Review
Microbiology
Smaranda Ioana Codreanu, Cristina Nicoleta Ciurea
Summary: Blood culture is the standard procedure for detecting candidemia, but it takes 3-5 days for a positive result. Molecular diagnosis techniques offer faster results compared to culture. This paper summarizes the main strengths and limitations of current molecular techniques for Candida spp. DNA extraction, evaluating their efficiency in terms of time, cost, and ease of use. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed articles published before October 2022 was conducted using the PubMed NIH database. The studies provided sufficient data on diagnosing Candida spp. infection.
Article
Dermatology
Aline van Herk, Cindy Houwen, Martijn den Reijer, Marianne Noordanus-van Beek, Marie-Jean Niehuis, Nico van Lisdonk, Kelly Mertens, Khoa T. D. Thai
Summary: This study evaluated the performance of the Seegene Novaplex (TM) Dermatophyte Assay for diagnosing dermatophytosis. Sixty-one clinical samples were tested with RT-PCR, and the assay showed specificities ranging from 94.3% to 97.9%. The sensitivities for detecting different dermatophyte strains were also assessed, with T. rubrum complex, T. mentagrophytes/T. interdigitale species complex, and C. albicans showing sensitivities of 94.1%, 78.6%, and 100% respectively. In conclusion, the Seegene Novaplex (TM) Dermatophyte Assay can be used reliably for screening dermatophyte infections, including emerging strains, in a routine laboratory setting.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ofer I. Wilner, Doron Yesodi, Yossi Weizmann
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for quick, easy-to-use, reliable, and affordable diagnostic tests and devices at various locations. This paper introduces PCR and isothermal amplification reactions, reviews commercially available point-of-care nucleic acid diagnostic devices, and discusses efforts in developing reliable, portable, cost-effective, and automatic point-of-care nucleic acid diagnostic devices. Its purpose is to bridge the gap between academia and industry and share important knowledge on this topic.
Article
Microbiology
Zahra Salehi, Masoomeh Shams-Ghahfarokhi, Mehdi Razzaghi-Abyaneh
Summary: The study identified BT2, ITS, and TEF-1 alpha as suitable genes for MLST, with the most prevalent STs found among Trichophyton interdigitale. Two new genotypes, XXVII and XXVIII, were introduced for T. interdigitale and T. mentagrophytes. The most informative locus was TEF-1 alpha, and the phylogenetic tree revealed a new topological pattern confirming the evolution from geophilic to anthropophilic and zoophilic genera.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Michaela Svarcova, Tomas Vetrovsky, Miroslav Kolarik, Vit Hubka
Summary: This study proposes naming the entire T. mentagrophytes complex as T. mentagrophytes to avoid confusion and simplify identification. The study found correlations between T. interdigitale and patient age as well as clinical manifestations such as toe web or nail infections. The study recommends using the name T. mentagrophytes for the entire complex to avoid confusion.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Huey-Ling You, Meng-Chih Lin, Chen-Hsiang Lee
Summary: This report discusses the experiences of using two different testing platforms for COVID-19 detection, with an overall agreement rate of 96.2% but a positive agreement rate of only 80.0%. The findings highlight the importance of timely diagnosis with a reliable testing platform.
BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Bashayer Ali Alshehri, Aisha M. Alamri, Ali A. Rabaan, Jaffar A. Al-Tawfiq
Summary: This study analyzed the prevalence of dermatophyte isolates in a hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia from 2000 to 2019. Results showed that dermatophytosis was common among children and adolescents, with Microsporum and Trichophyton species decreasing significantly over time.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GLOBAL HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stephen Bustin, Claire Bustin, Sara Kirvell, Tania Nolan, Reinhold Mueller, Gregory Shipley
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic created a high demand for molecular diagnostic testing but resulted in a shortage of reagents and increased prices. Researchers have identified two strategies to conserve reagents and incorporate them into standard qPCR protocols.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Claire Kamaliddin, Colin J. Sutherland, Sandrine Houze, Gilles Cottrell, Valerie Briand, Daniel Castaneda Mogollon, Dylan R. Pillai
Summary: Ultrasensitive molecular diagnostics are revolutionizing the detection of malaria parasites in the blood, providing insights that conventional tools cannot capture. These technologies, such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification and recombinase polymerase amplification, offer portable and analytically sensitive solutions with potential benefits for asymptomatic patient screening, antenatal care, and elimination campaigns.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Adela Cmokova, Ali Rezaei-Matehkolaei, Ivana Kuklova, Miroslav Kolarik, Forough Shamsizadeh, Saham Ansari, Maral Gharaghani, Viera Minovska, Mohammad Javad Najafzadeh, Sadegh Nouripour-Sisakht, Takashi Yaguchi, Kamiar Zomorodian, Hossein Zarrinfar, Vit Hubka
Summary: Two novel agents of dermatophytosis were discovered through long-term molecular epidemiological studies in Czechia and Iran. The zoonotic origins of human infections are highly probable, but little is known about the animal hosts of these pathogens. Further research is needed to refine our knowledge about these new dermatophytes.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Dermatology
Mengwen He, Jingsi Zeng, Yehong Mao, Yuechen Zheng, Xin Lian, Hongxiang Chen
Summary: Tinea capitis, a common fungal infection of the scalp, predominantly affects children but there has been an increasing trend of adult cases in the Hubei area in recent years. Trichophyton violaceum has replaced Trichophyton schoenleinii as the leading pathogen in adult tinea capitis cases. These findings enhance our understanding of the treatment and prevention of tinea capitis in adults.
