Current Medical Mycology最新文献

{"title":"Overview of <i>Candida parapsilosis</i> candidemia in pediatric patients with hematologic and solid organ malignancies.","authors":"Fatma Tuğba Çetin, Ümmühan Çay, Asena Ünal, Özlem Özgür Gündeşlioğlu, Derya Alabaz, Filiz Kibar, Nazlı Totik, Meriç Esen Şimşek Mullaoğlu, Gülay Sezgin, Serhan Küpeli","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345299.1579","DOIUrl":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345299.1579","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Today, with the development of critical patient care and the increase in intravascular invasive methods, the survival rate of patients diagnosed with hematological and solid organ malignancies is increasing, and unfortunately, the incidence of <i>Candida parapsilosis</i> candidemia is also increasing due to multiple risk factors. In this study, we aimed to determine the clinical-demographic characteristics of <i>C. parapsilosis</i> candidemia and the antifungal susceptibility profile of <i>C. parapsilosis</i> in pediatric patients with hematological and solid organ malignancies.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The present study included pediatric patients with hematologic and solid organ malignancies presenting with signs and symptoms consistent with candidemia, in whom <i>C. parapsilosis</i> was isolated from blood and catheter cultures between January 2010 and August 2023.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty (65.2%) of the patients had hematologic and 16 (34.8%) had solid organ malignancies. In all patients, 23 (50%) had non-catheter-related candidemia and 23 (50%) had catheter-related candidemia. At least one of the risk factors examined was detected in these patients. Catheter-related candidemia was found to be more common in patients diagnosed with hematologic malignancy. The difference was found to be statistically significant (p= 0.030). Drug resistance rates of <i>C. parapsilosis</i> were 6.5% for amphotericin B, 6.5% for fluconazole, 2.2% for voriconazole and 2.2% for micafungin. No patient with caspofungin resistance was detected. The mean treatment duration of the patients was 21 days (min 3-max 103) and it was observed that amphotericin B and caspofungin were used most frequently in the treatment regimen. The mortality rate of patients with candidemia was 6.5%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study showed that patients with hematologic malignancies exhibited a higher susceptibility to catheter-related <i>C. parapsilosis</i> candidemia compared to patients with solid organ tumors. Caspofungin resistance was not detected in our study, and we believe that each center should know its own antifungal drug sensitivity, determine the treatment regimen accordingly, and that catheters should be removed rapidly in patients with catheter-related <i>C. parapsilosis</i> candidemia in malignant patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257050/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation of the relationship between fluconazole susceptibility, proteinase activity and <i>ERG11-SAP2</i> Expression in <i>Candida albicans</i> strains isolated from clinical samples.","authors":"Nagihan Ege, Şükrü Öksüz, Emel Akbaş, Emel Çalişkan, Mehmet Ali Sungur","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345311.1585","DOIUrl":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345311.1585","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong><i>Candida albicans</i> is currently recognised as an opportunistic pathogen that can cause many invasive infections. Resistance mechanisms and fungal virulence factors play an important role in the effectiveness of treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between fluconazole resistance, proteinase activity and <i>ERG11</i> (sterol 14-demethylase)- <i>SAP2</i> (secreted aspartic protease 2) gene expression levels in <i>C.albicans</i> strains.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong><i>Candida albicans</i> strains isolated from patient samples sent to Medical Microbiology laboratory of Düzce University from various clinics were included in the study. Fluconazole susceptibilities of the isolates were determined by broth microdilution method. The increase in fluconazole MIC values at 48 hours and proteinase activities of the isolates were analysed. <i>ERG11</i> and <i>SAP2</i> gene expression levels were measured by real time qPCR.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fluconazole resistance rate was found to be 3.14% in 127 <i>C. albicans</i> strains. A moderate positive correlation was found between <i>ERG11</i> and <i>SAP2</i> values (p=0.029, r:0.655, p<0.001). There was no correlation between <i>SAP2/ERG11</i> expression levels and fluconazole resistance. Proteinase positivity was detected in 81.1%, of 127 strains and no statistically significant correlation was found between proteinase activities and <i>SAP2/ERG11</i> expression levels. While there was a statistically significant relationship between <i>ERG11</i> expression levels and 48th hour MIC elevation, there was no statistically significant relationship between <i>SAP2</i> levels and 48th hour MIC elevation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In addition to the moderate positive correlation between <i>ERG11</i> and <i>SAP2</i> values, a significant correlation was found between <i>ERG11</i> expression and fluconazole tolerance.