Article
Mycology
Zhimin Duan, Jianbo Tong, Nana Zheng, Rong Zeng, Yuzhen Liu, Min Li
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of combining the antiarrhythmic drug AMD with triazole drugs for Aspergillus spp. infection. The results showed that the combination of AMD with itraconazole or posaconazole had synergistic fungicidal effects on Aspergillus biofilms.
Review
Dermatology
Inderpaul Singh Sehgal, Sahajal Dhooria, Kuruswamy Thurai Prasad, Valliappan Muthu, Ashutosh Nath Aggarwal, Arunaloke Chakrabarti, Ritesh Agarwal
Summary: Oral itraconazole may be preferred over other azoles as initial therapy for CPA, while intravenous echinocandins and voriconazole may be preferred over amphotericin B in treating CPA. Randomised-controlled trials comparing different AFAs, especially newer AFAs, are urgently needed.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Erin K. K. McCreary, Matthew R. R. Davis, Navaneeth Narayanan, David R. R. Andes, Dario Cattaneo, Robbie Christian, Russell E. E. Lewis, Kevin M. M. Watt, Nathan P. P. Wiederhold, Melissa D. D. Johnson
Summary: Triazole antifungals are commonly used in clinical practice to prevent or treat invasive fungal infections. Therapeutic drug monitoring is necessary due to their variable pharmacokinetics and established relationships between exposure and response.
Article
Microbiology
Nathan P. Wiederhold, Ilan S. Schwartz, Thomas F. Patterson, George R. Thompson
Summary: The study revealed a significant correlation between ITZ and OH-ITZ levels, with OH-ITZ levels generally higher than ITZ levels, but marked variability was observed throughout the range of ITZ concentrations.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Kaitlin Benedict, Jeremy A. W. Gold, Susan E. Beekmann, Philip M. Polgreen, Mitsuru Toda, Dallas J. Smith
Summary: A survey of 523 infectious disease specialists found that a significant number of experts utilize antifungal therapeutic drug monitoring during treatment, but the usage is lower during prophylaxis. The long turnaround times for testing and logistical difficulties are common barriers to the implementation of therapeutic drug monitoring.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Kaitlin Benedict, Jeremy A. W. Gold, Mitsuru Toda, George R. Thompson, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Dallas J. Smith
Summary: Antifungal therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is recommended for hospitalized patients receiving itraconazole, posaconazole, or voriconazole. However, a study found that TDM was only performed in 15.8% of eligible patients, indicating missed opportunities to optimize drug therapy.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
David S. McKinsey
Summary: Histoplasmosis can cause life-threatening infection in untreated HIV patients, but can be effectively managed with antifungal therapy and adherence to proper treatment regimens. Initiating antiretroviral therapy alongside antifungal treatment is crucial for improving outcomes and reducing the risk of relapse. Limited exposure to potential sources of infection and strict adherence to antiretroviral therapy are key strategies to prevent histoplasmosis.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Maiken C. Arendrup, Gunnar Kahlmeter, Jesus Guinea, Joseph Meletiadis
Summary: This article describes the new method released by the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Subcommittee on Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST-AFST) for antifungal susceptibility testing against microconidia-forming dermatophytes. The method is based on the EUCAST microdilution method for moulds with significant alterations to accommodate dermatophytes, and has been validated for several antifungal drugs against Trichophyton rubrum and T. interdigitale.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Parisa Badiee, Teun Boekhout, Pardis Haddadi, Rasoul Mohammadi, Abdolkarim Ghadimi-Moghadam, Jafar Soltani, Ali Zarei Mahmoudabadi, Seyyed Amin Ayatollahi Mousavi, Mohammad Javad Najafzadeh, Kambiz Diba, Ali Reza Salimi-Khorashad, Maneli Amin Shahidi, Fatemeh Ghasemi, Hadis Jafarian
Summary: This study evaluated the antifungal activities of eight antifungal agents against Candida species isolated from 10 university hospitals in Iran. The most frequently isolated species were Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Caspofungin and voriconazole were found to be the most effective antifungal agents for treating Candida infections in the region.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Davide Lo Porto, Andrea Cona, Francesca Todaro, Elena De Carolis, Francesca Cardinale, Neha Hafeez, Giuseppina Di Martino, Pier Giulio Conaldi, Maurizio Sanguinetti, Paolo Antonio Grossi, Alessandra Mularoni
Summary: Phaeohyphomycosis is a diverse infection caused by pigmented fungi, and solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk due to immunosuppression. In this study, three successful cases of phaeohyphomycosis in transplant recipients were treated with surgery and antifungal therapy. A literature review revealed a wide range of fungal species, with Alternaria being the most common. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in preventing disease dissemination.
