Current Medical Mycology最新文献

{"title":"Isolation and molecular characterization of clinical and environmental dematiaceous fungi and relatives from Iran","authors":"G. Shokoohi, H. Badali, B. Ahmadi, Kazuo Satoh, S. Nouripour‐Sisakht, M. Nikaeen, Mohsen Gramishoar, N. Jalalizand, Sahar Kianipour, H. Mirhendi, K. Makimura","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.3.7798","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/cmm.7.3.7798","url":null,"abstract":"Background and Purpose: The frequency and genetic diversity of black fungi in environmental and clinical settings have not been fully studied in Iran. This study aimed to identify and evaluate intra- and inter-species DNA sequence variation and also understand the phylogenetic relationships of melanized fungi and relatives isolated from different geographical regions of Iran. Materials and Methods: In total, 111 clinical and environmental strains of dematiaceous fungi were isolated, and their internal transcribed spacer ribosomal DNA (rDNA) regions were sequenced and analyzed. Results: An inter-species nucleotide sequence diversity rate of 1 to 464 nucleotides was observed between the species. Intra-species differences were found in the strains of Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Alternaria tenuissima, Curvularia spicifera, Aureobasidium pullulans, Curvularia hawaiiensis, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, Alternaria terricola, Alternaria chlamydospora, Didymella glomerata, and Drechslera dematioidea by 0–59, 0–22, 0–4, 0–4, 0–3, 0–2, 0–2, 0–2, 0–2, 0–1, and 0–1 nucleotide, respectively. Conclusion: The internal transcribed spacer rDNA is useful for the discrimination of several taxa of dematiaceous fungi. However, a better understanding of the taxonomy of species of Alternaria requires a larger rDNA region or a library of other gene sequences.","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"11 1","pages":"1 - 8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75008476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proven pulmonary aspergillosis in a COVID-19 patient: A case report.","authors":"Sadegh Khodavaisy,&nbsp;Nasim Khajavirad,&nbsp;Seyed Jamal Hashemi,&nbsp;Alireza Izadi,&nbsp;Seyed Ali Dehghan Manshadi,&nbsp;Alireza Abdollahi,&nbsp;Amir Aliramezani,&nbsp;Elahe Sasani,&nbsp;Mahsa Abdorahimi,&nbsp;Reyhaneh Sadat Kiyaeie,&nbsp;Zohre Khosravany,&nbsp;Muhammad Ibrahim Getso,&nbsp;Mohammadreza Salehi","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/cmm.7.2.7031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a significant clinical challenge in healthcare settings all over the world. Critically ill COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome may be at increased risk of co-infection with pulmonary aspergillosis. This study aimed to describe a clinical case of proven pulmonary aspergillosis caused by <i>Aspergillus tubingensis</i> in a 59-year-old man with a history of hospitalization due to COVID-19 infection.</p><p><strong>Case report: </strong>The Covid-19 infection was confirmed by positive nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction. He had a cavitary lesion measured 20 mm in diameter with intracavitary soft tissue density in the left lung in the first chest computerized tomography scan. After 25 days, he showed two cavitary lesions in both lungs which raised suspicion of fungal infection; hence, the patient underwent a trans-thoracic biopsy of the cavitary lesion. The direct examination and culture of the biopsy material revealed <i>Aspergillus</i> species. To confirm the <i>Aspergillus</i> species identification, the beta-tubulin region was sequenced. The patient was treated with oral voriconazole.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This report underlined the importance of early diagnosis and management of invasive fungal infections in severe COVID-19 patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 2","pages":"39-42"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740855/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39910103","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":"Non-<i>Candida albicans Candida</i> species: virulence factors and species identification in India.","authors":"Dharmendra Prasad Singh, Rajesh Kumar Verma, Swati Sarswat, Satender Saraswat","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7032","DOIUrl":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>The predominant cause of candidiasis was Candida albicans which has recently changed to non-<i>Candida albicans Candida</i> (NCAC) (i.e., <i>Candida</i> spp. other than the <i>C. albicans</i>). The NCAC spp., earlier considered non-pathogenic or minimally virulent, are now considered a primary cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised individuals. Given the NCAC spp.has become more common in clinical cases, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of NCAC spp. in different clinical specimens and assess a few of their virulence factors.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Routine samples for bacterial culture and sensitivity that showed colony characteristics, like <i>Candida</i> on Blood Agar and microscopic features resembling <i>Candida</i> spp., were processed further. <i>Candida</i> isolates underwent tests for chlamydospore formation and biochemical tests, including sugar fermentation and sugar assimilation tests. These were grown at 42oC, and their colony color was identified using HiCrome^TM Candida Differential Agar (HiMedia Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India), Hi<i>Candida</i> ^TM Identification Kit (HiMedia Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India), and VITEK-2® Compact (Biomérieux, France). Virulence factors, such as adherence to buccal epithelial cells (ABEC), biofilm formation, hemolytic activity, and production of coagulase enzyme were also tested.