A 53-year-old patient developed a serious eye infection caused by a fungus called Clonostachys rosea, which had never been reported before as causing eye disease. The infection caused a painful ulcer on the cornea (the clear front part of the eye). Doctors treated the infection with antifungal medications applied as eye drops and taken as tablets, and the patient recovered well within about a month.
This study compared how two types of fungi invade the cornea of the eye. Candida albicans, a yeast, stayed localized to where it entered the eye and was easier to control surgically. In contrast, Fusarium falciforme, a mold, spread aggressively throughout the entire cornea and was much harder to treat. Understanding these different invasion patterns helps explain why some fungal eye infections are more difficult to manage than others.
Researchers tested a new treatment called cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) combined with antifungal medications against fungi that cause serious eye infections. CAP, which generates reactive molecules without heat, was found to make antifungal drugs work better against two major fungal pathogens. In some cases, drugs that previously didn’t work started working when combined with CAP. This approach could help treat difficult fungal eye infections that are resistant to standard medications.
Fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny packages released by fungal cells that play important roles in fungal infections and how our immune system responds to them. Scientists have confirmed these EVs are real biological structures, not laboratory artifacts, and discovered they are produced by many different fungal species. Interestingly, these EVs can have opposite effects on the immune system depending on the fungus involved—sometimes helping our bodies fight infection and sometimes making infections worse, making them both potential vaccines and virulence factors.
Researchers collected oral samples from 47 bats in Brazil and found that over 40% carried yeast species, including some dangerous types like Candida albicans that cause infections in humans. The study identified that bats living near human settlements may serve as reservoirs for these disease-causing fungi, especially during rainy seasons when conditions favor yeast growth. This discovery highlights the importance of monitoring wildlife for infectious diseases to prevent them from spreading to humans.
A 74-year-old farmer developed a serious fungal eye infection caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae, a rare tropical fungus. Instead of requiring eye surgery, the patient was successfully treated with a combination of two antifungal medications applied as eye drops and taken orally for eight weeks. This case is significant because it’s the first documented successful medical treatment of this particular fungal infection, highlighting the importance of quick diagnosis and avoiding corticosteroid eye drops that can worsen fungal infections.
A 66-year-old man developed a severe corneal infection from a stone chip injury that didn’t improve with standard antibiotics. Doctors discovered the infection was caused by a rare plant fungus called Stemphylium lycopersici, combined with a herpes virus. Using advanced genetic testing (mNGS) to identify the exact pathogens, they prescribed targeted antifungal and antiviral medications along with a corneal transplant, successfully healing the infection and preserving his vision.
A 53-year-old patient developed a corneal infection caused by a fungus called Clonostachys rosea, likely from an eye injury. This is the first reported case of this particular fungus infecting the cornea. The infection was successfully treated with antifungal eye drops and oral medications, with the ulcer healing into a scar within one month.