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257049/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into the structure, function, and impact of <i>Candida albicans UPC2</i> gene on azole resistance; a mini-review.","authors":"Akbar Hoseinnejad, Amir Hossein Mahdizade, Maryam Erfaninejad, Firoozeh Kermani, Mona Ghazanfari, Aylar Arbabi, Seyed Sobhan Bahreiny, Arezoo Bozorgomid, Mojtaba Moradi, Iman Haghani, Mahdi Abastabar","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345248.1595","DOIUrl":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345248.1595","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Candidiasis is a prevalent fungal infection caused by various species of <i>Candida</i>, especially, <i>C. albicans</i>. The emergence of resistance to azole medications, which are frequently prescribed for the treatment of <i>Candida</i> infections, presents a significant challenge in the management of these infections.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The present mini-review summarizes findings from a comprehensive search of articles published between 1999 and 2024, retrieved from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. Studies were selected using specific keywords based on relevance to <i>UPC2</i> gene functions, azole resistance mechanisms, and <i>C. albicans</i> biology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The <i>UPC2</i> gene has become crucial in regulating drug resistance in <i>C. albicans</i>. This gene encodes a zinc (II)-Cys (6) transcription factor involved in the biosynthesis of sterols and contributes to resistance against azole antifungal drugs. When exposed to azoles, <i>UPC2</i> in <i>C. albicans</i> enhances the expression of ergosterol biosynthesis genes, such as <i>ERG2</i> and <i>ERG11</i>. Increased expression of <i>ERG11</i> leads to reduced susceptibility to azoles by boosting the production of 14α-lanosterol demethylase, the primary target of these antifungal agents. Furthermore, <i>UPC2</i> regulates sterol uptake under anaerobic conditions and manages other adaptations to environmental changes, all of which contribute to azole resistance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Gaining insight into how the <i>UPC2</i> gene contributes to azole resistance is essential for the development of effective strategies in the antifungal drug development process.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257043/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence, associated factors and etiologic agents of oral candidiasis among HIV-positive patients in a Vietnamese general hospital.","authors":"Hoang Dinh Canh, Ngu Thi Tham, Que Anh Tram, Cao Ba Loi, Le Tran-Anh","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2025.345307.1583","DOIUrl":"10.22034/cmm.2025.345307.1583","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Oral candidiasis (OC) is a common condition in HIV-infected individuals. This study aimed to identify the prevalence, associated factors, and causative agents of OC among HIV-infected patients in a general hospital in Vietnam.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The study involved 393 HIV-infected individuals treated at The Tropical Diseases Center, Nghe An General Friendship Hospital, Vinh, Nghe An, Vietnam from January 2022 to May 2024. The sample collected from the buccal mucosa was seeded onto CHROMagar^TM <i>Candida</i> to isolate and identify the causative yeasts. Molecular identification was performed with restriction fragment length polymorphism assay using MspI restriction enzyme and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of OC was 10.7% (95% confidence interval 7.6 - 13.8). Patients with late WHO HIV clinical stage, poorer hygienic condition, or use of prosthetic were at a higher risk of OC. Ten yeast species were isolated, and 10 (23.8%) patients carried more than one type of yeast species. Out of 54 obtained isolates, <i>Candida albicans</i> comprised the most (62.9% isolates and 80.9% patients), followed by <i>C. tropicalis</i> (16.4% and 21.4% respectively). Overall, 27 patients (64.3%) were infected with <i>C. albicans</i>, and 15 patients (35.7%) were infected with non- <i>albicans Candida</i>, alone or in combination with <i>C. albicans.</i></p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The prevalence of OC in HIV-infected patients was low and associated with both systemic and local factors. <i>C. albicans</i> was still the most common species but non- <i>albicans Candida</i> or coexistence of <i>Candida</i> species is frequent.