Research Keyword: respiratory tract infection

Mycobiome analyses of critically ill COVID-19 patients

This study examined fungal infections in severely ill COVID-19 patients treated in intensive care units across Europe. Researchers found that a dangerous mold called Aspergillus fumigatus was more common in patients who died and less common in those treated with azole antifungal drugs. The findings suggest that giving antifungal medications to critically ill COVID-19 patients when they arrive at the hospital might help prevent fungal-related deaths.

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Ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by a new-found opportunistic fungal pathogen—Myceliophthora heterothallica: a case report

A 67-year-old woman suffered cardiac arrest and required a breathing machine to survive. While on the ventilator, doctors discovered an unusual fungal infection in her lungs caused by Myceliophthora heterothallica, which had never been documented as a human pathogen before. With standard bacterial antibiotics and supportive care, the patient recovered and was discharged after four weeks, suggesting this fungus may be less dangerous than related species.

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Genome sequences of Aspergillus fumigatus strains isolated from wildfowl in Southern Ontario, Canada

Researchers sequenced the genomes of four Aspergillus fumigatus fungi isolated from infected birds (an osprey, peregrine falcon, and two hawks) brought to wildlife rehabilitation centers in Ontario. This fungus causes a serious infection called aspergillosis that damages the lungs and air sacs of birds. The genetic information from these four strains is now publicly available for scientists studying how this fungus infects birds and how it resists antifungal treatments.

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