic, localised, and life-threatening disseminated infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised...
species are human pathogenic fungi, responsible for chronic, localised, and life-threatening disseminated infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. The diagnosis of infections currently relies on non-specific CT, lengthy and insensitive culture from invasive biopsy, and the time-consuming histopathology of tissue samples. At present, there are no rapid antigen tests that detect -specific biomarkers. Here, we report the development of a rapid (30 min) and sensitive (pmol/L sensitivity) lateral-flow device (LFD) test, incorporating a -specific IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb), HG12, which binds to extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) antigens between ~15 kDa and 250 kDa secreted during the hyphal growth of the pathogens. The test is compatible with human serum and allows for the detection of the species most frequently reported as agents of human disease (, , and ), with limits of detection (LODs) of the EPS biomarkers in human serum of ~0.81 ng/mL (), ~0.94 ng/mL (), and ~1.95 ng/mL (). The -specific LFD (LFD) test therefore provides a potential novel opportunity for the detection of infections caused by different species.
PubMed: 38667492
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14080847 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jul 2017Genotyping studies of medically important fungi have addressed elucidation of outbreaks, nosocomial transmissions, infection routes, and genotype-phenotype correlations,... (Review)
Review
Genotyping studies of medically important fungi have addressed elucidation of outbreaks, nosocomial transmissions, infection routes, and genotype-phenotype correlations, of which secondary resistance has been most intensively investigated. Two methods have emerged because of their high discriminatory power and reproducibility: multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and microsatellite length polymorphism (MLP) using short tandem repeat (STR) markers. MLST relies on single-nucleotide polymorphisms within the coding regions of housekeeping genes. STR polymorphisms are based on the number of repeats of short DNA fragments, mostly outside coding regions, and thus are expected to be more polymorphic and more rapidly evolving than MLST markers. There is no consensus on a universal typing system. Either one or both of these approaches are now available for spp., spp., spp., spp., , , and endemic mycoses. The choice of the method and the number of loci to be tested depend on the clinical question being addressed. Next-generation sequencing is becoming the most appropriate method for fungi with no MLP or MLST typing available. Whatever the molecular tool used, collection of clinical data (e.g., time of hospitalization and sharing of similar rooms) is mandatory for investigating outbreaks and nosocomial transmission.
Topics: Cross Infection; Epidemiologic Methods; Fungi; Genotype; Humans; Multilocus Sequence Typing; Mycoses; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 28490578
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00043-16 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2023The detection of / is still based on non-standardized low-sensitivity culture procedures. This fact is particularly worrying in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), where...
The detection of / is still based on non-standardized low-sensitivity culture procedures. This fact is particularly worrying in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), where these fungi are the second most common filamentous fungi isolated, because a poor and delayed diagnosis can worsen the prognosis of the disease. To contribute to the discovery of new diagnostic strategies, a rapid serological dot immunobinding assay (DIA) that allows the detection of serum IgG against / in less than 15 min was developed. A crude protein extract from the conidia and hyphae of was employed as a fungal antigen. The DIA was evaluated using 303 CF serum samples (162 patients) grouped according to the detection of / in the respiratory sample by culture, obtaining a sensitivity and specificity of 90.48% and 79.30%, respectively; positive and negative predictive values of 54.81% and 96.77%, and an efficiency of 81.72%. The clinical factors associated with the results were also studied using a univariate and a multivariate analysis, which showed that / positive sputum, elevated anti- serum IgG and chronic infection were significantly associated with a positive result in DIA, while positive sputum showed a negative association. In conclusion, the test developed can offer a complementary, rapid, simple and sensitive method to contribute to the diagnosis of / in patients with CF.
PubMed: 36836272
DOI: 10.3390/jof9020158 -
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy May 2018is a medically important fungal pathogen that causes a wide range of infections in humans. There are relatively few antifungal agents that are active against spp....
is a medically important fungal pathogen that causes a wide range of infections in humans. There are relatively few antifungal agents that are active against spp. Little is known about the pharmacodynamics of voriconazole against Both static and dynamic models of invasive scedosporiosis were developed. Monoclonal antibodies that target a soluble cell wall antigen secreted by were used to describe the pharmacodynamics of voriconazole. Mathematical pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models were fitted to the data to estimate the drug exposure required to suppress the release of fungal antigen. The experimental results were bridged to humans using Monte Carlo simulation. All 3 strains of tested invaded through the cellular bilayer of the models and liberated antigen. There was a concentration-dependent decline in the amount of antigen, with near maximal antifungal activity against all 3 strains being achieved with voriconazole at 10 mg/liter. Similarly, there was a drug exposure-dependent decline in the amount of circulating antigen in the dynamic model and complete suppression of antigen, with an area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of approximately 80 mg · h/liter. A regression of the AUC/MIC versus the area under the antigen-time curve showed that a near maximal effect was obtained with an AUC/MIC of approximately 100. Monte Carlo simulation suggested that only isolates with an MIC of 0.5 mg/liter enabled pharmacodynamic targets to be achieved with a standard regimen of voriconazole. Isolates with higher MICs may need drug exposure targets higher than those currently recommended for other fungi.
Topics: A549 Cells; Antifungal Agents; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Models, Theoretical; Pneumonia; Scedosporium; Voriconazole
PubMed: 29439967
DOI: 10.1128/AAC.02516-17