clinical mycology – Page 3

Identification of Challenging Dermatophyte Species Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

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This study shows that MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is an effective method for quickly identifying skin fungal infections caused by dermatophytes. By combining commercial reference databases with a custom library created from local isolates, researchers achieved 90.7% accurate identification compared to only 16.1% using the commercial database alone. This improved method could help doctors diagnose and treat fungal skin infections more quickly and accurately in clinical laboratories.

Correction to: Candida albicans—A systematic review to inform the World Health Organization Fungal Priority Pathogens List

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This is a correction notice to an important scientific review about Candida albicans, a common fungal infection that affects many people worldwide. The World Health Organization requested this systematic review to help prioritize which fungal diseases are most important to address globally. The correction simply fixes an author’s name that was misspelled in the original published version of the review.

A case report of disseminated histoplasmosis not responding to primary treatment by itraconazole

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A healthy 28-year-old woman developed a serious fungal infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum after dental surgery. The standard antifungal medication (itraconazole) did not work for her, even at high doses. Doctors successfully treated her with a more powerful antifungal drug called liposomal amphotericin B, which cleared the infection completely. This case shows the importance of adjusting treatment when patients don’t respond to initial therapy.

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

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Agricultural fungicides can cause fungal pathogens like Candida tropicalis to change their genetic structure and become resistant to clinical antifungal drugs. When exposed to agricultural azole fungicides, these fungi can shift from their normal two-copy genetic state to a one-copy state, making them harder to treat with hospital medicines. This study reveals how the same drugs used on farms can create dangerous drug-resistant fungi that threaten human health.

Breaking down biofilms across critical priority fungal pathogens: proteomics and computational innovation for mechanistic insights and new target discovery

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This comprehensive review examines how scientists are fighting dangerous fungal infections that form protective biofilms resistant to current antifungal drugs. Researchers are using advanced protein analysis techniques (proteomics) and artificial intelligence-based computational tools to identify new targets for drug development against four critical fungal pathogens that cause life-threatening infections like meningitis and lung infections. By combining these technologies, scientists can better understand how these fungal biofilms form and develop more effective treatments.

Genotypic and Phenotypic Investigation of Clinical Aspergillus isolates from Iran Indicates Nosocomial Transmission Events of Aspergillus flavus

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Researchers studied fungal infections caused by Aspergillus species in Iranian hospitals from 2020 to 2023. They found that Aspergillus flavus was the most common cause of infection and discovered evidence of several hospital-related outbreaks through genetic analysis. All isolates tested were susceptible to current antifungal medications, but the discovery of hospital transmission suggests the need for better infection control measures like improved air filtration in hospitals.

De novo genome sequencing and comparative analyses of the clinically relevant species Mucor ardhlaengiktus, Mucor circinelloides, Mucor griseocyanus, and Mucor janssenii

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Scientists have sequenced and analyzed the complete genomes of four species of Mucor fungus that cause serious infections in humans. Using advanced long-read sequencing technology, they created high-quality genetic blueprints for these organisms, which will help doctors better identify which Mucor species is causing infections and enable faster diagnosis and treatment of these dangerous fungal infections.

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.

Clinical aspects and recent advances in fungal diseases impacting human health

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Fungal infections are becoming a major health threat, affecting over a billion people worldwide. The main problems are difficulty diagnosing these infections, increasing resistance to current medications, and limited treatment options. Doctors and the public need better awareness, and new antifungal drugs with different approaches are needed to effectively treat resistant infections.

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

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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.

Research Keyword: clinical mycology