Disease: candidiasis

Synergistic potential and apoptosis induction of Bunium persicum essential oil and its pure components, cuminaldehyde and γ-terpinene, in combination with fluconazole on Candida albicans isolates: in vitro and in silico evaluation

Researchers studied how Bunium persicum essential oil and two of its active components work together with the antifungal drug fluconazole to fight resistant Candida yeast infections. They found that cuminaldehyde, one of the oil’s main components, was particularly effective when combined with fluconazole and could trigger yeast cell death. These natural compounds could offer a promising new approach to treating fungal infections that have become resistant to standard medications.

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A Case Report of Candidiasis Cellulitis in Long-Term Corticosteroid Use

A 54-year-old man developed a serious skin infection on his hand caused by Candida, a normally harmless fungus, because he had been taking corticosteroid injections for 15 years for breathing problems. Despite antibiotic treatment, the swelling and pain continued. Doctors discovered it was a fungal infection through lab tests and treated it with antifungal medication (fluconazole) after draining the infection, which completely healed within two weeks.

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Prospective Study on Microbiological Profile of Fungal Isolates and its Antibiogram in a Tertiary care hospital in South India

Researchers studied fungal infections in a hospital in South India over one year, examining 62 fungal isolates. They found that Candida auris, a dangerous fungal species, was the most common and had developed resistance to many antifungal drugs. A newer class of antifungal drugs called echinocandins worked best against these infections, highlighting the importance of quick identification of fungal species for proper treatment.

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Cracks in the Curriculum: The Hidden Deficiencies in Fungal Disease Coverage in Medical Books

This study examined how well major medical textbooks cover fungal diseases, which kill millions of people annually. Researchers found that books focused on infectious diseases had much better information about fungal infections than general internal medicine textbooks. Most textbooks failed to adequately cover how to prevent fungal infections and diagnose them correctly, which could lead to delayed treatment and worse patient outcomes.

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Molecular Identification of Candida Species among Iranian Patients: Pursuing Candida auris

Researchers in Iran studied 136 hospital patients to identify different types of Candida fungal infections using a molecular laboratory technique called PCR-RFLP. They found that while Candida albicans remained the most common species, other Candida species were increasingly prevalent in hospitalized patients. The study developed a cost-effective diagnostic method that could help developing countries identify these fungal infections faster and more accurately, though the dangerous multidrug-resistant Candida auris was not found in their samples.

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Investigation of the antifungal activity of panobinostat, tamoxifen, and miltefosine alone and in combination with some conventional antifungal drugs against fluconazole-resistant Candida species

Researchers tested whether three cancer drugs (panobinostat, tamoxifen, and miltefosine) could enhance the effectiveness of common antifungal medications against drug-resistant yeast infections. When combined with antifungals, some of these cancer drugs showed promise in killing resistant Candida species, though the effectiveness varied depending on which type of yeast was being treated. These findings suggest that combination therapies using already-approved drugs could help treat difficult fungal infections in cancer patients.

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Protein kinase A signaling regulates immune evasion by shaving and concealing fungal β-1,3-glucan

Candida albicans, a common fungal pathogen, uses a clever strategy to hide from the immune system by masking a molecule on its surface that would normally trigger an immune response. Researchers used both computer modeling and laboratory experiments to show that this hiding strategy involves two main processes: the fungus grows and exposes the molecule, while simultaneously using enzymes to shave it away. They found that a cellular signaling pathway called PKA is essential for activating these shaving enzymes in response to lactate, a signal from the host environment.

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Immunomodulatory function of chitosan is dependent on complement receptor 3

This study reveals how the human immune system recognizes chitosan, a natural component found in the walls of disease-causing fungi like Aspergillus and Cryptococcus. Researchers discovered that immune cells use a protein called CR3 on their surface to detect and respond to chitosan by producing inflammatory chemicals that help fight infection. When chitosan works together with fungal proteins, it can boost the immune system’s response even more effectively, suggesting new ways to enhance immunity against fungal infections.

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Discovery of novel targets for important human and plant fungal pathogens via an automated computational pipeline HitList

Researchers created a computer program called HitList that searches fungal DNA to find new targets for antifungal medications. The program identified 16 promising protein targets that could be attacked by new antifungal drugs, including 8 completely new targets never before considered. This discovery could help develop new antifungal treatments to fight drug-resistant fungal infections in both humans and crops.

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Past, present and future of antifungals: Advancements in mechanisms of action and resistance

Fungal infections are a growing global health threat, especially for people with weakened immune systems, causing millions of deaths annually. Currently available antifungal drugs are limited and increasingly face resistance, making them less effective over time. This special collection of research papers explores new approaches to treating fungal infections, including novel drugs, combination therapies, and alternative treatments to overcome resistance. Scientists and doctors hope these advances will help save more lives by providing better options for treating serious fungal diseases.

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