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Ahmed H. H. Hussien, Mohamed I. H. El-Qaliei, Sayed A. S. Mousa, Ahmed A. Atalla, Ahmed Khodairy
Summary: In this study, a series of new compounds were synthesized and their in vitro antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria was evaluated. Molecular docking studies were conducted to determine the binding mode and energy of active compounds with the target protein of E. coli.
JOURNAL OF HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shaimaa M. M. Nasef, Ehab E. E. Khozemy, Ghada A. A. Mahmoud
Summary: A pH-responsive nanocomposite hydrogel (Cs-g-PAAm/AuNPs) was prepared by grafting chitosan with acrylamide monomer and gold nanoparticles using the gamma irradiation method. The addition of silver nanoparticles to the nanocomposite enhanced the controlled release of the anticancer drug fluorouracil, increased antimicrobial activity, and decreased cytotoxicity. The structure of the nanocomposite was confirmed using FTIR spectroscopy and XRD patterns, and dynamic light scattering revealed the presence of gold and silver nanoparticles in the nanoscale. The nanocomposite hydrogels showed high responsiveness to pH changes and exhibited strong antimicrobial activity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Chunrong Ju, Qiaoyan Lian, Ao Chen, Boxin Zhao, Shouning Zhou, Yuhang Cai, Hui Xie, Li Wei, Shiyue Li, Jianxing He
Summary: This study compared the antifungal prophylactic effectiveness and drug concentrations of voriconazole and posaconazole in lung transplant recipients. The results showed that posaconazole had higher levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) compared to voriconazole, while the plasma levels were comparable. There was no significant difference in breakthrough invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) between the two groups. Overall, posaconazole had higher intrapulmonary concentrations and the two agents had similar antifungal prophylactic effectiveness.
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Hyebin Choi, Jisook Yim, Jae Hyun Cha, Juyeon Kim, Keun Ju Kim, Minjeong Nam, Myung Hyun Nam, Chang Kyu Lee, Yunjung Cho, Seung Gyu Yun
Summary: In this study, a simple, reliable, and quick LC-MS/MS method for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of triazole antifungal agents was developed and validated.
CLINICAL LABORATORY
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Athanasios Tragiannidis, Anastasia Gkampeta, Maria Vousvouki, Eleni Vasileiou, Andreas H. Groll
Summary: Invasive fungal infections remain a significant concern for severely ill and immunocompromised patients, leading to an increase in research on antifungal drugs. Nephrotoxicity is an important consideration in the use of antifungal agents, particularly for patients with compromised organ functions or receiving other potentially nephrotoxic medications. Amphotericin B deoxycholate is identified as having the highest potential for nephrotoxicity, followed by lipid formulations of amphotericin B and the antifungal triazoles to a much lesser extent.
