Review
Immunology
Vivek P. Chavda, Toshika Mishra, Sathvika Kamaraj, Swati Punetha, Oishani Sengupta, Yash Joshi, Suneetha Vuppu, Dixa Vaghela, Lalitkumar Vora
Summary: COVID-19 patients, especially the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, are prone to opportunistic fungal infections, which worsen the disease severity and increase the chances of readmission. It is crucial to assess the risk of opportunistic fungal infections in patients and take preventive and diagnostic measures.
Article
Microbiology
Marina Machado, Agustin Estevez, Carlos Sanchez-Carrillo, Jesus Guinea, Pilar Escribano, Roberto Alonso, Maricela Valerio, Belen Padilla, Emilio Bouza, Patricia Munoz
Summary: The incidence of candidemia is higher in COVID-19 patients compared to non-COVID-19 patients. However, genotyping shows that this increase is not due to uncontrolled intrahospital transmission.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Massimo Pisano, Antonio Romano, Maria Pia Di Palo, Adone Baroni, Rosario Serpico, Maria Contaldo
Summary: Oral Candidiasis (OC) is a common fungal infection in the oral cavity, occurring under local and systemic predisposing circumstances. Recent findings suggest an association between OC and SARS-CoV-2 infection, which requires further study. This paper focuses on the incidence and prevalence of OC during and after COVID-19, and the possible etiopathogenic mechanisms underlying OC in COVID-19 subjects. The study found that immune inflammatory hypo reactions and immunosuppression in COVID-19 patients could facilitate the proliferation and infection of Candida species, while poor oral hygiene and iatrogenic causes were identified as the main risk factors.
Article
Microbiology
Iwona Gregorczyk-Maga, Michal Kania, Beata Sulik-Tyszka, Magdalena Namysl, Anna Sepiolo, Dorota Romaniszyn, Estera Jachowicz-Matczak, Jadwiga Wojkowska-Mach
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the risk of invasive candidiasis in critically ill COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation in the ICU. The study found that nearly half of the patients had non-albicans Candida species in their oral samples, indicating impaired oral health. The incidence of yeast infections, including invasive cases, was high in these patients, possibly due to the severity of COVID-19 and specific interventions in the ICU.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Christian Meisel, Bengisu Akbil, Tim Meyer, Erwin Lankes, Victor M. Corman, Olga Staudacher, Nadine Unterwalder, Uwe Kolsch, Christian Drosten, Marcus A. Mall, Tilmann Kallinich, Dirk Schnabel, Christine Goffinet, Horst von Bernuth
Summary: This study found that patients with APS-1 and preexisting neutralizing autoantibodies against IFN-alpha and IFN-omega developed only mild symptoms of COVID-19 after contracting SARS-CoV-2, without progressing to severe cases. These patients were mostly female and under the age of 26.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Farhang Babamahmoodi, Mohammad Sadegh Rezai, Fatemeh Ahangarkani, Ali Mohammadi Kali, Reza Alizadeh-Navaei, Abbas Alishahi, Narges Najafi, Azam Haddadi, Alireza Davoudi, Leila Azargon, Zahra Daftarian, Shirafkan Kordi, Kiana Abbasi
Summary: This observational study found that the use of corticosteroids and antimicrobial therapy in COVID-19 patients increases the risk of infection by multiple Candida strains.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Sukirth M. M. Ganesan, Tabitha K. K. Peter, Miyuraj H. H. Withanage, Frank Boksa, Erliang Zeng, April Martinez, Shareef M. M. Dabdoub, Kunal Dingra, Yvonne Hernandez-Kapila
Summary: Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about different variants, unknown long-term effects, and potential biological mechanisms have arisen. The role of the oral microbiome in COVID-19 research has been explored, showing disruptions and reduced diversity. Neisseria bacteria may play a key role.
PERIODONTOLOGY 2000
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Kyaw M. Hlaing, Lea M. Monday, Marcio Nucci, Simone A. Nouer, Sanjay G. Revankar
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused over 6 million deaths worldwide, largely due to respiratory failure. Hospitalized patients, especially those in the intensive care unit, frequently experience complications. Fungal infections, including invasive aspergillosis, candidiasis, and mucormycosis, have posed significant morbidity and mortality risks. Risk factors include changes in immune defenses caused by COVID-19 and immunosuppression from various therapies in severely ill patients. Diagnosis is often challenging due to limited sensitivity of current tests. Overall outcomes are poor, with mortality rates exceeding 50% in some studies, primarily due to comorbidities and delayed diagnosis. Early diagnosis and appropriate antifungal therapy require a high index of clinical suspicion.