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean age of the patients was 38.46 years with a male-female ratio of 1.36:1. In total, 137 <i>Candida</i> isolates were recovered; 45.3%, 19.7%, and 13.9% of the isolates were isolated from urine, vaginal swabs, and oropharyngeal swabs, respectively. Moreover, 55 (40.1%) isolates were those of <i>C. albicans</i> and 82 (59.9%) isolates belonged to NCAC spp., with <i>C. tropicalis</i> (23.4%) contributing highest among NCAC species. Furthermore, <i>C. albicans</i> (3; 50%) was the most common spp. in cases of candidemia. Haemolysin production (85.5%) and ABEC (78.2%) were the major virulence factors in <i>C. albicans</i>. <i>C. tropicalis</i> (59.4%) and <i>C. dubliniensis</i> (50%) showed maximum ABEC. Biofilm forming capacity was higher in <i>C. tropicalis</i> (78.1%) than <i>C. albicans</i> (67%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Results of this study suggest varied prevalence and virulence based on geographical locations, even within a subcontinent. It clearly indicates the emergence of the NCAC spp. and their predominance in different body fluids. Identification of <i>Candida</i> to the spp. level should become a routine in all laboratories.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 2","pages":"8-13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740851/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39909673","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":"A simple multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay for rapid identification of the common pathogenic dermatophytes: Trichophyton interdigitale, Trichophyton rubrum, and Epidermophyton floccosum.","authors":"Sama Faramarzi,&nbsp;Marjan Motamedi,&nbsp;Ali Rezaei-Matehkolaei,&nbsp;Shima Aboutalebian,&nbsp;Saham Ansari,&nbsp;Mojtaba Didehdar,&nbsp;Mehran Bahadoran,&nbsp;Hossein Mirhendi","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/cmm.7.2.7030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>The most common etiological agents of human dermatophytosis in various parts of the world are <i>Trichophyton rubrum</i>, <i>Trichophyton interdigitale</i>, and <i>Epidermophyton floccosum</i>. The main aim of this study was to design and evaluate a simple and straightforward multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for reliable identification/differentiation of these species in clinical isolates.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The reliable sequences of several molecular targets of dermatophytes species were used to design a multiplex PCR for the identification of common pathogenic dermatophytes. The isolates and clinical specimens examined in this study included seven standard strains of dermatophytes, 101 isolates of dermatophytes and non-dermatophyte molds/yeasts which had already been identified by sequencing or PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and 155 clinical samples from patients suspected of cutaneous mycoses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Species-specific primer pairs for <i>T. rubrum</i> and <i>T. interdigitale</i>/<i>T. mentagrophytes</i> were designed based on the sequence data of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene, and the primers for <i>E. floccosum</i> targeted the specific sequence of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS). The multiplex PCR successfully detected <i>T. rubrum</i>, <i>T. interdigitale</i>/<i>T. mentagrophytes</i>, and <i>E. floccosum</i> strains that were identified by sequencing or PCR-RFLP. However, the primer pairs selected for <i>T. interdigitale</i>/<i>T. mentagrophytes</i> cross-reacted with <i>Trichophyton tonsurans</i>. In testing the PCR system directly for clinical samples, the proportion of positive multiplex PCR was higher than positive culture (68.1% vs. 55.4%, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The multiplex assay could detect three common agents out of several causal agents of dermatophytosis, namely <i>T. rubrum</i>, <i>T. interdigitale</i>, and <i>E. floccosum</i>. Therefore, by adding pan-dermatophyte primers it can be used as a comprehensive detection/identification test.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 2","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39909672","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":"Phenotypic features and molecular study of airborne <i>Penicillium</i> species isolated in the northern part of the Persian Gulf, Bushehr, Iran.","authors":"Behrouz Naeimi,&nbsp;Iman Mohsenifard,&nbsp;Saham Ansari,&nbsp;Farzaneh Sadeghzadeh,&nbsp;Gholamreza Khamisipour,&nbsp;Sina Dobaradaran,&nbsp;Fatemeh Faraji Ghasemi,&nbsp;Bahram Ahmadi","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7035","DOIUrl":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>The main environmental saprobes, such as <i>Penicillium</i>, play an essential role in natural ecosystems as economically, ecologically, and medically important microorganisms. Biodiversity of this genus has not been described in Bushehr city, Iran. The present study is based on air biodiversity of <i>Penicillium</i> species on culture-dependent approach and culture-independent technique using partial b-tubulin sequences.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>By using active sampling with a high volume air sampler, a total of 157 <i>Penicillium</i> isolates were selected and screened for phenotypic characters. For the purposes of the study, 46 strains representative of 11 morphological species were selected and identified by molecular analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Based on the findings, <i>P. crustosum</i> (18 isolates, 39.1%) and <i>P. chrysogenum</i> (15 isolates, 32.6%) were the most common isolated species, followed by <i>P. brevicompactum</i>, <i>P. rubens</i>, <i>P. citrinum</i>, <i>P. italicum</i> (each 2 isolates, 4.3%), <i>P. olsonii</i>, <i>P. expansum</i>, <i>P. griseofulvum</i>, <i>P. palitans</i>, and <i>P. polonicum</i> (each 1 isolate, 2.1%). Except for <i>P. chrysogenum</i> and <i>P. expansum</i> with floccose colony texture, the rest of the isolated species had velutinous texture.