EXPERT OPINION ON DRUG SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Prithviraj Bose, David McCue, Sebastian Wurster, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Marina Konopleva, Tapan M. Kadia, Gautam Borthakur, Farhad Ravandi, Lucia Masarova, Koichi Takahashi, Zeev Estrov, Musa Yilmaz, Naval Daver, Naveen Pemmaraju, Kiran Naqvi, Caitlin R. Rausch, Kayleigh R. Marx, Wei Qiao, Xuelin Huang, Carol A. Bivins, Sherry A. Pierce, Hagop M. Kantarjian, Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis
Summary: In patients with newly diagnosed AML/MDS undergoing remission-induction chemotherapy, ISAV is a safe and effective alternative for antifungal prophylaxis, with excellent tolerability and minimal adverse effects such as mild to moderate elevation of liver function tests.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Nathan P. Wiederhold, Ilan S. Schwartz, Thomas F. Patterson, George R. Thompson
Summary: The study revealed a significant correlation between ITZ and OH-ITZ levels, with OH-ITZ levels generally higher than ITZ levels, but marked variability was observed throughout the range of ITZ concentrations.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
David M. Geiser, Abdullah M. S. Al-Hatmi, Takayuki Aoki, Tsutomu Arie, Virgilio Balmas, Irene Barnes, Gary C. Bergstrom, Madan K. Bhattacharyya, Cheryl L. Blomquist, Robert L. Bowden, Balazs Brankovics, Daren W. Brown, Lester W. Burgess, Kathryn Bushley, Mark Busman, Jose F. Cano-Lira, Joseph D. Carrillo, Hao-Xun Chang, Chi-Yu Chen, Wanquan Chen, Martin Chilvers, Sofia Chulze, Jeffrey J. Coleman, Christina A. Cuomo, Z. Wilhelm de Beer, G. Sybren de Hoog, Johanna Del Castillo-Munera, Emerson M. Del Ponte, Javier Dieguez-Uribeondo, Antonio Di Pietro, Veronique Edel-Hermann, Wade H. Elmer, Lynn Epstein, Akif Eskalen, Maria Carmela Esposto, Kathryne L. Everts, Sylvia P. Fernandez-Pavia, Gilvan Ferreira da Silva, Nora A. Foroud, Gerda Fourie, Rasmus J. N. Frandsen, Stanley Freeman, Michael Freitag, Omer Frenkel, Kevin K. Fuller, Tatiana Gagkaeva, Donald M. Gardiner, Anthony E. Glenn, Scott E. Gold, Thomas R. Gordon, Nancy F. Gregory, Marieka Gryzenhout, Josep Guarro, Beth K. Gugino, Santiago Gutierrez, Kim E. Hammond-Kosack, Linda J. Harris, Monika Homa, Cheng-Fang Hong, Laszlo Hornok, Jenn-Wen Huang, Macit Ilkit, Adriaana Jacobs, Karin Jacobs, Cong Jiang, Maria Del Mar Jimenez-Gasco, Seogchan Kang, Matthew T. Kasson, Kemal Kazan, John C. Kennell, Hye-Seon Kim, H. Corby Kistler, Gretchen A. Kuldau, Tomasz Kulik, Oliver Kurzai, Imane Laraba, Matthew H. Laurence, Theresa Lee, Yin-Won Lee, Yong-Hwan Lee, John F. Leslie, Edward C. Y. Liew, Lily W. Lofton, Antonio F. Logrieco, Manuel S. Lopez-Berges, Alicia G. Luque, Erik Lysoe, Li-Jun Ma, Robert E. Marra, Frank N. Martin, Sara R. May, Susan P. McCormick, Chyanna McGee, Jacques F. Meis, Quirico Migheli, N. M. I. Mohamed Nor, Michel Monod, Antonio Moretti, Diane Mostert, Giuseppina Mule, Francoise Munaut, Gary P. Munkvold, Paul Nicholson, Marcio Nucci, Kerry O'Donnell, Matias Pasquali, Ludwig H. Pfenning, Anna Prigitano, Robert H. Proctor, Stephane