Mycoses最新文献

{"title":"Foot Mycoses Among Tanzanian Footballers: A Clinico-Epidemiological Study.","authors":"Andrew Mhando, Roderick Hay, Erick Kitira, Alya Said, Mike Mboneko, Ousmane Faye, Kamilya Mzee, Millcent M Nyange, Angela Mushi, Rune Nathaniel Philemon, Charles Muiruri, Daudi Mavura","doi":"10.1111/myc.70212","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70212","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Superficial foot mycoses (SFM), including onychomycosis and tinea pedis, are common fungal infections among athletes, particularly professional footballers, owing to repetitive trauma, occlusive footwear, communal facilities, and hygiene practices. These infections may cause discomfort, nail deformity, and impaired athletic performance.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine the prevalence, clinical spectrum, and factors associated with SFM among professional footballers in the Tanzanian Premier League between 13th August 2024 to 12th August 2025.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 314 professional footballers from 13 Premier League clubs (9 males and 4 females). Clinical examinations and KOH microscopy were performed at Mwananyamala Regional Referral Hospital, Dar es Salaam. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected using structured questionnaires and checklists. Modified Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with SFM.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall prevalence of SFM was 36.9%. Onychomycosis occurred in 17.2%, tinea pedis in 12.4%, and co-infections in 7.3%. Distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis (16.9%) and interdigital tinea pedis (12.4%) were the predominant clinical forms. Inter-toe maceration (48.3%), toenail dystrophy (45.7%), and itchiness (44.0%) were the most frequent symptoms. Significant associated factors included toenail trauma (APR = 2.00, p < 0.001), sharing socks (APR = 1.42, p = 0.032), communal shower use (APR = 2.98, p = 0.007), and family history of SFM (APR = 1.57, p = 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>SFM is highly prevalent among Tanzanian Premier League footballers. Modifiable hygiene practices and environmental exposures significantly increase infection risk, highlighting the need for targeted health education, improved sanitation, and routine screening programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 8","pages":"e70212"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13426039/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148630861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to 'Retrospective Epidemiological Analyses of 12,976 Culture-Positive Superficial Fungal Infections in Shanghai, East China'.","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/myc.70215","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70215","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 8","pages":"e70215"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13435810/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148670098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pioneer of Medical Mycology: In Memory of Prof. Friedrich Staib, MD, DVM.","authors":"Barbara Buchberger, Volker Rickerts","doi":"10.1111/myc.70203","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70203","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>At the beginning of Friedrich Staib's academic career in the 1950s, medical mycology was a young discipline in Germany. He studied veterinary and human medicine, earning two doctorates. Initially fascinated by the changes in intestinal flora caused by the newly emerging broad-spectrum antibacterials, i.e., the selection of fungi. In 1953, he began setting up a mycological laboratory at the University of Würzburg and qualified as a professor in microbiology in 1962. In 1968, he became the head of the mycology department, which he established, at the Robert Koch Institute, Germany's public health Institute in Berlin. His work focused on improving the identification of fungi, both within hosts and the environment. His research on Cryptococcus neoformans (Staib agar indicator medium based on the virulence factor melanin for cultivation) gained him international recognition. He was the first to describe secreted proteases from Candida albicans as a virulence mechanism of the main human fungal pathogen. Later, nosocomial exposure of immunocompromised individuals to Aspergillus fumigatus became an issue for him. He cultivated intensive collaboration with clinicians and pathologists, which had a major influence on his research. Staib's broad interest in fungal diagnostics, virulence factors, and environmental niches of fungal pathogens was groundbreaking for medical mycology in Germany and beyond at a time when systemic mycoses were becoming increasingly important. With his systems thinking, he influenced doctoral students and was a role model for public health.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 7","pages":"e70203"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13332417/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148382326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical Utility of the Paed-EQUAL Candida Score in Paediatric Candidemia: A Real-World Cohort Study.","authors":"Kubra Aykac, Ilgın Sirin, Turgut Ozdemir, Osman Oguz Demir, Aylin Irmak Kuruc, Hanife Avcı, Ali Bulent Cengiz, Yasemin Ozsurekci","doi":"10.1111/myc.70207","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70207","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Paed-EQUAL Candida Score was developed to assess adherence to guideline-recommended management in paediatric candidemia; however, its clinical utility in predicting outcomes remains unclear, particularly in paediatric populations where validation data are scarce.