Review
Immunology
Diana Estefania Ramos Pena, Lara Maria Alencar Ramos Innocentini, Maria Conceicao Pereira Saraiva, Alan Grupioni Lourenco, Ana Carolina Fragoso Motta
Summary: The systematic review found no association between the occurrence of oral candidiasis and HIV-1/pulmonary tuberculosis coinfection.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Nutdanai Lertsuphotvanit, Sarun Tuntarawongsa, Kritamorn Jitrangsri, Thawatchai Phaechamud
Summary: Oral candidiasis refers to fungal infections in the mouth, and this research evaluated the use of borneol as a matrix-forming agent in a clotrimazole-loaded gel. The gel exhibited appropriate physicochemical properties and controlled drug release. It also showed efficient inhibition of growth against various microorganisms. Therefore, the gel has great potential as a drug delivery system for the localized treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis.
Article
Oncology
Giuseppina Berlingieri, Cristina Maria Arvate Alvares, Rafael Verardi Serrano, Luiz Felipe Palma, Luana Campos
Summary: Opportunistic oral infections in COVID-19 patients are addressed in this study, which presents a case where a combination of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and photobiomodulation therapy was used for management. All lesions resolved completely within 7 days without any systemic drug administration, indicating the potential of these phototherapy modalities in managing viral and fungal opportunistic oral infections.
PHOTODIAGNOSIS AND PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Amr Ehab El-Qushayri, Abdullah Reda, Jaffer Shah
Summary: This paper aimed to study the characteristics, laboratory data, and outcomes of monkeypox virus (MPV) and COVID-19 co-infection. Three male patients with multiple comorbid conditions and a history of sexual activity with men prior to infection were diagnosed with PCR and admitted to the hospital. All cases were effectively managed and recovered well during hospitalization. Future investigations with larger sample sizes are needed to establish a definitive cause-effect association between SARS-CoV-2 and MPV co-infection and patient outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Mahmoud A. F. Khalil, Mahmoud R. M. El-Ansary, Rasha H. Bassyouni, Eman E. Mahmoud, Inas A. Ali, Tarek Ahmed, Essam A. Hassan, Tamer M. Samir
Summary: This study investigated the causative species, antifungal susceptibility, and factors associated with oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) among Egyptian COVID-19 patients. Candida albicans was the most common isolated species, followed by Candida tropicalis and Candida glabrata. Amphotericin was effective against all isolates, while fluconazole was effective against 61.5%. Significant variables from this study were used to create equations that can predict the severity of disease course and liability to fungal infection.
Article
Microbiology
Maria de la Luz Galvan-Ramirez, Angel Gustavo Salas-Lais, Jose Esteban Munoz-Medina, Larissa Fernandes-Matano, Laura Rocio Rodriguez Perez, Karen Franco de Leon
Summary: SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It has since caused the largest pandemic in history, with significant numbers of deaths and infections. Comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, heart and lung diseases, and obesity have been identified as additional risk factors for COVID-19. Studies have shown conflicting results regarding the association between latent toxoplasmosis and COVID-19. In this study, serum samples from 384 patients with COVID-19 were collected and analyzed for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. The coinfection rate was 21.7%, with a prevalence of S1/S2 SARS-CoV-2 at 80.2% and Toxoplasma antibodies at 27.34%.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Barbora Hockova, Abanoub Riad, Jozef Valky, Zuzana Sulajova, Adam Stebel, Rastislav Slavik, Zuzana Beckova, Andrea Pokorna, Jitka Klugarova, Miloslav Klugar
Summary: This study evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of oral complications in critically ill COVID-19 patients, revealing a variety of issues such as haemorrhagic ulcers and necrotic ulcers. Prolonged prone positioning and mechanical ventilation devices were identified as primary risk factors for these complications, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for patient monitoring and management.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mahzad Erami, Seyed Jamal Hashemi, Omid Raiesi, Mahsa Fattahi, Muhammad Ibrahim Getso, Mansooreh Momen-Heravi, Roshanak Daie Ghazvini, Sadegh Khodavaisy, Shohre Parviz, Narges Mehri, Mohsen Babaei
Summary: This study aims to investigate fungal infections in patients with COVID-19. The study found that 14.3% of the severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients were probable cases of pulmonary aspergillosis. Male patients had a higher incidence rate, and voriconazole and amphotericin B showed greater antifungal activity against Aspergillus species.
