Disease: septic shock

Diagnostic Approaches to Invasive Candidiasis: Challenges and New Perspectives

Invasive candidiasis is a serious fungal infection affecting critically ill patients in hospitals. Current testing methods like blood cultures are slow and sometimes miss the infection. Researchers are developing faster diagnostic tests using DNA detection and biomarkers that can identify infections within hours instead of days, allowing doctors to start treatment sooner and save more lives.

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A rare case of invasive necrotizing myositis of the thigh caused by Basidiobolus ranarum: a multi-pronged approach to successfully managing a near-fatal polybacterial mycotic infection

A 46-year-old man developed a severe fungal infection of his thigh caused by Basidiobolus ranarum, a rare fungus found in soil and animal feces. The infection worsened with secondary bacterial contamination, leading to tissue death and eventually requiring amputation. Doctors successfully treated the infection using a combination approach: antifungal medications (voriconazole and potassium iodide), antibiotics, and multiple surgical cleanings, though earlier treatment would have saved his limb.

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Geotrichosis Due to Magnusiomyces capitatus: A Severe Emerging Invasive Fungal Disease

A 71-year-old man with cancer undergoing chemotherapy developed a rare and serious fungal blood infection caused by Magnusiomyces capitatus. Despite treatment with antifungal medications, the infection spread throughout his body and he died 10 days after admission. This case highlights how some fungi can resist common antifungal drugs and the importance of quickly identifying the exact type of fungus causing an infection to choose the right treatment.

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A Pragmatic Strategy for Improving Diagnosis of Invasive Candidiasis in UK and Ireland ICUs

Diagnosing invasive candidiasis (a serious fungal infection in ICU patients) is challenging because current blood culture tests are slow and insensitive. This paper presents a practical five-step diagnostic guide for UK and Ireland hospitals that combines risk assessment, biomarker tests, and rapid identification methods to diagnose the infection faster and more accurately. Using this strategy helps doctors avoid unnecessary antifungal drugs while ensuring seriously ill patients receive appropriate treatment quickly, ultimately improving survival rates.

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Virulence factors of Candida spp. isolated from COVID-19 patients: hydrolytic enzyme activity and biofilm formation

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitalized patients developed fungal infections caused by Candida yeasts alongside their coronavirus infection. Researchers studied 71 Candida samples from COVID-19 patients to understand how these fungi cause disease by examining three damaging enzymes they produce and their ability to form protective biofilm layers. The findings showed that these fungi are highly virulent, producing strong enzyme activity that helps them invade tissues and resist treatment, which helps explain why these infections are particularly dangerous in COVID-19 patients.

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Clinical insights into mixed Candida and bacterial bloodstream infections: a retrospective cohort study

This study found that when both Candida fungus and bacteria are present together in a patient’s bloodstream, the outcome is much more serious than when only Candida is present. Among patients with these mixed infections, over 60% died within 30 days compared to about 52% for those with only Candida. The research shows that giving the right antibiotics early and following proper treatment guidelines can significantly improve survival chances in these severe, life-threatening infections.

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Geotrichosis Due to Magnusiomyces capitatus: A Severe Emerging Invasive Fungal Disease

A 71-year-old cancer patient receiving chemotherapy developed a severe blood infection caused by a rare fungus called Magnusiomyces capitatus. This emerging fungal infection caused septic shock and multiple organ failure despite treatment with antifungal medications. The case highlights how these rare fungi can be deadly in patients with weakened immune systems and emphasizes the importance of quick, accurate identification using advanced laboratory techniques to guide treatment decisions.

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Invasive Candidiasis in Contexts of Armed Conflict, High Violence, and Forced Displacement in Latin America and the Caribbean (2005–2025)

This comprehensive review examines candida fungal infections in conflict-affected areas of Latin America and the Caribbean, where wars, violence, and displacement create dangerous conditions that make infections more likely and harder to treat. In these regions, mortality from candida bloodstream infections reaches 65% or higher among displaced populations, compared to about 45-60% in regular hospitals. The main problems are lack of proper diagnostic equipment, limited access to effective antifungal medications, malnutrition, overcrowding in shelters, and the emergence of drug-resistant fungal strains.

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