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This is the first report in southern Iran to identify a large number of <i>Penicillium</i> strains isolated from air samples, showing <i>P. crustosum</i> and <i>P. chrysogenum</i> as the most common isolated species.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 2","pages":"22-28"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740856/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39910100","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":"Differentiation of <i>Candida albicans</i> complex species isolated from invasive and non-invasive infections using <i>HWP1</i> gene size polymorphism.","authors":"Kourosh Salehipour,&nbsp;Shima Aboutalebian,&nbsp;Arezoo Charsizadeh,&nbsp;Bahram Ahmadi,&nbsp;Hossein Mirhendi","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/cmm.7.2.7034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Taxonomy of <i>Candida</i> is controversial and has changed due to the investigation of the novel species. <i>Candida africana</i> and <i>Candida dubliniensis</i> are new members of the <i>C. albicans</i> complex that are currently gaining both clinical and epidemiologic significance. This study aimed to report the prevalence of <i>C. africana</i> among the strains isolated from patients using hyphal wall protein 1 (<i>HWP1</i>) gene size polymorphism.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>In total, 235 yeasts confirmed as <i>C. albicans</i> complex based on chromogenic media and internal transcribed spacers sequencing isolated from various clinical forms of invasive and non-invasive candidiasis mainly candidemia were re-identified using <i>HWP1</i> gene polymorphisms. The <i>HWP1</i>-polymerase chain reaction amplicons were re-confirmed by sequencing and BLAST analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Based on the <i>HWP1</i> gene size polymorphism, 223 strains were identified as <i>C. albicans</i> (94.89%) from which 7 isolates produced two DNA fragments (850 and 941 bp). The <i>C. dubliniensis</i> (n=4, 1.7%), <i>C. africana</i> (n=1, 0.42%), and mix of <i>C. albicans</i> and <i>C. africana</i> (n=7, 2.97%) were also identified.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>It can be said that <i>C. albicans</i> remains the most common <i>Candida</i> species, while <i>C. dubliniensis</i> and <i>C. africana</i> are rarely found among the patient isolates. Due to limited information on the molecular epidemiology of this novel yeast, more studies using molecular methods are recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 2","pages":"34-38"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740857/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39910102","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":"Effects of <i>Bunium persicum</i> essential oil on the reduction of spore germination, growth, and expression of <i>FUM1</i> and <i>FUM14</i> genes in <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> isolates.","authors":"Asad Balal,&nbsp;Aghil Sharifzadeh,&nbsp;Hojjatollah Shokri,&nbsp;Ali Reza Khosravi","doi":"10.18502/CMM.7.2.7033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/CMM.7.2.7033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Black Cumin of Kerman (<i>Bunium persicum</i>) is an Iranian plant that is commonly used as an antispasmodic, carminative, and antimicrobial substance. The present study aimed to assess different components of the essence of <i>B. persicum</i> and its effect on antifungal activity, spore germination inhibition, and expressions of <i>FUM1</i> and <i>FUM14</i> genes in <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> strains.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The essence was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. A broth microdilution method was used for the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). In addition, the expression of <i>FUM1</i> and <i>FUM14</i> genes of toxigenic <i>F. verticillioides</i> was assessed by using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Based on the findings, most of the essence consisted of γ-terpinene (15.56%), propanal, and 2-methyl-3-phenyl (14.18%). The oil showed a good antifungal activity (mean MIC value: 2556.8 μg/ml) as well as the inhibition of spore germination and mycelial growth (<i>P</i><0.05). The RT-PCR demonstrated that the expression levels of <i>FUM1</i> and <i>FUM14</i> of <i>B. persicum</i>-treated <i>F. verticillioides</i> were 0.43 and 0.53 folds lower than the control samples, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings revealed that the essential oil of <i>B. persicum</i> has different components responsible for the inhibition of mycelial growth and spore germination of <i>F. verticillioides</i> as well as reduction of expressions of <i>FUM1</i> and <i>FUM14</i> genes involving fumonisin production.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 2","pages":"14-21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740853/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39909674","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":"Trichophyton species isolated from asymptomatic patients of the pet-owner pair in Mexico.","authors":"Roberto Adame-Gomez,&nbsp;Monica Gisela Rodrigez-Romero,&nbsp;Isabel Hilario-Alejandro,&nbsp;Sandra Alheli Pineda-Rodriguez,&nbsp;Jeiry Toribio-Jimenez,&nbsp;Elvia Rodriguez-Bataz,&nbsp;Arturo Ramirez-Peralta","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/cmm.7.2.7029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Superficial mycoses are the fourth most common cause of disease worldwide. It is not surprising that zoonotic transmission occurs to humans due to close contact with different animals, be it companion or farm animals. