Selected Human Pathogenic Fungi
Rajendra Prasad, Mahmoud A. Ghannoum in Lipids of Pathogenic Fungi, 2017
Along with the increasing importance of fungal infections, there is a steadily increasing understanding of their pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and therapy. Research is going on in many aspects of fungal pathogenesis as well as on epidemiological risk factors for infection, but much remains to be elucidated. The development of azoles has revolutionized the treatment of many fungal infections; yet for others, the treatment of necessity remains amphotericin B or a combination of drugs. For some fungi, a good therapeutic agent has not been identified as yet. Throughout the world, clinicians are faced with the challenging task of not only keeping up with the arrival of new pathogens, but also with the changing recommendations for therapy. An in-depth discussion of all the human pathogenic fungi is beyond the scope of this chapter; therefore, discussion will be limited to the species that represent most important human pathogens.
Plant-based Nanomaterials and their Antimicrobial Activity
Mahendra Rai, Chistiane M. Feitosa in Eco-Friendly Biobased Products Used in Microbial Diseases, 2022
The major causative agent for nosocomial fungal infections is Candida species, especially C. albicans being the most abundant etiological agent of systemic fungal infections in the bloodstream. Aspergillus infections together with Candida infections, which commonly affect granulocytopenic and other immunocompromised patients comprise 90% of all prevalent nosocomial fungal infections (Fridkin and Jarvis 1996). The major opportunistic pathogenic fungus that is responsible for the fungal infections in immunocompromised individuals such as HIV patients, cancer patients receiving immunosuppressive treatments, individuals undergoing organ transplantation and patients with serious medical conditions is Cryptococcus neoformans (Mitchell and Perfect 1995). Moreover, rarely found deep fungal infections are caused by Zygomycetes members such as Rhizomucor pusillus, Rhizopus arrhizus and Absidia corymbifera and Ascomycota members like Fusarium spp., Blastoschizomyces capitatus; Basidiomycetes like Trichosporon beigelii are intrinsically becoming resistant to the available antifungal medications (Fridkin and Jarvis 1996).
Aspergillosis and Mucormycosis
Rebecca A. Cox in Immunology of the Fungal Diseases, 2020
The variation in the pathogenicity of aspergilli or Mucorales depends primarily on the susceptibility of the host, but may also depend, to some degree, on the pathogenic potential of the fungus. Certain groups of aspergilli and Mucorales, particularly those that are thermotolerant, are potentially pathogenic.139,140 With the aspergilli, particular strains of potentially pathogenic fungi may be especially well suited for rapid adaptation to growth in host tissues and thus are able to proliferate and cause disease.47,141 Passage of the organism in mice and collection of conidia from younger cultures increase virulence.47 Moreover, strains isolated from infected tissue are more virulent than are soil isolates, correlating with higher metabolic rates at 37°C.141
LOX-1 Regulates Neutrophil Apoptosis and Fungal Load in A. Fumigatus Keratitis
Published in Current Eye Research, 2021
Cui Li, Kun He, Min Yin, Qiuqiu Zhang, Jing Lin, Yawen Niu, Qian Wang, Qiang Xu, Nan Jiang, Guiqiu Zhao
Fungal keratitis (FK) is infectious corneal disease with high rate of blindness.1 When infected with pathogenic fungi, the host activates the immune system to recognize and eliminutesate these pathogenic fungi. As important pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), C-type lectin receptors play a crucial regulatory role in fungal keratitis.2–5 Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (LOX-1), is one of type II membrane proteins and structurally belongs to C-typed lectin family. It includes a short intracellular N-terminus hydrophilic domain and a long extracellular C- terminus hydrophilic domain. The specific structure enables LOX-1 to recognize specific substances, including pathogenic microorganisms, oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDLs), endotoxins, damaged or apoptosis cells, suggesting that LOX-1 involves in immune response through different ways.6
Will invasive fungal infections be The Last of Us? The importance of surveillance, public-health interventions, and antifungal stewardship
Published in Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy, 2023
Roxana M. Rodríguez Stewart, Jeremy A.W. Gold, Tom Chiller, D. Joseph Sexton, Shawn R. Lockhart
Each year, IFIs are responsible for over 1.5 million deaths globally and, in the United States alone, impose health-care costs ranging from five to seven billion dollars [1,2]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of death from fungal infections have increased [3], and the burden of IFIs is poised to grow given the expanding population of patients living with immunosuppressive conditions (e.g. solid organ and stem cell transplantation), increasing antifungal resistance, and potential climate-change related expansion of the geographic ranges in which pathogenic fungi live. Despite the morbidity and mortality associated with fungal infections and their growing public health importance, we still have much to learn about their diagnosis and management. In this review, we discuss gaps and global disparities in fungal laboratory capacity including antifungal susceptibility testing, the paucity of fungal surveillance, and the importance of antifungal stewardship, all against the backdrop of increasing antifungal resistance and a limited armamentarium of antifungal therapies.
The expanding use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectroscopy in the diagnosis of patients with mycotic diseases
Published in Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics, 2019
Thomas J. Walsh, Matthew W. McCarthy
Thus far, we have considered the role of MALDI-TOF MS in the identification of yeasts and molds. However, some organisms display characteristics of both yeasts and molds, depending on the temperature. Dimorphic fungi are fungi that can reproduce as either a mold or a yeast-like state [56]. Many of these organisms, which include species of Histoplasma, Blastomyces, Coccidioides, Paracoccidioides, Talaromyces, and Sporothrix, demonstrate the mold form at 25°C and the yeast at 37°C [57]. Proper identification requires a high index of suspicion, as the isolation of the pathogenic fungus from cultures together with the visualization of typical organisms in tissues are the gold standard methods for diagnosis. However, cultures are time-consuming, and some require level 3 containment and often require experienced personnel.
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