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257051/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study of the antagonistic relationship between gene expression biofilm of <i>Aspergillus niger</i> and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> that cause otomycosis.","authors":"Mouna Akee Hamed Al-Oebady","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345248.1586","DOIUrl":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345248.1586","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Various species of microorganisms interact in a variety of ecological niches and can lead to infection. A biofilm of one or more species may form during the infectious process. Otomycosis can be brought on by etiologic agents, such as <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i>. This study aimed to survey the antagonistic relationship between the gene expression biofilms of <i>A. niger</i> and <i>S. aureus</i> in the context of otomycosis-related biofilm formation.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This study examined single-species biofilms of <i>A. niger</i> and <i>S. aureus</i>, as well as mixed-species biofilms of <i>A. niger</i>-<i>S. aureus</i>, over 24 and 48 h. Expression of <i>A. niger</i> biofilm-related genes (<i>eng1</i>, <i>xynB</i>, <i>exo</i>, <i>eglA</i>, <i>eglB</i>, and <i>eglC</i>) was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Impact of <i>S. aureus</i> on the gene expression of <i>A. niger</i> was evaluated and compared to the gene expression of <i>A. niger</i> alone, which served as the control.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Biofilm formation assays showed that <i>A. niger</i> biofilm formation was significantly inhibited when co-cultured with <i>S. aureus</i>, with optical density values dropping from 0.56 (alone) to 0.15 at 24 h and 0.05 at 48 h. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that the expression of <i>A. niger</i> biofilm-related genes, namely <i>eng1</i>, <i>xynB</i>, <i>exo</i>, <i>eglA</i>, <i>eglB</i>, and <i>eglC</i>, increased significantly in single-species biofilms, reaching 2.5, 3, 1.5, 3.5, 2, and 1.7, respectively, at 24 h and 3.5, 4, 2, 4.2, 3, and 2, respectively at 48 h. However, in co-culture with <i>S. aureus</i>, their gene expression was markedly reduced to 0.8, 0.5, 0.4, 0.9, 0.6, 0.5, respectively, at 24 h and 0.5, 1, 0.2, 0.8, 0.6. , and 0.3, respectively, at 48 h, demonstrating a strong inhibitory effect of <i>S. aureus</i> on <i>A. niger</i> biofilm formation and gene expression.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study described the antagonistic relationship between <i>S. aureus</i> and <i>A. niger</i> on the gene expression biofilm that causes otomycosis, as well as the antibiosis relationship between the two during in vitro biofilm formation. These findings provide new insights into the complex interactions between these microorganisms during infection and may have implications for understanding and managing otomycosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257041/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Invasive fungal infections caused by rare yeast-like fungi in adult patients: results of a prospective study.","authors":"Sofya Khostelidi, Olga Kozlova, Elena Shagdileeva, Ekaterina Burygina, Yulia Borzova, Tatyana Bogomolova, Anastasia Taraskina, Natalya Vasilyeva","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2025.345265.1559","DOIUrl":"10.22034/cmm.2025.345265.1559","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Fungal infections caused by rare pathogens are becoming an increasingly pressing problem in modern healthcare due to the severe course of the disease, high incidence of disability and mortality of patients. To study clinical and laboratory features and treatment of severe fungal infections caused by rare yeast-like pathogens in adult patients.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The prospective observational non-interventional study (2004-2022) included 310 adult patients with severe fungal infections in the Kashkin Research Institute of Medical Mycology based on North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, Saint-Petrsburg, Russian Federation (from October 2004 to December 2022). To identify the pathogen, we used direct microscopy, microscopy with calcofluor white, culture isolation from blood and tissue biopsies, cerebrospinal fluid or BAL fluid. Micromycete cultures were identified to species based on morphological characteristics and PCR-test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We treated 310 adult patients with severe fungal infections -10% of them caused by rare yeast-like pathogens (n=30). Analysis of the data presented a general portrait of the patient: a 30-year-old man who has been in the ICU for more than 14 days (93%). Most often, the pathogen was isolated from the blood or biofilm of the central venous catheter (77%). Isolated damage to organs and tissues (without fungemia) was diagnosed in 23% of patients (involving the central nervous system, lungs and skin). <i>Trichosporon</i> spр. and Rhodotorula spр. were the main pathogens (together - 73%). Despite treatment, mortality remains very high - 37%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>It is necessary to examine the biological substrate from the lesion daily for fungi if there is no effect from standard therapy. It is necessary to perform species identification of the pathogen and determine sensitivity to antimycotics.