Pulmonary mucormycosis

The Rising Threat of Mucormycosis: Oman’s Experience Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Mucormycosis is a serious fungal infection that became much more common in Oman during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most patients had diabetes and nearly half had COVID-19, with very high death rates. The infection primarily affects the sinuses and brain, and requires aggressive treatment with surgery and antifungal medications. This study shows doctors need better tools to detect and treat this dangerous infection, especially during health crises.

New Strategies to Combat Human Fungal Infections

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Fungal infections are becoming a major global health threat, causing millions of deaths annually. This research collection presents new and improved ways to treat these infections, including natural compounds like chitosan, beneficial bacteria, new drug combinations, and tests to better understand which treatments work best. The papers showcase innovative approaches beyond traditional antifungal medications to help combat resistant infections.

Brazilian task force for the management of mucormycosis

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Mucormycosis is a serious fungal infection that has become more common in Brazil, especially during COVID-19. This medical emergency requires rapid diagnosis through imaging and tissue sampling, combined with aggressive treatment including antifungal medications and surgery to remove infected tissue. The Brazilian government has made these powerful antifungal drugs more available to improve patient survival and reduce the severe complications of this dangerous infection.

Pulmonary Mucormycosis in Diabetic Patients: A Case Series From a Tertiary Respiratory Center in Sri Lanka

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This case study describes three diabetic patients in Sri Lanka who developed a serious lung infection caused by a fungus called mucormycosis. The infection caused cavities in the lungs and symptoms like fever, cough, and weight loss. Two patients recovered with antifungal medication (amphotericin B) and surgery, while one patient sadly died despite receiving treatment. The study emphasizes that doctors should consider this infection in diabetic patients with unusual lung symptoms to catch it early.

Pathogenic mucorales: Deciphering their cell wall polysaccharidome and immunostimulatory potential

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Researchers studied three dangerous fungi that cause serious infections called mucormycosis. They examined the outer coating of these fungi, called the cell wall, which is made of sugar-like molecules called polysaccharides. When these fungi were exposed to human immune cells, they triggered strong inflammatory responses. Understanding these fungal components could help develop better treatments and vaccines for this life-threatening infection.

Epidemiology of mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients in northwest Iran: Rhizopus arrhizus as the predominant species

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, a dangerous fungal infection called mucormycosis was found in 63 patients in northwestern Iran. The infection was caused mainly by a fungus called Rhizopus arrhizus and most commonly affected the sinuses and brain. Most patients had been given high-dose steroids to treat their COVID-19, which weakened their immune systems and increased their risk of this serious fungal infection, especially those with diabetes.

Clinical profiling, antifungal drug susceptibility, and biofilm formation ability in pulmonary mucormycosis

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This study examined 26 patients with a serious lung fungal infection called mucormycosis in a Beijing hospital. Most patients were older with health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure, and sadly about 4 in 10 died. Interestingly, most patients had other infections (viral or fungal) before developing mucormycosis. The researchers tested which antifungal drugs worked best against the fungus, finding that amphotericin B was most effective, though it can damage kidneys. They also discovered that most of the fungal strains could form protective biofilm structures, making treatment more difficult.

Pulmonary Mucormycosis in Diabetic Patients: A Case Series From a Tertiary Respiratory Center in Sri Lanka

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This case study describes three patients with diabetes who developed a serious lung infection caused by a rare fungus called mucormycosis. The infection presented with various symptoms like cough, fever, and weight loss, and was diagnosed using lung tissue samples that showed the characteristic fungal structures. Two patients recovered with prolonged antifungal medication treatment, while one patient unfortunately died despite receiving prompt treatment, highlighting how serious this infection can be.

The diagnosis of mucormycosis by PCR in patients at risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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This study evaluated how well PCR blood tests and tissue samples can diagnose a serious fungal infection called mucormycosis. Researchers analyzed 30 previous studies and found that PCR testing works very well, especially on respiratory fluid samples. Blood tests showed good accuracy too and could be useful for screening high-risk patients without requiring invasive procedures. The findings suggest PCR should become a standard diagnostic method for this difficult-to-diagnose infection.

Case Report: Liquid-based cytology diagnosis of pulmonary mucormycosis

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A 41-year-old man with diabetes developed a serious lung infection caused by mucormycosis, a rare and dangerous fungus. Doctors diagnosed the infection using liquid-based cytology, a technique that examines fluid from the lungs under a microscope, which proved more effective than traditional methods. Treatment with antifungal medications helped stabilize the patient’s condition, and he remained healthy during an eight-month follow-up. This case highlights how advanced diagnostic techniques can help doctors quickly identify and treat severe fungal infections.

Disease: Pulmonary mucormycosis