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 […]
Nosocomial transmission of Candida auris blocked in the Netherlands by infection control
A total of 26 isolates (cases) of C. auris have been reported in the Netherlands, from first appearance in 2018 to 2025; two cases were invasive infections, while the remaining twenty-four cases were regarded as colonisation. All were imported cases. Since the first report of C. auris in the Netherlands, an upward trend in the […]
Isavuconazole, a suitable alternative for first-line treatment of invasive fungal disease in children
A Spanish paediatric case series, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, has demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of isavuconazole in treating invasive fungal disease (IFD) in children. Mendosa-Palomar et al. retrospectively analyzed 107 children (≤18 years) from nine public teaching hospitals in Spain, of whom isavuconazole was prescribed as treatment in 95 patients (89%) […]
Should invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with liver failure preclude liver transplant?
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) before liver transplantation increases mortality post-transplant by ~4x, according to Fang Chen and colleagues. Mortality with and without IPA was 38.1% vs 10.5% at 3 months (p= 0.049) and 42.9% vs 10.5% at 12 months (p = 0.026), respectively. These high mortality figures were despite antifungal therapy in 67% for a median […]
Albumin binding of fatty acids protects mammals from pulmonary mucormycosis
Mucormycosis especially affects those with poorly controlled diabetes, neutropenia and those with iron overload, as well as trauma victims. The immune defence against mucormycosis has long been assumed to be similar to that against other mould infections, but this is not the case. A remarkable and huge piece of translational pathogenesis work coordinated by Georgios […]