Disease: candidiasis

Interaction with amoeba drives virulence-associated phenotypes in the Candida haemulonii complex

Researchers discovered that when fungal pathogens called Candida haemulonii are exposed to soil amoebae in laboratory conditions, they develop enhanced disease-causing abilities. These fungi undergo multiple changes including forming stronger protective biofilms, producing more virulence factors, and becoming harder to kill by immune defenses. This suggests that fungal pathogens might develop some of their dangerous traits not from infecting humans, but from surviving in soil environments where they must evade predatory organisms like amoebae.

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Identification and antifungal susceptibility patterns of reference yeast strains to novel and conventional agents: a comparative study using CLSI, EUCAST and Sensititre YeastOne methods

Researchers compared three different laboratory methods for testing how well antifungal drugs work against common yeast infections. They tested 22 different yeast strains including Candida species using CLSI, EUCAST, and Sensititre YeastOne methods. The methods showed strong agreement overall, but some newer antifungal drugs like ibrexafungerp showed more variation between methods. The findings suggest these methods are reliable for guiding treatment decisions, but further standardization is needed for newer drugs.

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Clinical aspects and recent advances in fungal diseases impacting human health

Fungal infections affect over a billion people worldwide and are becoming harder to treat due to growing resistance to antifungal medications. The review discusses major challenges in detecting and treating these infections, including difficulty in diagnosis and limited awareness among healthcare providers. New antifungal drugs are being developed and approved to address these challenges, but a comprehensive approach involving better awareness, improved testing, and responsible medication use is needed.

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Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenic Fungal Virulence Regulation by Cell Membrane Phospholipids

This review explains how the fats that make up fungal cell membranes directly influence how dangerous fungi become to humans. Different types of membrane fats help fungi change shape to invade tissues, survive stress in the body, and hide from immune cells. By understanding these processes, scientists can develop new ways to fight fungal infections by targeting the membrane components that fungi depend on for survival.

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Antifungal Effects of Pterostilbene on Candida albicans, Candida dubliniensis, and Microcosm Biofilms of Denture Stomatitis

Pterostilbene, a natural compound found in blueberries and grapes, has been shown to effectively kill Candida fungi that cause denture-related mouth infections. In laboratory tests, it successfully eliminated fungal cells and disrupted harmful biofilms within 8 hours. When tested in a living organism model, pterostilbene proved safe and reduced infection severity, suggesting it could be a promising natural alternative to conventional antifungal medications.

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Fruiting body-associated Pseudomonas contact triggers ROS-mediated perylenequinone biosynthesis in Shiraia mycelium culture

Scientists discovered that bacteria living inside medicinal mushroom fruiting bodies can trigger the production of powerful healing compounds called perylenequinones through direct physical contact. These compounds are being used to fight cancer and harmful bacteria through a therapy called photodynamic therapy. The study shows that when bacteria touch the mushroom’s cells, it causes the mushroom to produce more of these therapeutic compounds by creating controlled stress that activates specific genes.

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

This study evaluated a simple molecular test called PCR-RFLP to identify different types of Candida fungi in hospitalized patients in Iran. Among 136 patient samples, researchers found eight different Candida species, with common Candida albicans being most prevalent, but other more dangerous species also present. No cases of the emerging pathogen Candida auris were found, though the test method can effectively detect it. The researchers conclude this cost-effective test could be valuable for identifying dangerous fungal infections in developing countries.

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Tailoring mRNA lipid nanoparticles for antifungal vaccines

Researchers are exploring mRNA vaccines, similar to those used for COVID-19, as a new approach to prevent fungal infections. These vaccines use fatty particles called lipid nanoparticles to deliver instructions to cells on how to make fungal proteins, triggering an immune response. The review discusses how to optimize these vaccines, what challenges need to be overcome, and why they might be especially useful for people with weakened immune systems who are most vulnerable to serious fungal infections.

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Healthcare-associated fungal infections and emerging pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, fungal infections became a serious complication in hospitalized patients, especially those receiving steroids and other immune-suppressing treatments. Common fungal pathogens like Candida and Aspergillus caused dangerous coinfections, with infection rates varying significantly by region. Current antifungal medications have significant limitations including toxicity and resistance, highlighting the urgent need for new and safer antifungal treatments.

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Informing the World Health Organization Fungal Priority Pathogens List (WHO-FPPL): A collection of systematic reviews

The World Health Organization created a priority list of dangerous fungal infections affecting millions of people globally each year. Experts reviewed 19 different fungal pathogens and ranked them by how dangerous they are and how much they need research and treatment development. The list identifies which fungal infections should get the most attention from doctors, researchers, and public health officials to improve patient outcomes and reduce deaths.

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