Ranque, Stephen A. Rehner, Martijn Rep, Gerardo Rodriguez-Alvarado, Lindy Joy Rose, Mitchell G. Roth, Carmen Ruiz-Roldan, Amgad A. Saleh, Baharuddin Salleh, Hyunkyu Sang, Maria Mercedes Scandiani, Jonathan Scauflaire, David G. Schmale, Dylan P. G. Short, Adnan Sisic, Jason A. Smith, Christopher W. Smyth, Hokyoung Son, Ellie Spahr, Jason E. Stajich, Emma Steenkamp, Christian Steinberg, Rajagopal Subramaniam, Haruhisa Suga, Brett A. Summerell, Antonella Susca, Cassandra L. Swett, Christopher Toomajian, Terry J. Torres-Cruz, Anna M. Tortorano, Martin Urban, Lisa J. Vaillancourt, Gary E. Vallad, Theo A. J. van der Lee, Dan Vanderpool, Anne D. van Diepeningen, Martha M. Vaughan, Eduard Venter, Marcele Vermeulen, Paul E. Verweij, Altus Viljoen, Cees Waalwijk, Emma C. Wallace, Grit Walther, Jie Wang, Todd J. Ward, Brian L. Wickes, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Michael J. Wingfield, Ana K. M. Wood, Jin-Rong Xu, Xiao-Bing Yang, Tapani Yli-Mattila, Sung-Hwan Yun, Latiffah Zakaria, Hao Zhang, Ning Zhang, Sean X. Zhang, Xue Zhang
Summary: The debate over the classification of the Fusarium genus in recent years has focused on whether the FSSC should be included in Fusarium, but molecular phylogenetic research has shown strong support for the monophyly of Fusarium including the FSSC, which is considered the best taxonomic option available.
Article
Microbiology
Hamid Badali, Connie Canete-Gibas, Dora McCarthy, Hoja Patterson, Carmita Sanders, Marjorie P. David, James Mele, Hongxin Fan, Nathan P. Wiederhold
Summary: This study evaluated the epidemiology and susceptibility profiles of Mucorales isolates in the United States, finding Rhizopus as the predominant genus, the respiratory tract as the main source of isolates, and amphotericin B and posaconazole as the most active antifungal drugs, with isavuconazole showing the greatest variability.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Abigail R. Armwood, Connie F. Canete-Gibas, Jennifer A. Dill-Okubo, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Alvin C. Camus
Summary: A study on phaeohyphomycosis cases in a diverse range of aquarium-housed fish species found that the disease mostly affects bony fish, particularly marine species. The most common fungal genus identified was Exophiala, with two new species described for the first time in fish. Pathologically, lesions were most frequently observed in the skin/fin, skeletal muscle, and kidneys.
JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Jonathan D. Dear, Krystle L. Reagan, Sean E. Hulsebosch, Chai-Fei Li, Matthew John Lodge Munro, Barbara A. Byrne, Verena K. Affolter, Nathan Wiederhold, Connie Canete-Gibas, Jane E. Sykes
Summary: This study describes the clinical features, radiographic findings, pathological characteristics, and outcomes of dogs with disseminated Rasamsonia species complex infections. The infection involves multiple systems such as the vertebral column, central nervous system, kidneys, spleen, lymph nodes, lungs, and heart. Molecular techniques are necessary for proper identification and treatment guidance.
JOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Sharon C-A Chen, John Perfect, Arnaldo L. Colombo, Oliver A. Cornely, Andreas H. Groll, Danila Seidel, Kerstin Albus, Joao Nobrega de Almedia, Guillermo Garcia-Effron, Nicole Gilroy, Cornelia Lass-Floerl, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Livio Pagano, Tamas Papp, Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, Jon Salmanton-Garcia, Andrej Spec, Joerg Steinmann, Sevtap Arikan-Akdagli, Dorothee E. Arenz, Rosanne Sprute, Luisa Duran-Graeff, Tomas Freiberger, Corrado Girmenia, Michelle Harris, Souha S. Kanj, Maryam Roudbary, Olivier Lortholary, Joseph Meletiadis, Esther Segal, Felipe Francisco Tuon, Nathan Wiederhold, Tihana Bicanic, Jagdish Chander, Yee-Chun Chen, Po-Ren Hsueh, Margaret Ip, Patricia Munoz, Isabel Spriet, Elvis Temfack, Luis Thompson, Anna Maria Tortorano, Aristea Velegraki, Nelesh P. Govender
Summary: This article discusses the increasing prevalence of rare yeast infections in immunocompromised or seriously ill patients, highlighting the importance of comprehensive multidisciplinary management. It also addresses the need for region-specific or updated management guidelines, while noting that expert opinions and in-vitro susceptibility results play a key role in treatment recommendations for these infections.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Mycology
Keenan Ryan, Connie Canete-Gibas, Carmita Sanders, Nestor Sosa, Nathan P. Wiederhold
Summary: This report presents the phenotypic characteristics of a novel fungal species isolated from a prosthetic hip infection, identified as a new thielavia-like species through DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The patient responded well to antifungal treatment and remained stable without complications.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Alberto E. Paniz-Mondolfi, Steven Agemy, Connie Canete-Gibas, Melissa R. Gitman, Codrin E. Iacob, Inna Necula, Ching-Yi Wang, Lourdes A. Delgado Noguera, Carmita Sanders, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Emilia M. Sordillo, Michael D. Nowak
Summary: Keratomycosis, caused by various fungi including Colletotrichum species, is a major cause of ophthalmic morbidity worldwide. The first reported case of C. chlorophyti infection in a post-corneal transplant patient indicates an increasing role for Colletotrichum species as emerging human pathogens, especially in transplant populations.
MEDICAL MYCOLOGY CASE REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Martin Hoenigl, Rosanne Sprute, Matthias Egger, Amir Arastehfar, Oliver A. Cornely, Robert Krause, Cornelia Lass-Florl, Juergen Prattes, Andrej Spec, George R. Thompson, Nathan Wiederhold, Jeffrey D. Jenks
Summary: The epidemiology of invasive fungal infections is changing due to increased usage of antifungal agents leading to resistance. Limited therapeutic options are further challenged by drug-drug interactions, toxicity, and administration constraints. Despite the lack of new antifungal drug classes in the past two decades, there are promising new classes in late-stage clinical development, offering hope for improved treatment options.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Allison R. Eberly, Usha Natarjan, Amber A. Milone, Marisa A. Lucke, Connie F. Canete-Gibas, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Nancy L. Wengenacka
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Raquel Sabino, Nathan Wiederhold
Summary: The accurate identification of fungal pathogens is essential for the diagnosis and treatment of invasive fungal infections. Histopathology provides provisional identification but must be combined with laboratory results for improved accuracy.
Article
Microbiology
Laura S. Burrack, Robert T. Todd, Natthapon Soisangwan, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Anna Selmecki
Summary: Antifungal drug resistance and tolerance are a serious threat to global public health. This study investigated the evolution of drug resistance in Candida auris and found rapid acquisition of resistance mutations and the stability of resistance in the absence of drugs. The genetic background of clinical isolates was also found to affect the evolutionary potential and acquisition of resistance. These findings highlight the high stability and high rates of acquisition of antifungal resistance in C. auris, which can lead to the evolution of pan-resistant isolates in clinical settings.
Review
Microbiology
Nathan P. Wiederhold
Summary: Several new antifungals with novel pharmacodynamics/mechanisms of action are being developed, as well as modified agents within established classes. These drugs have the potential to combat fungal strains with reduced susceptibility or acquired resistance to current antifungals, and may improve clinical outcomes for patients with invasive fungal infections.
Article
Immunology
Alvaro C. Laga, Jessica W. Crothers, Connie F. Canete-Gibas, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Isaac H. Solomon
Summary: Two cases of Rigidoporus corticola infection in humans in the United States are reported, illustrating previously undescribed clinicopathologic manifestations of this filamentous basidiomycete in humans.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)