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective observational study including paediatric patients diagnosed with candidemia at a tertiary-care centre between 2014 and 2024. The Paed-EQUAL Candida Score was calculated for each patient, and its association with 30-day and 90-day mortality was evaluated using ROC curve analysis, and optimal cut-off values were explored.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 127 paediatric patients with candidemia were included, of whom 17 (13.4%) died within 30 days and 27 (21.3%) within 90 days. Central venous catheter removal was significantly associated with improved survival at both 30 days (76.4% vs. 35.3%, p = 0.001) and 90 days (77% vs. 48.1%, p = 0.007). Higher adherence to Paed-EQUAL Candida Score components was observed among survivors, with significantly higher median scores in survivors compared to non-survivors at 30 days (17 [IQR 14-18] vs. 14 [12-16], p = 0.026). However, the score indicated modest discriminative ability for predicting mortality, with an AUC of 0.667 (95% CI 0.577-0.748) for 30-day mortality and no significant predictive value for 90-day mortality (AUC 0.594, 95% CI 0.503-0.680).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Paed-EQUAL Candida Score demonstrated limited prognostic performance in paediatric candidemia and may have constraints in its ability to support clinical decision-making, particularly given its modest discriminative capacity. While it remains a potentially useful tool for assessing adherence to quality-of-care measures, further refinement or development of paediatric-specific and outcome-oriented scoring systems may be needed to improve risk stratification and prediction of clinical outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 7","pages":"e70207"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13354715/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148422528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Underestimated Role of Environmental Factors in the Prevention of Invasive Fungal Disease: Experience From a European Childhood Cancer Centre.","authors":"Stefano Malvestiti, Felicia Andresen, Markus Hufnagel, Carsten Speckmann, Brigitte Strahm, Tobias Feuchtinger, Alexander Puzik","doi":"10.1111/myc.70204","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Immunocompromised children with hematologic malignancies or undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are at high risk for invasive fungal diseases (IFDs). Reported incidence varies considerably due to heterogeneous diagnostic criteria, antifungal strategies and environmental conditions. Environmental preventive measures, although highly relevant, remain underrecognised determinants of IFD incidence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective, single-centre trial included paediatric cancer or transplant patients at high risk for IFD treated before (Cohort 1) and after (Cohort 2) relocation of a paediatric cancer centre from a 1990s building to a state-of-the-art facility with improved environmental protection standards (observation periods: 56 and 12 months, respectively). Antifungal prophylaxis continuously followed local standards. IFD was diagnosed according to 2019 EORTC/MSGERC criteria. Primary endpoint was IFD incidence; secondary endpoints included prophylaxis use, IFD management and mortality.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study included 186 patients (Cohort 1: n = 140; Cohort 2: n = 46). Baseline characteristics were comparable between both cohorts. Adherence to prophylaxis standards exceeded 98%, with liposomal amphotericin B being the most common agent. In Cohort 1, 25 possible, probable, or proven IFD occurred, mainly pulmonary aspergillosis, whereas no cases were observed following implementation of environmental measures in Cohort 2 (17.9% vs. 0%, p = 0.002). Most IFD cases occurred in HSCT recipients. IFD was associated with increased mortality (p < 0.0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this contemporary paediatric cancer and transplant setting, environmental protective measures were associated with a marked reduction in IFD incidence, complementing consistent pharmacologic prophylaxis. These findings underscore environmental protection as essential for IFD prevention in high-risk paediatric populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 7","pages":"e70204"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13312149/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148345672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Osteoarticular Sporotrichosis in a Brazilian Endemic Setting: Associated Factors and Outcomes.","authors":"Vanessa Caroline Randi Magalhães, Alexandre Sampaio Moura, Fábio do Nascimento Sales, Salene Angelini Colombo, Renata Eliane de Ávila, Jorge Miguel Schettino César, Diana Manzi Viegas, Amanda Cristina Silva Tardelli Pizarro, Ana Cláudia Lyon, Silvia Hees Carvalho, Maria Rita Teixeira Dutra, Virginia Antunes Andrade, Maria Isabel Azevedo, Nalu Teixeira Aguiar Peres, Daniel Assis Santos","doi":"10.1111/myc.70211","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70211","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Osteoarticular infection is an emerging complication of sporotrichosis, often leading to a significant increase in morbidity and longer treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective cohort study of osteoarticular sporotrichosis (OS) in southeastern Brazil (2014-2024) using clinical, epidemiological, and molecular