Article
Infectious Diseases
Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Sevtap Arikan-Akdagli, Karin Meinike Jorgensen, Aleksandra Barac, Jorg Steinmann, Cristina Toscano, Valentina Arsic Arsenijevic, Assunta Sartor, Cornelia Lass-Floerl, Axel Hamprecht, Tadeja Matos, Benedict R. S. Rogers, Inmaculada Quiles, Jochem Buil, Volkan Ozenci, Robert Krause, Matteo Bassetti, Laura Loughlin, Blandine Denis, Anna Grancini, P. Lewis White, Katrien Lagrou, Birgit Willinger, Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, Petr Hamal, Beyza Ener, Tugce Unalan-Altintop, Ebru Evren, Suleyha Hilmioglu-Polat, Yasemin Oz, Ozlem Koyuncu Ozyurt, Faruk Aydin, Filip Ruzicka, Eelco F. J. Meijer, Jean Pierre Gangneux, Deborah E. A. Lockhart, Nina Khanna, Clare Logan, Ulrike Scharmann, Guillaume Desoubeaux, Emmanuel Roilides, Alida Fe Talento, Karin van Dijk, Philipp Koehler, Jon Salmanton-Garcia, Oliver A. Cornely, Martin Hoenigl
Summary: This study assessed the distribution and antifungal resistance of Candida spp. in candidemia across Europe. The findings showed variations in the types of Candida species and drug resistance among different centers and countries. Cross-resistance to fluconazole and voriconazole was common in Candida glabrata and Candida parapsilosis, but with different geographical prevalence.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Naifang Ye, Zhou Liu, Wei Tang, Xin Li, Wenwen Chu, Qiang Zhou
Summary: Through a 6-year surveillance study, we found that Candida tropicalis has become the predominant isolate in candidemia and observed an increasing resistance rate to azoles. High age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index, neutropenia, and septic shock were independently associated with increased 30-day mortality.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Malene Risum, Karen Astvad, Helle Krogh Johansen, Henrik Carl Schonheyder, Flemming Rosenvinge, Jenny Dahl Knudsen, Rasmus Kroger Hare, Raluca Datcu, Bent Lowe Roder, Valeria Stanislavovna Antsupova, Lise Kristensen, Jan Berg Gertsen, Jens Kjolseth Moller, Esad Dzajic, Turid Snekloth Sondergaard, Maiken Cavling Arendrup
Summary: The study on fungal blood isolates from 2016-2018 revealed that Candida albicans and Candida glabrata were the most common species, with an increasing proportion of C. glabrata over time. Fluconazole susceptibility gradually decreased, and acquired echinocandin resistance became more common over the study periods.
Article
Microbiology
Dilek Yilmaz-Ciftdogan, Ahu Kara-Aksay, Gulcan Erbas, Umit Basak Sarkis, Eda Karadag-Oncel, Ayse Berna Anil, Masallah Baran, Halil Er, Nisel Yilmaz
Summary: This study aimed to describe Candida species in children with candidemia, determine the changing epidemiology of candidemia over time in a tertiary care hospital, and examine the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with candidemia caused by parapsilosis and nonparapsilosis Candida spp. The study found that C. parapsilosis was the most commonly isolated species, with differences in risk factors and clinical characteristics between parapsilosis and nonparapsilosis groups. Resistance to fluconazole was high in both groups, highlighting the importance of updating local epidemiologic data in candidemia cases.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Xing Zhang, Minghui Wang, Xiaodi Zhu, Yan Peng, Tiwei Fu, Chang-Hua Hu, Jianfeng Cai, Guojian Liao
Summary: The emergence of drug-resistant fungal pathogens is a serious threat to vulnerable populations worldwide, and there is an urgent need for new antifungal agents. In this study, a series of lipo-gamma-AA peptides were synthesized and evaluated for their biological activities. One lead compound, MW5, showed potent and broad-spectrum antifungal activity and enhanced the effectiveness of fluconazole against resistant Candida isolates. Mechanistic investigation revealed that MW5 disrupted the cell membrane, increased reactive oxygen species production, and weakened the function of the efflux pump, resensitizing drug-resistant Candida albicans to fluconazole. Co-administration of MW5 and fluconazole also demonstrated potent in vivo antifungal activity in a murine model of mucocutaneous candidiasis. Our results suggest that lipo-gamma-AA peptides have great potential for combating drug-resistant Candida infections alone or in combination with other drugs.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jeremy A. W. Gold, Emma E. Seagle, Joelle Nadle, Devra M. Barter, Christopher A. Czaja, Helen Johnston, Monica M. Farley, Stepy Thomas, Lee H. Harrison, Jill Fischer, Brittany Pattee, Rajal K. Mody, Erin C. Phipps, Sarah Shrum Davis, Brenda L. Tesini, Alexia Y. Zhang, Tiffanie M. Markus, William Schaffner, Shawn R. Lockhart, Snigdha Vallabhaneni, Brendan R. Jackson, Meghan Lyman
Summary: The study found that a considerable proportion of patients with candidemia were initially treated with fluconazole, which may not be appropriate for cases involving non-albicans or fluconazole-resistant species. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the reasons for nonadherence to treatment guidelines and provide clinician education.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Larissa M. Favarello, Marcio Nucci, Flavio Queiroz-Telles, Thais Guimaraes, Mauro J. Salles, Teresa C. T. Sukiennik, Daniel A. da Matta, Analy S. A. Melo, Arnaldo L. Colombo