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257042/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptomics Insights into Targeting CK2 Complex in <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>: Implications for Large-Scale Antifungal Virtual Screening.","authors":"Fadia Falah Hassan, Mohammed Hussein Mushrif, Mohammed F Hamdi, Ahmed AbdulJabbar Suleiman","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345250.1548","DOIUrl":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345250.1548","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong><i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> is a pathogenic fungus that causes fungal meningitis and other infections in immunocompromised patients. The casein kinase 2 (Ck2) complex regulates cellular processes. This study provides transcriptomics and functional insights into the Ck2 complex and other pathogenic proteins of <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> as therapeutic targets.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The study used computational methods to explore the transcriptomic and functional aspects of the Ck2 complex and other pathogenic proteins in <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>. RNA-sequencing analysis of control and experimental cell cultures under three different conditions (cka1Δ mutant vs wild, ckaΔ, ckb1Δ, ckb2Δ [triple] mutants vs wild, and wild vs all mutants) was performed, followed by the STRING analysis of the dysregulated genes to identify the protein-protein interactions, while Cytoscape was used to identify the hub genes in all three conditions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The RNA-sequencing analysis resulted in various dysregulated genes such as 936 (cka1Δ mutant vs wild), 1154 (triple vs wild), and 1159 (wild vs all mutants). Cellular components, molecular functions, and KEGG pathways in three conditions. The hub genes that elevated the most, Q5KFT2_CRYNJ, ARO1_CRYNJ, Q5KL19_CRYNJ, Q5KC42_CRYNJ, Q5KNI6_CRYNJ, Q5KCS1_CRYNJ, Q5KNH2_CRYNJ, Q5KA46_CRYNJ, Q5KEV1_CRYNJ, Q5KFT0_CRYNJ, Q5KAB9_CRYNJ, Q5KN73_CRYNJ, Q5KLJ6_CRYNJ, and Q5KHQ2_CRYNJ, were selected for FDA-approved drugs screening using GNINA, resulting in three potential drugs (amphotericin B, idarubicin, and candicidin) for respective proteins.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Ck2 complex in <i>C. neoformans</i> regulates cellular processes, including proliferation and apoptosis. Disruption of this complex affects cellular functions. This study identifies deletion mutations and pathogenic proteins, revealing top-performing drugs. Further clinical investigations are needed to confirm these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257046/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antifungal properties of carvone and linalool against <i>Malassezia</i> species: Preliminary Screening Study.","authors":"Somayeh Yazdanpanah, Aida Iraji, Solmaz Mirzamohammadi, Kamiar Zomorodian","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345248.1547","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22034/cmm.2024.345248.1547","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>By harnessing the power of nature, researchers can potentially discover new therapeutic options that are safe, effective, and sustainable for the management of diseases. Recently, natural products have been extensively studied for the treatment of diseases due to their diverse chemical composition and potential therapeutic properties. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of carvone and linalool against <i>Malassezia</i> species to find alternative treatments for pityriasis versicolor.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The <i>in vitro</i> antifungal activity of monoterpenes was assessed using a microdilution method, following the guidelines specified in the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute document M27-A3 with modifications, including the use of Christensen's urea broth supplemented with various lipids to optimize the growth condition for <i>Malassezia</i>.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The minimum inhibitory concentration ranges for linalool and carvone were found to be 0.3-5.4 and 0.3-24 mg/mL, respectively. Additionally, the growth of <i>Malassezia</i> species was inhibited at concentrations of 0.001-0.003 and 0.006-0.1 mg/mL for amphotericin B and ketoconazole, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Given the remarkable antifungal properties exhibited by linalool and carvone against <i>Malassezia</i> species, these terpene compounds have the potential to be utilized for the treatment of <i>Malassezia</i> infections, provided that additional research is conducted.