data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 252 patients, 20 (7.9%) had OS, including 10 (4%) with osteomyelitis. The median age of patients with OS was 58 years (IQR 39-64; range 18-83) and 55% were male. Hypertension (45%), diabetes (40%), alcohol use (40%), smoking (40%), and HIV infection (15%) were the most frequent conditions identified. Cutaneous lesions occurred in 95% of cases, and 90% of patients presented with arthralgia and edema. Multifocal OS was observed in 50% of cases, most commonly affecting the knees, fingers, and wrists. The mean time to diagnosis was 14.2 months. Most patients were treated with itraconazole combined with amphotericin B; 13 required surgical intervention, including 2 amputations. The mean treatment duration was 21 months. Multisystem involvement due to sporotrichosis was observed in 45% of cases, including pulmonary involvement. Mortality was 15%. Diabetes (OR = 4.11; 95% CI, 1.50-11.38; p = 0.006) was independently associated with OS.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>OS is associated with substantial morbidity and prolonged treatment. Diabetes may increase the risk of OS, while delayed diagnosis jeopardizes outcomes, underscoring the need for early management.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 7","pages":"e70211"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13397049/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148579289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rezafungin Versus Caspofungin in Candidaemia and Invasive Candidiasis: A Post Hoc Pooled Analysis of Phase 2 and Phase 3 Trials.","authors":"Alex Soriano, George R Thompson, Oliver A Cornely, Matteo Bassetti, Bart Jan Kullberg, Patrick M Honoré, Hervé Dupont, Jose A Vazquez, Haihui Huang, Yingyuan Zhang, Sara Dickerson, Laura Cox, Peter G Pappas","doi":"10.1111/myc.70205","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70205","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The efficacy and safety of rezafungin in invasive candidiasis (IC) and candidaemia was demonstrated in the Phase 2 STRIVE and Phase 3 ReSTORE trials, and an additional cohort of patients in ReSTORE from China (ReSTORE China).</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This post hoc analysis is the first time that combined data from all double-blind, randomised Phase 2 and 3 rezafungin trials have been evaluated. Outcomes were comprehensively assessed across a large, diverse population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were assessed from adults with candidaemia/IC in STRIVE (NCT02734862) and ReSTORE (NCT03667690) (including the China extension cohort) who received weekly rezafungin 400/200 mg or daily caspofungin 70/50 mg for ≤ 4 weeks. Efficacy was assessed in the modified intent-to-treat population. Endpoints were Day 30 all-cause mortality (ACM, primary), mycological response at Days 5 and 14 (secondary) and time to negative blood cultures (TTNBC, secondary). Treatment-emergent adverse events were assessed in the safety population.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 372 patients were included (rezafungin 179; caspofungin 193). Day-30 ACM was 20% (33/161) for rezafungin versus 22% (39/178) for caspofungin (weighted difference, -2.4% [95% confidence interval -11.2 to 6.4]). Day-5 and Day-14 mycological eradication rates were 73% and 70% for rezafungin versus 65% and 68% for caspofungin, respectively. Median TTNBC was shorter for rezafungin than for caspofungin (23.1 versus 36.7 h, respectively; p = 0.0073). Adverse-event profiles were generally similar across treatments.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This pooled analysis of Phase 2 and Phase 3 data, including the China extension cohort, supports the efficacy and safety of rezafungin. Rezafungin was non-inferior to caspofungin, with earlier mycological eradication.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 7","pages":"e70205"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13373745/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148456485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reduced Activity of Triazole Antifungal Agents Against Aspergillus tubingensis From a Global Collection of Genomically-Characterized Aspergillus Section Nigri Clinical Isolates (2020-2023).","authors":"John H Kimbrough, Marisa L Winkler, Maura H Karr, Jessica M Ewald, Mariana Castanheira","doi":"10.1111/myc.70197","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70197","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The black moulds comprising Aspergillus section Nigri are clinically important organisms causing aspergillosis and otomycosis; triazole (azole) antifungal agents represent the primary prophylaxis and treatment option for these infections. The cryptic nature of species within section Nigri presents challenges for routine identification methods, yet accurate speciation may reveal important and overlooked trends in species distribution and azole antifungal activity.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We used whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics to speciate 135 clinical A. section Nigri isolates collected worldwide from 2020 to 2023 and broth microdilution susceptibility testing to assess antifungal agent activity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A. welwitschiae (n = 61; 45.2%) and A. tubingensis (n = 51; 37.8%) were the primary species identified. A. tubingensis accounted for 87.9% (n = 29/33) of isolates producing azole MIC values above the CLSI-established A. niger epidemiological cutoff values (ECV). All azoles displayed high activity (≥ 93.7% wildtype [WT]) against A. welwitschiae and A. niger isolates; A. tubingensis isolates were broadly inhibited by posaconazole (100% WT). The frequency of A. tubingensis isolates with NWT phenotypes against ≥ 2 azoles and the modal MIC values for most agents increased over time; azole-NWT isolates were present across all regions. Comparisons of protein sequences of CYP51A and CYP51B, the molecular target of azole activity, revealed unique residues in A. tubingensis. However, most azole-NWT isolates across species lacked unique CYP51A/B alterations, suggesting mechanisms outside target site modification influence elevated azole MIC values in this section.