Research Keyword: azole resistance

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

This survey examined how well hospitals in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg can diagnose and treat serious fungal infections, which are particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems. The researchers found that while most hospitals can test fungal samples, not all have access to all necessary diagnostic tools, especially tests for detecting resistant fungi and identifying fungal co-infections. Many hospitals outsource their testing to other facilities, which can delay diagnosis and treatment, and some hospitals lack access to all recommended antifungal medications.

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Ploidy plasticity drives fungal resistance to azoles used in agriculture and clinics

Researchers discovered that a common agricultural fungicide can cause fungal cells to change their genetic structure in ways that make them resistant to medicines used to treat human infections. The fungus Candida tropicalis can switch to a haploid state (single copy of genes instead of two) when exposed to this agricultural chemical, and these altered cells become resistant to both agricultural and medical antifungal drugs. This explains how resistance that develops in agricultural settings can spread to clinical settings, creating a public health threat.

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Aspergillus fumigatus ctf1 – a novel zinc finger transcription factor involved in azole resistance

Researchers discovered that a gene called ctf1 in a harmful fungus called Aspergillus fumigatus helps control how resistant the fungus is to antifungal medications like voriconazole. When this gene is removed, the fungus becomes more resistant to these drugs because it pumps them out more efficiently. Understanding this mechanism could help doctors develop better treatments for serious fungal infections in vulnerable patients.

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Clinical and Genomic Insights into Antifungal Resistance in Aspergillus Isolates from Thailand

Researchers in Thailand found that certain fungal infections caused by Aspergillus fumigatus are becoming resistant to common antifungal medications like voriconazole. They identified a specific genetic mutation called TR34/L98H in one patient sample that makes the fungus resistant to azole drugs used to treat these serious infections. By analyzing the genetic makeup of these resistant fungi, scientists discovered additional changes beyond the known resistance gene, suggesting these organisms may adapt in multiple ways to survive treatment. This is the first time this particular resistance mutation has been detected in a clinical patient sample in Thailand, indicating that antifungal resistance in Aspergillus is spreading and requires closer monitoring and testing.

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RttA, a Zn2-Cys6 transcription factor in Aspergillus fumigatus, contributes to azole resistance

Researchers discovered that a protein called RttA helps a common fungus called Aspergillus fumigatus resist azole medicines, which are used to treat serious fungal infections. By studying how this protein works and which genes it controls, scientists found that RttA could be a new target for developing better antifungal treatments. The findings are important because azole-resistant fungal infections are becoming more common worldwide and harder to treat.

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Candida krusei Empyema: A Lung Transplant Case and Systematic Review of the Literature

Candida krusei is a dangerous fungus that can cause fluid buildup around the lungs (empyema), particularly in transplant patients. Unlike common fungal infections that respond to fluconazole, this species is naturally resistant to this drug, making it harder to treat. The fungus forms protective biofilms that shield it from treatment, requiring combination antifungal medications and sometimes surgery to drain the fluid and remove infected tissue for successful recovery.

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Aspergillus fumigatus ctf1 – a novel zinc finger transcription factor involved in azole resistance

A. fumigatus is a dangerous fungal infection that kills many immunocompromised patients and increasingly resists common antifungal drugs. Researchers identified a key protein called ctf1 that helps the fungus resist the drug voriconazole by pumping it out of fungal cells and altering the fungal cell membrane. Understanding how ctf1 works could lead to new treatments for these difficult-to-treat infections.

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Changing Climate, Changing Candida: Environmental and Social Pressures on Invasive Candidiasis and Antifungal Resistance in Latin America

Invasive fungal infections caused by Candida yeasts are becoming more serious in Latin America, with drug-resistant strains spreading rapidly in hospitals. The problem is worsened by climate change and overuse of antifungal medicines in agriculture, which help resistant fungi survive and spread. Many hospitals in the region lack modern diagnostic tools to quickly identify the specific type of infection, delaying treatment. The authors recommend a comprehensive approach combining better environmental monitoring, smarter use of antifungal drugs, improved diagnostic access, and coordinated public health efforts across the region.

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RttA, a Zn2-Cys6 transcription factor in Aspergillus fumigatus, contributes to azole resistance

Researchers discovered that a fungal protein called RttA plays a key role in helping Aspergillus fumigatus resist azole antifungal drugs. By studying mutant strains, they found that RttA acts as a master switch controlling genes that reduce the effectiveness of antifungal medications. This finding is important because it could help develop new strategies to treat fungal infections that are becoming resistant to current medications.

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Antifungal Agents in the 21st Century: Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

This review examines how doctors treat serious fungal infections and the growing problem of fungi becoming resistant to medications. The authors discuss different antifungal drugs, how they work, and why some fungi are becoming harder to treat. They emphasize that controlling fungal resistance requires coordinated efforts across hospitals, farms, and communities, especially since some agricultural pesticides are creating resistant strains that spread to sick patients.

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