A global review study by Denning and colleagues has identified 47 cases of CPA in the paediatric population published from 1963 to 2022: twenty-two were simple aspergillomas, and 11 were chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis. The authors speculate the reported number of cases underestimates the true CPA prevalence in children, likely due to misclassifications as invasive […]
Is the use of azole antifungal prophylaxis in AML patients treated with venetoclax necessary?
A retrospective analysis of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia patients receiving venetoclax and a hypomethylating (Ven/HMA) agent finds that azole antifungal prophylaxis (AFP) did not improve the overall survival of participants. Patients who received azole antifungal prophylaxis had an inferior overall survival, with 34% of patients receiving AFP having died by day 120 compared to […]
Rapid CRISPR-based assay in smear- and culture-negative fungal keratitis
A new rapid molecular tool for diagnosing fungal keratitis has been developed by Aravind Eye Hospital in India – RID-MyC. Negative fungal cultures and microscopy are a frequent problem in fungal keratitis worldwide, leading to an underestimate of its true burden. A PCR assay has been further improved using CRISPR methodology (ST-RID-MyC) and takes <10 […]
Sirius One system outperformed Microflex 3.1 in the identification of filamentous fungi
Although advances in Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry technology have enabled higher accuracy and faster identification of moulds, the model of instruments and databases used, and the extraction method, are crucial for optimal diagnostic outcomes. In this Swedish study, the Sirius One system showed higher sensitivity than the Microflex 3.1, achieving a […]
Empirical antifungals demonstrate superiority to pre-emptive therapy in patients with liver failure
A randomised controlled trial conducted in India evidently showed that early empirical antifungal therapy, compared with pre-emptive therapy, improves survival in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure and invasive fungal infections (IFIs). The significant findings were a higher treatment success and resolution of IFIs, and a lower in-hospital and IFI-attributable mortality in the empirical group (55.6% […]
DermatoPlex qPCR assay demonstrates superiority over conventional methods in the detection of dermatophyte fungi and Candida species.
A Spanish study conducted at the Navarra University Hospital showed that the use of DermatoPlex qPCR for detecting dermatomycoses had sensitivities 2.3x and 1.7x greater than direct microscopic examination and culture, respectively. The overall agreement for the molecular detection of dermatophyte fungi and Candida spp. in skin and nail material, compared with culture, was 75.4%. […]
Averting missed diagnosis of blastomycosis in an endemic region; understanding the rudiments
The average diagnostic delay of blastomycosis was 27 days, with 17% of patients experiencing delays of over a month. Most cases seen had ‘community-acquired pneumonia’. A retrospective analysis from a US study by Desmond Barber and colleagues reported pre-existing pulmonary conditions, diabetes mellitus and respiratory therapies as risk factors for delayed diagnosis of blastomycosis. 41% […]
Fatal outcomes in a yellow fever series linked with fungal pneumonia
A Brazilian autopsy-based case series (2017 to 2019) of yellow fever patients reported pneumonia or haemorrhage in the respiratory tract as the immediate cause of death in 31 (42.4%) cases. Microscopy detected yeasts and hyphae in 27 (37%) and 9 (12%) cases, respectively. The yeasts were morphologically similar to Candida species, while the hyphae had […]
Recent cases indicate that both sporotrichosis and blastomycosis can be vector-borne diseases.
A systematic review has identified fourteen cases of non-feline sporotrichosis linked with insect bites. Sporothrix schenckii was identified in six cases; the species was not determined in the remainder. The infection sites identified in some of the cases were the upper extremity (two cases), face (one case), lower extremity (2 cases), and left arm (one […]
Aspergillus IgG levels, a predictive tool for relapse in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis patients
A retrospective analysis of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) patients has demonstrated the presence of Aspergillus sensitisation and a higher Aspergillus-specific IgG titre at completion of antifungal treatment as predictors of relapse. Contrastingly, no significant association was found between relapse and underlying lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or prior TB. This finding will […]