Summary: The study evaluated the temporal trends in azole resistance rates among C. tropicalis bloodstream isolates from patients treated in six Brazilian medical centres over a 12-year period. The results showed non-susceptibility rates of 4% and 3.5% to fluconazole and voriconazole, respectively, with all isolates being susceptible to amphotericin B.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ka Lip Chew, Rosemini Achik, Nurul Hudaa Osman, Sophie Octavia, Jeanette W. P. Teo
Summary: This study described the prevalence, molecular epidemiology, and genetic features of Candida bloodstream isolates in a hospital setting. The drug-resistance rates of invasive candida infections appear to be increasing, complicating treatment options. The transmission of the Candida isolates, particularly C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis, may be influenced by exogenous sources. Limited transmission was observed for C. albicans.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Dermatology
Tadeja Matos, Tatjana Lejko Zupanc, Andreja Skofljanec, Anja Jazbec, Erika Matos, Polona Maver Vodicar, Julija Germ, Tadeja Ciglar, Rok Tomazin, Romina Kofol, Manica Mueller Premru, Mateja Pirs
Summary: Candida bloodstream infections became a significant invasive disease, particularly among immunocompromised patients in late 20th century. Despite progress in patient management, Candida BSI continue to be common among hospitalized patients and have high mortality rates. The study conducted in Slovenia from 2001 to 2012 aimed to evaluate patient characteristics, incidence, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility, and outcomes of Candida BSI before the widespread use of echinocandins.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Yating Liu, Wenxia Liu, Shuai Yu, Qingpeng Wang, Min Liu, Jun Han, Bin Sun
Summary: This study designed and synthesized novel compounds with dual-target enzyme features, and identified target compounds with excellent antifungal activity. These compounds inhibited the activity of core enzyme CYP51 and inflammatory inducible enzyme cyclooxygenase-2, leading to dual inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis pathway and inflammatory response.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Serisha D. Naicker, Liliwe Shuping, Thokozile G. Zulu, Ruth S. Mpembe, Mabatho Mhlanga, Ernest M. Tsotetsi, Tsidiso G. Maphanga, Nelesh P. Govender, GERMS SA
Summary: Nakaseomyces glabrata is a common cause of candidaemia in South Africa, particularly in older female patients admitted to public hospitals and post-surgery patients. Many of these patients are treated with suboptimal doses of fluconazole, and a small percentage of N. glabrata isolates show resistance to echinocandins and fluconazole. Echinocandins or polyenes are recommended for the treatment of confirmed N. glabrata candidaemia.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tianren Hu, Sijia Wang, Jian Bing, Qiushi Zheng, Han Du, Chao Li, Zhangyue Guan, Feng-yan Bai, Clarissa J. Nobile, Haiqing Chu, Guanghua Huang
Summary: The study investigated azole-resistant Candida tropicalis strains and found that both environmental and commensal isolates have similar abilities to survive under stressful conditions and produce secreted aspartic proteases. However, the human commensal isolates exhibited a stronger ability to filament than the environmental strains. The combination of hotspot mutations and genomic expansion of ERG11 was found to be the major mechanism for the development of azole resistance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pankaj Chandley, Priyanka Subba, Soma Rohatgi
Summary: This paper outlines a detailed protocol for evaluating the role of antibodies on biofilms formed by C. tropicalis. The results demonstrate that antibodies present in the serum of immunized animals can inhibit Candida biofilm maturation in vitro. This paper provides important insights regarding the potential of antibodies in developing novel immunotherapies and synergistic or adjunctive treatments against biofilms during invasive candidiasis.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Aadil A. Ahangar, Hafsa Qadri, Asif A. Malik, Manzoor Ahmad Mir, Abdul Haseeb Shah, Aijaz A. Dar
Summary: Crystal engineering is a green alternative to organic synthesis that manipulates molecular behavior. In this study, a pharmaceutical organic salt (FLC-C) of fluconazole was prepared and characterized. Structural and theoretical studies showed that FLC-C lacks pi-pi interactions, leading to the incipience of solid-state emission. FLC-C demonstrated enhanced aqueous solubility and wide-spectrum antifungal activity against human pathogenic yeast strains, without increased host cell toxicity. Interestingly, FLC-C also displayed fluorescence properties inside Candida cells.
MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Arome Solomon Odiba, Olanrewaju Ayodeji Durojaye, Ifeoma Maureen Ezeonu, Anthony Christian Mgbeahuruike, Bennett Chima Nwanguma
Summary: Resistance to antifungal drugs for treating Candida infections remains a major concern globally. This study identified new molecular adaptations of Candida isolates that explain their resistance to the drug fluconazole.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Marina Izak, Veronica Gendelman, Sharron Bransburg-Zabary, Evgeniy Stoyanov, Roni Gat, Daniel Cohen, Jacob Chen, Yasmin Maor, Avi Benov, Boaz Lev, Oren Zimhony, Eilat Shinar
Summary: The study reported on the management of a national CCP collection and distribution program in Israel, with 4020 volunteer donors donating 5221 CCP units from April 1, 2020, to January 15, 2021. Results showed that older donors had higher antibody levels, and a statistical model was created to predict the decline of antibody levels.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Rona Grossman, Amos Adler, Mor Rubinstein, Israel Nissan, Hasia Kaidar-Shwartz, Zeev Dveyrin, Eyal Leshem, Yasmin Maor, Luba Tau, Efrat Rorman
Summary: In 2018, cases of Mycobacterium canariasense bloodstream infection were diagnosed in Israel. Further investigation revealed additional cases in three medical centers, with isolates from blood, cornea, and sputum. The isolates were susceptible to all tested antimicrobial agents, and most of them were related based on whole-genome phylogeny.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Orli Megged
Summary: The study found that CoNS is a rare urinary pathogen among children, but can cause pyelonephritis, especially in young males. 37% of the children had known or newly diagnosed underlying urinary tract abnormalities.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Orli Megged, Sara Dorembus, Efrat Ben-Shalom, Eyal Heiman
Summary: This study revealed an association between the 'open system' method commonly used in pediatric emergency departments and an increase in BCC. Adherence to blood culture obtainment guidelines is important to reduce BCC rates in children, even if it means conducting two different blood tests.
JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Myroslava Nikolaichuk, Amanda Mocroft, Gilles Wandeler, Janos Szlavik, Magnus Gottfredsson, Dag Henrik Reikvam, Veronica Svedhem, Hila Elinav, Montserrat Laguno, Kamal Mansinho, Emma Devitt, Nikoloz Chkhartishvili, Georg Behrens, Johannes Bogner, Jean-Paul Viard, Alan Winston, Thomas Benfield, Clifford Leen, Olga Fursa, Juergen Rockstroh, Lars Peters
Summary: This study aimed to determine the usage of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) according to European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines in HIV/HCV coinfected patients treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The findings showed that more than one-third of patients received DAAs with potential ARV contraindications, but few received a contraindicated ARV. However, patients who received a contraindicated DAA and ARV combination still had a high rate of sustained virological response.
