antifungal activity – Page 15

Healthcare-associated fungal infections and emerging pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, fungal infections became a serious complication in hospitalized patients, especially those receiving steroids and other immune-suppressing treatments. Common fungal pathogens like Candida and Aspergillus caused dangerous coinfections, with infection rates varying significantly by region. Current antifungal medications have significant limitations including toxicity and resistance, highlighting the urgent need for new and safer antifungal treatments.

A case of rare fungal keratitis caused by Pseudoshiraia conidialis

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A 61-year-old woman scratched her eye with a bamboo branch and developed a serious fungal eye infection caused by a rare fungus called Pseudoshiraia conidialis. This is the first reported case of this particular fungus infecting human eyes. Although initial treatment with antifungal medications showed promise, the infection proved difficult to cure due to the fungus being resistant to multiple antifungal drugs. The case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of fungal eye infections.

Deep cutaneous fungal infection in an immunocompetent individual caused by a biological pesticide: a rare case report

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A 66-year-old farmer developed a deep skin fungal infection from a biological pesticide she used for over 10 years. The pesticide contained a fungus called Purpureocillium lilacinum, which is normally harmless to healthy people but caused repeated skin lesions on her face and arms. She was successfully treated with antifungal medication (itraconazole) for three months, and her skin fully healed without returning. This is the first reported case showing that biological pesticides can pose health risks to workers who handle them regularly.

Pathogen identification and biological fungicides screening for Plumbago auriculata blight in China

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Researchers in China identified a fungal disease affecting Plumbago auriculata (cape leadwort), a popular ornamental plant. The disease was caused by Fusarium ipomoeae, a fungus that causes yellowing and death of plant tissue. Scientists tested seven biological pesticides and found that osthole, a natural compound, was most effective at controlling the fungus and preventing disease.

Synthesis, Physicochemical Properties and Anti-Fungal Activities of New Meso-Arylporphyrins

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Researchers created three new porphyrin compounds that effectively kill fungal infections like Candida and athlete’s foot fungi. These compounds can also generate singlet oxygen when exposed to light, making them potentially useful for photodynamic therapy treatments. Testing showed they inhibited fungal growth at relatively low concentrations, suggesting they could become new antifungal medications.

Exo-metabolome profiling of soybean endophytes: a road map of antagonism against Fusarium oxysporum

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Scientists discovered that certain beneficial bacteria living inside soybean roots can protect the plant from a harmful fungus that causes root rot and reduces crop yield. By analyzing the chemical compounds these bacteria produce, researchers identified specific antifungal substances that kill or inhibit the pathogenic fungus. These findings suggest that instead of using harmful chemical fungicides, farmers could use these beneficial bacteria as a natural, environmentally-friendly way to protect soybean crops and improve agricultural sustainability.

Diversity and functions of fungal VOCs with special reference to the multiple bioactivities of the mushroom alcohol

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Fungi release various volatile compounds (VOCs) that have different effects on organisms and the environment. The most notable fungal VOC is 1-octen-3-ol, also called mushroom alcohol, which gives mushrooms their distinctive smell. This compound can inhibit fungal growth, repel insects, and help control plant diseases, but at high concentrations it may be toxic to humans and trigger immune responses. Scientists use fruit flies as a model to study how these fungal compounds affect health.

Green Synthesized Copper-Oxide Nanoparticles Exhibit Antifungal Activity Against Botrytis cinerea, the Causal Agent of the Gray Mold Disease

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Scientists have developed tiny copper particles using environmentally friendly methods with beneficial fungi to fight gray mold, a devastating disease in vineyards and crops. These green-synthesized nanoparticles were more effective at stopping the fungus than commercial fungicides currently in use. The research shows this approach could be a sustainable alternative that reduces harmful chemicals used in agriculture while protecting crops more effectively.

Kinome analysis of Madurella mycetomatis identified kinases in the cell wall integrity pathway as novel potential therapeutic drug targets in eumycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis

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Eumycetoma is a serious fungal infection that causes large tumors under the skin and is very difficult to treat. Scientists used computer analysis to find special proteins called kinases in the fungus that might be good targets for new drugs. They discovered that proteins involved in the fungus’s cell wall are promising targets, which could lead to better treatments for this neglected disease.

Leveraging synthetic genetic array screening to identify therapeutic targets and inhibitors for combatting azole resistance in Candida glabrata

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Candida glabrata is a dangerous fungus causing serious infections that is becoming resistant to antifungal drugs. Researchers used a genetic screening technique to find genes that interact with drug resistance mutations and identified methotrexate (a drug already used for arthritis) as a potential partner for fluconazole treatment. When combined, these drugs work better together against resistant strains of the fungus, offering hope for treating these stubborn infections.

therapeutic action: antifungal activity