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12050483/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143972654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>In vitro</i> enrichment of trace elements promotes rapid germination of <i>Aspergillus</i> conidia: a clinical concern for immunosuppressed and hyperglycemic patients.","authors":"Aishwarya Nikhil, Atul Kumar Tiwari, Ragini Tilak, Mohit Bhatia, Munesh Kumar Gupta","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345251.1549","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22034/cmm.2024.345251.1549","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>This study aimed to examine the effects of essential trace elements, namely iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu), combined with D-dextrose on conidial germination and growth of <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> and <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> ATCC strains. Trace elements are vital in metabolic processes, acting as cofactors for various enzymes; however, their precise role in fungal pathogenesis remains poorly understood.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The research involved determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu for <i>Aspergillus</i> ATCC strains. Following MIC assessment, optimized concentrations of the trace elements (~140 and 550 pM) and various concentrations of D-dextrose (1-3% w/v) were introduced to assess their effects on fungal growth in RPMI 1640 broth. Growth was measured in terms of optical density, while conidial germination rates were also observed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The MICs for Fe, Mn, and Zn were found to exceed 35 µM, while Cu exhibited lower MICs of 2 and 7.6 µM against <i>A. fumigatus</i> and <i>A. flavus</i>, respectively. At optimized concentrations, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu significantly enhanced fungal growth in both <i>Aspergillus</i> species. Additionally, growth rates increased proportionally with higher D-dextrose concentrations. Notably, the combination of enriched trace elements and D-dextrose resulted in up to 98% conidial germination.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings demonstrate that optimized concentrations of essential trace elements and D-dextrose significantly promote conidial germination and growth of <i>Aspergillus</i> species <i>in vitro</i>. These results suggest that trace element supplementation might have important implications for immunocompromised and hyperglycemic patients. Further studies are warranted to explore the interactions between these micronutrients in fungal physiology and pathogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12050485/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143972729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Monitoring of <i>Candida</i> biofilm inhibition by <i>Galenia africana</i> using real-time impedance-based technology.","authors":"Pedro Miguel Dos Santos Abrantes, Keith Chesnay Stuurman, Jeremy Arthur Klaasen, Charlene Wilma Joyce Africa","doi":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345240.1541","DOIUrl":"10.22034/cmm.2024.345240.1541","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Yeasts of the <i>Candida</i> genus are responsible for localized and disseminated infections, especially in immunocompromised populations. These infections are exacerbated by the rapid increase in drug-resistant strains, which limits treatment options and increases patient morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the utilization of easily accessible natural products as alternatives to conventional medicines has gained interest. South Africa is home to a rich biodiverse natural flora of which many are known for their antimicrobial activity, including the antifungal effects of their plant extracts. <i>Galenia africana</i> (kraalbos) is a local indigenous plant found to have various traditional uses, including the treatment and prevention of various human infections.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>In this study, the activity of <i>G. africana</i> against <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Candida glabrata</i> preformed biofilm formation and its antibiofilm activity were tested using the xCELLigence system, which monitors biofilm formation in real time using impedance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Presence of <i>G. africana</i> resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in <i>Candida</i> biofilms and was found to be effective in the prevention of <i>Candida</i> biofilm formation and disruption of the existing <i>Candida</i> biofilms.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The xCELLigence impedance-based system proved to be an effective tool for medication screening. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported study to use real-time monitoring of a medicinal plant on microbial biofilm formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"10 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12205914/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144526770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}