Article
Immunology
Miri Stolovich-Rain, Sujata Kumari, Ahuva Friedman, Saveliy Kirillov, Yakov Socol, Maria Billan, Ritesh Ranjan Pal, Kathakali Das, Peretz Golding, Esther Oiknine-Djian, Salim Sirhan, Michal Bejerano Sagie, Einav Cohen-Kfir, Naama Gold, Jamal Fahoum, Manoj Kumar, Maya Elgrably-Weiss, Bing Zhou, Miriam Ravins, Yair E. Gatt, Saurabh Bhattacharya, Orly Zelig, Reuven Wiener, Dana G. Wolf, Hila Elinav, Jacob Strahilevitz, Dan Padawer, Leah Baraz, Alexander Rouvinski
Summary: Intramuscularly administered mRNA vaccines generate a strong temporary mucosal immunity component, indicated by the presence of RBD-targeting IgA in the saliva of BNT162b2 vaccinees, which mediate neutralization. The mechanistic understanding of the high neutralizing activity provided by mucosal IgA will advance vaccination design and surveillance principles and may lead to novel treatment approaches and new routes of vaccine administration and boosting.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Ronen Ben-Ami
Summary: Antifungal therapy for pulmonary fungal diseases is undergoing changes, with newer drugs replacing the older standard of care. Voriconazole has become the treatment of choice for most pulmonary mold diseases, but posaconazole and itraconazole have shown similar efficacy with fewer adverse events. With the rise of azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus and infections with inherently resistant non-Aspergillus molds, the need for antifungal drugs with novel mechanisms of action is becoming more urgent.
Article
Immunology
Yasmin Maor, Eilat Shinar, Marina Izak, Galia Rahav, Tal Brosh-Nissimov, Asa Kessler, Naomi Rahimi-Levene, Odeda Benin-Goren, Dani Cohen, Iris Zohar, Noga Alagem, Sharon Castro, Oren Zimhony
Summary: In this study, convalescent immunoglobulins (cIgGs) were compared with convalescent plasma (CP) for treating COVID-19 patients. The study found that cIgGs did not meet the noninferiority endpoint on day 14 but showed superior performance to CP on day 28. Unvaccinated patients treated with cIgGs had better survival and improvement by day 28.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Ofer Perzon, Avivit Cahn, Yechiel N. Gellman, Michal Leibovitch, Shahar Peled, Ofer Elishoov, Amir Haze, Karen Olshtain-Pops, Hila Elinav
Summary: Diabetic foot infections are often caused by multiple pathogens, and the relevance of each isolated pathogen is unclear. This study found that enterococcal infections have a high prevalence and pathogenicity in diabetic foot infections, but the impact of targeted treatment is still unknown.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Meital Elbaz, Esther Stein, Eli Raykhshtat, Ahuva Weiss-Meilik, Regev Cohen, Ronen Ben-Ami
Summary: This study found a significant association between exposure to non-antimicrobial drugs and infection with drug-resistant organisms in patients with community-acquired pyelonephritis. These findings suggest that non-antimicrobial drugs may contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance and should be given more attention.
Letter
Immunology
Yasmin Maor, Oren Zimhony
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Debby Ben-David, Yael Cohen, Gabrielle Levi, Alona Keren-Paz, Diana Tasher, Gisele Zandman-Goddard, Orna Schwartz, Yasmin Maor
Summary: This study found that a comprehensive intervention including intensified control measures and routine active screening cultures can effectively reduce the incidence of CRAB in an endemic hospital setting.
INFECTION CONTROL AND HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Shoshana Amos, Hila Elinav, Elchanan Parnasa
ISRAEL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Hematology
Ron Ram, Odelia Amit, Amos Adler, Yael Bar-On, Ofrat Beyar-Katz, Irit Avivi, David Shasha, Ronen Ben-Ami
Summary: The study compared the duration of antibiotic therapy in febrile neutropenia patients after cellular therapy and found that an early deescalation and discontinuation antibiotic strategy was safe and associated with a significant reduction in broad-spectrum antibiotic utilization without compromising cellular therapy outcomes.
TRANSPLANTATION AND CELLULAR THERAPY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Immunology
B. Trottier, A. Antinori, J. De Wet, C. Duvivier, H. Elinav, S. Esser, J. Ghosn, J. den Hollander, J. Lambert, A. Milinkovic, C. Elliott, T. Saifi, R. Haubrich, D. Thorpe, A. Marongiu, C. Miralles, S. Schellberg, B. van Welzen
JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY
(2022)