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our results demonstrate the utility of speciating clinically relevant organism groups to better understand the dynamics of antifungal agent activity and species distributions.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 7","pages":"e70197"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13342919/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148405101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights Into the Susceptibility of Fungal Infection and STAT3 Genetic Mutations.","authors":"Fengming Li, Xiaodong Liu, Yuanyuan Li, Jie Wu, Ningning Dang, Jing Guo","doi":"10.1111/myc.70200","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a key transcription factor that regulates a spectrum of genes and signalling pathways critical for the antifungal immune response. Mutations in the STAT3 gene confer susceptibility to severe and recurrent fungal infections, predominantly via disruption of interleukin-17 (IL-17)-mediated immunity. This review synthesises current mechanistic insights into STAT3 dysfunction, which impairs the differentiation and effector function of T helper 17 (Th17) cells. This defect results in a profound deficiency of IL-17 and IL-22, which are indispensable for orchestrating antifungal defence at mucosal barriers. The subsequent immunopathological features include impaired neutrophil recruitment to fungal invasion sites, compromised epithelial barrier function and failure to eradicate pathogens such as Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. Consequently, individuals harbouring STAT3 mutations face a substantially increased risk of disseminated and chronic fungal diseases. Elucidating this STAT3-dependent signalling pathway is essential for deciphering the pathological basis of fungal susceptibility across diverse clinical settings and informing the development of targeted immunotherapies, including immunomodulatory and genetic therapeutic strategies. Additionally, we performed a systematic review of 135 published cases linking STAT3 mutations to fungal infections, aiming to further characterise the role of STAT3 gene defects in fungal susceptibility.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 7","pages":"e70200"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13312899/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148345697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A CRISPR-Cas12a and Quantum-Dot Lateral-Flow Assay for Rapid Species-Level Detection of Trichophyton rubrum.","authors":"Xiaoping Hu, Peng Xu, Mengyuan Shen, Xiaoyun Chai, Jingwen Tan, Xuepeng Sun, Lianjuan Yang, Qixia Wang, Fei Tan","doi":"10.1111/myc.70208","DOIUrl":"10.1111/myc.70208","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Accurate species-level diagnosis of dermatophytes, particularly Trichophyton rubrum, is important for guiding targeted antifungal therapy and improving the management of recurrent or atypical superficial mycoses. However, routine microscopy has only moderate sensitivity and cannot resolve fungal species; fungal culture is time-consuming, and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) requires costly instrumentation.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To develop and clinically evaluate CRI-RUB, a CRISPR-Cas12a-based assay integrating recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) and a quantum-dot (QD) fluorescent lateral-flow strip for rapid species-level detection of T. rubrum.</p><p><strong>Patients/methods: </strong>Analytical sensitivity and specificity were assessed using plasmid standards and a panel of common cutaneous fungi. A total of 140 clinical specimens were tested by both CRI-RUB and TaqMan qPCR. Discrepant or grey-zone qPCR results (Ct 33-34), together with a subset of concordant cases, were further arbitrated by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing to establish a composite reference standard.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CRI-RUB achieved a visual limit of detection of 2.3 × 10¹ copies/μL and showed no cross-reactivity with other common cutaneous fungi. Among the 140 clinical specimens, CRI-RUB showed a sensitivity of 96.1% (73/76), specificity of 100.0% (64/64), positive predictive value of 100.0% (73/73), negative predictive value of 95.5% (64/67) and Cohen's κ of 0.96 compared with the composite reference standard, indicating excellent concordance. The complete workflow required approximately 85 min.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>CRI-RUB provides a rapid, sensitive, and specific approach for species-level detection of T. rubrum. By combining CRISPR-Cas12a detection with QD-based lateral-flow readout, this assay shows potential for near-patient or point-of-care dermatophyte diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":18797,"journal":{"name":"Mycoses","volume":"69 7","pages":"e70208"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13409199/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148605405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}