antifungal therapy – Page 15

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

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Fungal infections are a growing global health problem, particularly for people with weakened immune systems, causing millions of deaths annually. Current antifungal medications are limited and increasingly ineffective due to drug-resistant fungi. This special issue explores new treatment strategies including novel drugs, combination therapies, and innovative approaches like nanoparticles and antimicrobial peptides to combat these serious infections.

Saksenaea oblongispora Rhinosinusitis in Advanced HIV: A Rare and Lethal Mucormycosis

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A 32-year-old man with advanced HIV developed a severe fungal infection of his sinuses caused by a rare fungus called Saksenaea oblongispora, which typically doesn’t affect people with HIV. The patient presented with severe facial swelling that rapidly worsened, and despite doctors identifying the fungus through biopsies and lab tests, he did not receive antifungal treatment or surgery before his condition became critical. This is the first case of this particular fungal infection documented in sub-Saharan Africa and in HIV patients, highlighting how dangerous this rare infection can be and how challenging it is to diagnose quickly enough to save lives.

Low Antigen Titre Disseminated Cryptococcosis in Immunocompromised Hosts: Two Challenging Case Reports

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Two patients with weakened immune systems developed serious fungal blood infections from Cryptococcus despite having unusually low levels of fungal markers in their blood. One was a kidney transplant patient and the other had HIV. Neither showed signs of brain infection, which is unusual for this disease. Both were successfully treated with aggressive antifungal medications once blood cultures confirmed the disseminated infection.

Fungal pathogens and symbionts: Living off the fat of the land

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Certain fungi that live exclusively in or on hosts have evolved a clever survival strategy: they stopped making their own fatty acids and instead steal them from their hosts. This includes fungi that cause pneumonia in immunocompromised patients, yeasts on skin, and beneficial fungi that help plants absorb nutrients from soil. By examining how these fungi scavenge fatty acids from their hosts, scientists hope to develop better treatments and diagnostic tools for fungal infections.

First human case of Eidernor doerrieniae colonization in a peritoneal dialysis catheter: A warning from silent contamination

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A 52-year-old man on peritoneal dialysis noticed brownish particles in his dialysis catheter. Doctors identified the particles as a rare fungus called Eidernor doerrieniae, which had never been found in humans before. Although the patient had no symptoms, doctors immediately removed the catheter and treated him with antifungal medications, which successfully cured the infection. This case shows why patients and doctors should take visible particles in dialysis catheters seriously, even when there are no obvious signs of infection.

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

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A 54-year-old man developed a serious hand infection caused by Candida albicans, a yeast that normally lives harmlessly on human skin. The infection occurred because he had been taking large doses of corticosteroid injections for 15 years to help with breathing problems, which weakened his immune system. Doctors drained the infected area and treated him with antifungal medication, and he recovered completely, highlighting the importance of recognizing fungal infections in patients on long-term steroid therapy.

Clinical Challenges and Predictive Risk Factors for Outcomes in COVID-19–Associated Mucormycosis

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, a dangerous fungal infection called mucormycosis has become a serious complication, especially for patients with uncontrolled diabetes or those taking certain medications. Researchers studied 180 patients with this condition and found that the infection can spread from the sinuses to the eyes and brain, leading to severe outcomes. The most important factors in surviving this infection are early detection, keeping blood sugar controlled, careful use of steroids, and aggressive treatment with antifungal medications and sometimes surgery.

Disseminated cryptococcosis in an HIV patient with hepatitis C as the associated risk factor

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A 29-year-old patient with HIV and hepatitis C developed a serious fungal infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans that spread to the brain. The infection was diagnosed through blood and spinal fluid tests and treated successfully with antifungal medications. This case shows why it is important to recognize and treat fungal infections quickly in people with weakened immune systems and multiple health conditions.

ESCMID-EFISG Survey on Diagnostic and Therapeutic Capacity for Invasive Fungal Infections in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg: A Focus on High Azole Resistance

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This survey examined how well hospitals in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg can diagnose and treat serious fungal infections, especially in patients whose immune systems are weakened. The researchers found that while most hospitals have good access to testing and antifungal medications, some important tests are still missing, and many hospitals send samples to other facilities for testing, which can delay treatment. Since this region has unusually high rates of fungal infections that resist common antifungal drugs, improving access to advanced diagnostic tests is crucial for patient survival.

Mucor germinans, a novel dimorphic species resembling Paracoccidioides in a clinical sample: questions on ecological strategy

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Researchers discovered a new fungus called Mucor germinans that infected a cancer patient’s lungs and appeared as yeast cells rather than the typical thread-like fungal structures. This is unusual because Mucor infections normally show filamentous hyphae, and the yeast-like appearance made it look like a different fungus, potentially delaying correct diagnosis and treatment. The study shows that this fungus can change forms depending on temperature and other conditions, and identifying it requires checking for multiple nuclei in the cells to distinguish it from other similar-looking yeasts.

Research Keyword: antifungal therapy