Article
Dermatology
Shaghayegh Khojasteh, Mahdi Abastabar, Iman Haghani, Reza Valadan, Sahar Ghazanfari, Kiana Abbasi, Fatemeh Ahangarkani, Hossein Zarinfar, Sadegh Khodavaisy, Hamid Badali
Summary: This study conducted a five-year survey on the phenotypes and genotype patterns of triazole resistance in clinical and environmental Aspergillus fumigatus in Iran. The results showed that A. fumigatus isolates were the most prevalent species, and some isolates exhibited resistance to azoles. Interestingly, a significant portion of the resistant isolates did not have mutations in the cyp51A gene, indicating the presence of other mechanisms of resistance. The study highlights the importance of further monitoring of soil in agricultural and hospital areas to better understand the mechanisms of azole resistance.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cobus M. M. Visagie, Teun Boekhout, Bart Theelen, Jan Dijksterhuis, Neriman Yilmaz, Keith A. A. Seifert
Summary: A new species of the yeast genus Blastobotrys was discovered in house dust, with similar species detected globally in various substrates. The new species, Blastobotrys davincii, was classified based on morphological, phylogenetic, and physiological characters. The preferred name for the new species is still under debate, but Blastobotrys is argued to be more suitable than Trichomonascus. A nomenclatural review and accepted species list for Blastobotrys/Trichomonascus clade were also provided.
Article
Dermatology
Mohsen Nosratabadi, Leila Faeli, Iman Haghani, Rasoul Mohammadi, Sadegh Khodavaisy, Reza Kachuei, Farzad Katiraee, Seyed Reza Aghili, Tahereh Shokohi, Mohammad Taghi Hedayati, Mehdi Nazeri, Mohammad Javan-Nikkhah, Hossein Zarrinfar, Javad Javidnia, Mohammad-Javad Najafzadeh, Maryam Salimi, Abdullah M. S. Al Hatmi, Hamid Badali, Mahdi Abastabar
Summary: Fusarium species are opportunistic human pathogens that cause a range of fungal infections. They are notoriously resistant to commonly used antifungal drugs. Therefore, detailed studies on in vitro susceptibility are necessary for better prognosis of severe infections.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anita E. Nwaefuna, Teun Boekhout, Mar Garcia-Aloy, Urska Vrhovsek, Nerve Zhou
Summary: Yeasts associated with dung beetles, such as Meyerozyma and Pichia, are diverse and abundant. The study on dung beetles in Botswana revealed that their guts provide a rich niche for non-Saccharomyces yeast species. This research contributes to the understanding of the diversity of dung beetle-associated yeasts.
Article
Immunology
Masoud Solaymani Dodaran, Seyed Reza Banihashemi, Ali Es-haghi, Mohammad Hossein Fallah Mehrabadi, Mojtaba Nofeli, Ali Rezaei Mokarram, Ladan Mokhberalsafa, Fariba Sadeghi, Alireza Ranjbar, Akram Ansarifar, Arash Mohazzab, Seyed Amin Setarehdan, Fahimeh Bagheri Amiri, Vahideh Mohseni, Monireh Hajimoradi, Neda Ghahremanzadeh, Seyed Hossein Razzaz, Safdar Masoomi, Maryam Taghdiri, Mohsen Bagheri, Mohsen Lofti, Akbar Khorasani, Masoud Ghader, Shiva Safari, Masumeh Shahsavn, Saeed Kalantari
Summary: This study evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a combined intramuscular/intranasal recombinant spike protein COVID-19 vaccine (RCP). The results showed that RCP is safe and induces strong and durable humoral and cellular immune responses, as well as a good mucosal immune response.
Article
Immunology
Ladan Abasian, Fatemeh Jafari, SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi, Niloofar Ayoobi Yazdi, Morteza Daraei, Nasrin Ahmadinejad, Fereshteh Ghiasvand, Hosein Khalili, Arash Seifi, Mohsen Maydani, Farzane Behnezhad, Zahra Ahmadinejad
Summary: In this study, the clinical and para-clinical findings of immunocompromised and immunocompetent COVID-19 patients were compared. It was found that immunocompromised patients had a longer recovery time, highlighting the need for prolonged care in these high-risk individuals. Further investigation of novel therapeutic interventions to reduce recovery time in immunodeficient patients with COVID-19 is recommended.