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the presence of asymptomatic dermatophyte carriers in the owner-pet pairs, identify the most common etiologic agents, and find the likely connection between the carrier status of an owner and the presence of dermatophytes in their pets.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>From May 2019 to January 2020, 21 cats and 115 dogs with their respective owners were selected for dermatophyte culture. All the dogs and cats included in the study were from the communities of southeastern Mexico. The samples were taken with a cotton swab, which was vigorously rubbed and twisted on the scalp or body of the pet four times and grown on Mycosel Agar. The isolates were identified based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. The prevalence of the binomial ranged from 0.73% in pet skin and human hands to 2.2% in human scalp. In humans, the agents were <i>Trichophyton tonsurans</i> and <i>Trichophyton verrucosum</i>, while in pets, a strain of <i>Trichophyton sp</i> was found.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Different species of dermatophytes were found in the owner/pet pairs, which denotes that coexistence is not related in asymptomatic cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 2","pages":"29-33"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740854/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39910101","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":"Catastrophic <i>Candida</i> prosthetic valve endocarditis and COVID-19 comorbidity: A rare case.","authors":"Lotfollah Davoodi, Leila Faeli, Rogheye Mirzakhani, Rozita Jalalian, Tahereh Shokohi, Firoozeh Kermani","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7157","DOIUrl":"10.18502/cmm.7.2.7157","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and <i>Candida</i> prostatic valve endocarditis present various clinical manifestations which may overlap; hence, discrimination between them is extremely difficult.</p><p><strong>Case report: </strong>The case was a 66-year-old man with a past medical history of mitral and aortic valves replacement one year before COVID-19 co-infection. He was admitted with fever (for 7 days), shortness of breath, cough, seizure, lethargy, headache, and 85% oxygen saturation. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed multiple large-sized, highly mobile masses on both sides of the mechanical mitral valve highly suggestive of vegetation. Chest computed tomography scanning showed simulating scattered COVID-19 peripheral ground-glass opacities confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The set of blood cultures yielded yeast colonies that were identified as <i>Candida tropicalis</i>. The patient died of septic shock shortly after receiving antifungal therapy.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This case emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and implementation of antifungal treatment, particularly in patients with prosthetic cardiac valves, to reduce their unfavorable outcomes in COVID-19 patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 2","pages":"43-47"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8740850/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39910104","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":"Influence of ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol on the autoxidation and in vitro antifungal activity of amphotericin B.","authors":"Mohammed Habib Belhachemi,&nbsp;Zahia Boucherit-Otmani,&nbsp;Kebir Boucherit,&nbsp;Sara Belmir","doi":"10.18502/cmm.7.1.6178","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18502/cmm.7.1.6178","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Amphotericin B (AmB) is the standard treatment for systemic fungal infections; however, the formation of reactive oxygen species reduces the efficacy and stability of this molecule. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the combination of AmB with ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol on its autoxidation and antifungal activity.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The antifungal activity against <i>Candida albicans</i> was evaluated by the viable cell counting method and checking their morphological changes with a scanning electron microscope. Monomer state of AmB was assessed by scanning the UV absorbance in the range of 300-450 nm and the lipid peroxidation was measured using quantification of thiobarbituric acid reactive-substances (TBARS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Based on the findings, the addition of ascorbic acid (3×10² µg/mL) and α-tocopherol (16 µg/mL) to the reaction medium of AmB increased its antifungal  activity while maintaining its molecular stability. Moreover, the level of TBARS formed in the reaction medium of AmB was significantly reduced after combination  with ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Given their availability, their anti-free radical activity, and their low toxicity, the incorporation of ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol into the reaction medium of AmB seems to be a promising approach to obtain an effective antifungal formulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10863,"journal":{"name":"Current Medical Mycology","volume":"7 1","pages":"12-18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8443877/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39439724","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}