therapeutic action: Caspofungin

Dual fungal endocarditis in a pediatric dialysis patient: First case of Aspergillus flavus and Candida parapsilosis co-infection

A 13-year-old boy with kidney disease requiring dialysis developed a rare dual fungal heart infection caused by two different fungi simultaneously. Doctors diagnosed the infection using heart imaging, blood tests, and tissue examination, then treated him with antifungal medications and two heart surgeries to remove infected tissue and replace a damaged heart valve. Despite the extreme rarity and severity of this condition, the patient survived, which had never been reported in children before.

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Spectrum of Fungal Infections in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis: A 20-Year Retrospective Study From a Tertiary Care Center

This study examined fungal infections in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) over 20 years at a major Indian hospital. Researchers identified various fungal species causing peritonitis, with Candida species being most common, but discovered increasingly rare fungi involved in these infections. The study found that proper identification of the specific fungus and testing for drug resistance is crucial for effective treatment, typically involving catheter removal and targeted antifungal medications.

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Masquerading Yeast: A Case Report of Lomentospora prolificans Fungemia With a Diagnostic Twist

This case describes a patient with blood cancer who developed a rare and deadly mold infection called Lomentospora prolificans while receiving cancer treatment. The infection was difficult to diagnose initially because the fungal structures looked similar to yeast under the microscope, and a molecular test gave a false positive result for a different fungus. Unfortunately, the infection was resistant to all available antifungal medications and the patient died.

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First case of invasive Rasamsonia argillacea in a child with chronic granulomatous disease in Qatar

A 16-year-old girl with a rare immune system disorder called chronic granulomatous disease developed a serious fungal infection caused by Rasamsonia argillacea, a fungus that is not commonly seen in clinical practice. The infection presented as a painful collection in her chest wall that required surgery and multiple antifungal medications. This is the first reported case of this particular fungal infection in the Arabian Peninsula, and successful treatment required a combination of drugs chosen based on laboratory testing of the fungus’s resistance patterns.

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Antifungal susceptibility testing of Microsporum canis isolated from the skin of dermatologically healthy cats

Researchers tested healthy cats in Chile and found that about 5% carried a fungus called Microsporum canis that can cause ringworm. This fungus was resistant to a common antifungal drug called fluconazole. Indoor cats were more likely to carry the fungus than outdoor cats. Because cats can spread this fungus to people, identifying carrier cats is important for preventing human infections.

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COVID-19-associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Mechanically Ventilated Patients at 7 US Hospitals: Epidemiology and Estimated Likelihood of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis—Results of the Prospective MSG-017 Study

A fungal infection caused by Aspergillus commonly occurs in COVID-19 patients on ventilators, affecting about 7% of cases. The study found that having this infection was linked to high death rates, but it was unclear whether the fungal infection itself or the severe COVID-19 caused the deaths. Single positive test results for the fungus are not reliable for diagnosis, and antifungal drugs did not improve survival rates.

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Consecutive non-Aspergillus Fungal Invasive Infections in Chronic Granulomatous Disease: Data from the French National Reference Center for Primary ImmunoDeficiencies and literature review

This study examines rare but serious fungal infections in patients with chronic granulomatous disease, a genetic immune disorder. Researchers analyzed 122 cases of non-Aspergillus fungal infections from French hospitals and published literature, finding that these infections often occur despite preventive antifungal medications and are challenging to diagnose. The infections were found in the lungs most commonly but could spread to bones, brain, and other organs, with treatments including antifungal drugs, surgery, and in some cases bone marrow transplants.

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Renaming Candida glabrata—A case of taxonomic purity over clinical and public health pragmatism

Candida glabrata is a common yeast infection that causes serious illnesses in humans, affecting millions of people worldwide. Scientists have recently proposed renaming it to Nakaseomyces glabrata for technical taxonomic reasons. However, this article argues against the change because it would create confusion for doctors, complicate treatment instructions on medications, disrupt disease tracking systems, and make it harder for patients to understand their conditions. Keeping the familiar name Candida glabrata is more practical and helpful for patient care and public health than strict adherence to taxonomic classification rules.

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Epidemiology and outcomes of Candida-associated osteoarticular infections: A multicentre retrospective study from Turkey

Researchers in Turkey studied 73 patients with rare bone and joint infections caused by Candida fungi over 10 years. They found that about half of the infections were caused by species other than the common C. albicans, with some showing resistance to fluconazole antibiotics. Surgical procedures to clean out infected tissue significantly improved patient recovery, while patients with diabetes had worse outcomes and recovered less completely.

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Candidemia due to Candida lambica in a neutropenic oncology patient: A rare case report

A 56-year-old cancer patient developed a rare blood infection caused by an unusual yeast called Candida lambica while receiving chemotherapy. Despite taking antifungal medication for prevention, the patient developed a serious fever and low white blood cell count. Doctors identified the infection through genetic testing and treated it with a different antifungal drug called voriconazole, which successfully cleared the infection.

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