IMMUNITY INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Arash Seifi, Nahid Shafiee, Maryam Moradi
Summary: This case report discusses a young man without significant medical history who was initially misdiagnosed with military tuberculosis but later found to have metastatic lung adenocarcinoma.
CLINICAL CASE REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Fereshteh Zarei, Shahram Mahmoudi, Azam Amanizadeh, Setareh Agha Kuchak Afshari
Summary: This article presents a rare case of nondermatophytic onychomycosis caused by Phoma glomerata in a 27-year-old Iranian female patient, emphasizing the importance of reliable laboratory identification for choosing appropriate treatment. It also provides a literature review on human infections caused by Phoma species.
REVIEWS AND RESEARCH IN MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mohammadreza Salehi, Reza Shahsiah, Kiarash Mohammad Khorasani, Malihe Hasannezhad, Arian Rahimi, Bahare Yousefi, Amir Aliramezani
Summary: This study analyzed clinical specimens from hospitalized patients in Iran from 2017 to 2021 and found a relatively high incidence rate of tuberculosis. Out of 957 specimens, 92 were positive for TB, with 72 being pulmonary TB and 20 associated with extrapulmonary involvement. The study also identified 4 cases of rifampicin resistance among the positive TB cases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MYCOBACTERIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Ilad Alavi Darazam, Neda Kazeminia, Davood Yadegarinia, Masoud Mardani, Shervin Shokouhi, Mohammad Mahdi Rabiei, Firouze Hatami, Hadi Allahverdi Nazhand, Shahrzad Shahrokhi, Amirali Jahanshahi, Mahshid Talebi Taher, Hamid Emadi Kouchak, Arash Seifi, Mohammadreza Salehi, Farid Yousefi, Farhad Sarrafzadeh, Mohsen Moghaddami, Farzin Khorvash, Parviz Saleh, Mohammad Sharifyazdi, Esmaeil Idani, Sasan Tavana, Arda Kiani, Ramin Sami
Summary: This article summarizes evidence-based recommendations for managing community-acquired pneumonia, including aspects such as medication treatment and antibiotic resistance.
ARCHIVES OF CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Virology
AliReza Khatami, Mohammad Taghizadieh, Javid Sadri Nahand, Mohammad Karimzadeh, Seyed Jalal Kiani, Khadijeh Khanaliha, Saeed Kalantari, Sara Chavoshpour, Hamed Mirzaei, Tahereh Donyavi, Farah Bokharaei-Salim
Summary: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) may serve as diagnostic biomarkers for COVID-19 and diabetic COVID-19 patients. Selected miRNAs (miR-28, miR-31, miR-34a, and miR-181a) were measured, and their diagnostic value was determined. Bioinformatics analysis revealed their involvement in regulating inflammatory parameters and metabolic pathways. These miRNAs (miR-28, miR-34a, miR-181a) could be potential biomarkers for diagnosing COVID-19.
Letter
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fardin Ahmadkhani, Miaad Banay Golrizi, Sadegh Khodavaisy, Roshanak Daie Ghazvini
IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Raheleh Hedayati, Bita Reihani, Soroush Nematollahi, Saeed Kalantari, Donya Maleki, Zeynab Yassin
Summary: Subacute thyroiditis is a possible complication after COVID-19 infection. Thyroid scintigraphy and radioiodine uptake test can help differentiate hyperthyroidism from destructive thyrotoxicosis. Finding a more precise diagnostic method is important for early detection and treatment of thyroid-related disorders.
IRANIAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Estifanos Hawaz, Mesfin Tafesse, Anteneh Tesfaye, Solomon Kiros, Dereje Beyene, Gessesse Kebede, Teun Boekhout, Marizeth Groenwald, Bart Theelen, Ayantu Degefe, Sisay Degu, Alene Admasu, Biru Hunde, Diriba Muleta
Summary: The purpose of this study was to optimize fermentation parameters to create favorable conditions for bioethanol production from sugar-rich substrates. The response surface method based on central composite design was used to determine the optimal conditions. The results confirmed the feasibility of achieving high ethanol yield using these conditions. The study demonstrated that the response surface method with central composite design is an effective approach for bioethanol production from molasses.
ANNALS OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)