Article
Microbiology
Matthias Klein, Johannes Bacher, Sandra Barth, Faranak Atrzadeh, Katja Siebenhaller, Ines Ferreira, Stephan Beisken, Andreas E. Posch, Karen C. Carroll, Richard G. Wunderink, Chao Qi, Fann Wu, Dwight J. Hardy, Robin Patel, Matthew D. Sims
Summary: The Unyvero LRT BAL Application is a multiplex molecular panel that accurately and rapidly detects bacteria, antibiotic resistance markers, and fungus in BAL fluid. Compared to traditional culture methods, it shows high concordance in identifying bacteria and P. jirovecii, with additional potential pathogens found in 21.7% of prospective specimens.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiuying Huang, Dongmei Chen, Chen Du, Qiaoqiao Liu, Su Lin, Lanlan Liang, Ye Xu, Yiqun Liao, Qingge Li
Summary: The article introduces a method called MeltArray, which allows for the detection of multiple targets in a single real-time PCR reaction. This method utilizes the enzyme activity of Taq DNA polymerase to generate fluorescent hybrids with different melting temperatures, enabling the detection of multiple targets. MeltArray has been validated with clinical samples and demonstrates the advantages of multiplicity, versatility, simplicity, and accessibility.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Paulo H. F. Carmo, Marliete C. Costa, Victor A. T. Leocadio, Ludmila Gouveia-Eufrasio, Eluzia C. P. Emidio, Samantha P. Pimentel, Tatiane A. Paixao, Nalu T. A. Peres, Daniel A. Santos
Summary: This study found that adaptation of T. interdigitale to itraconazole increases tolerance to antifungals and alters the interaction with macrophages and a mammalian host.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariam Doualeh, Matthew Payne, Edward Litton, Edward Raby, Andrew Currie
Summary: Polymicrobial sepsis has worse patient outcomes than monomicrobial sepsis. Culture-dependent diagnostic techniques have low sensitivity, leading to missed identification of causative organisms. Culture-independent methods using molecular technologies show promise, but issues such as contamination and interference from host DNA need to be addressed. This review discusses the clinical significance of polymicrobial sepsis and how alternative molecular microbiology methods can be improved to detect polymicrobial infections.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Karin Meinike Jorgensen, Jesus Guinea, Katrien Lagrou, Erja Chryssanthou, Marie-Pierre Hayette, Francesco Barchiesi, Cornelia Lass-Floerl, Petr Hamal, Eric Dannaoui, Anuradha Chowdhary, Rasmus Kroger Hare, Joseph Meletiadis
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Dermatology
Malene Risum, Rasmus Kroger Hare, Jan Berg Gertsen, Lise Kristensen, Flemming Schonning Rosenvinge, Sofia Sulim, Nissrine Abou-Chakra, Jette Bangsborg, Bent Lowe Roder, Ea Sofie Marmolin, Karen Marie Thyssen Astvad, Michael Pedersen, Esad Dzajic, Steen Lomborg Andersen, Maiken Cavling Arendrup
Summary: Azole resistance in A. fumigatus is an emerging problem in Denmark, causing therapeutic challenges for affected patients.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jesper Larsen, Claire L. Raisen, Xiaoliang Ba, Nicholas J. Sadgrove, Guillermo F. Padilla-Gonzalez, Monique S. J. Simmonds, Igor Loncaric, Heidrun Kerschner, Petra Apfalter, Rainer Hartl, Ariane Deplano, Stien Vandendriessche, Barbora Cerna Bolfikova, Pavel Hulva, Maiken C. Arendrup, Rasmus K. Hare, Celine Barnadas, Marc Stegger, Raphael N. Sieber, Robert L. Skov, Andreas Petersen, Oystein Angen, Sophie L. Rasmussen, Carmen Espinosa-Gongora, Frank M. Aarestrup, Laura J. Lindholm, Suvi M. Nykasenoja, Frederic Laurent, Karsten Becker, Birgit Walther, Corinna Kehrenberg, Christiane Cuny, Franziska Layer, Guido Werner, Wolfgang Witte, Ivonne Stamm, Paolo Moroni, Hannah J. Jorgensen, Herminia de Lencastre, Emilia Cercenado, Fernando Garcia-Garrote, Stefan Borjesson, Sara Haeggman, Vincent Perreten, Christopher J. Teale, Andrew S. Waller, Bruno Pichon, Martin D. Curran, Matthew J. Ellington, John J. Welch, Sharon J. Peacock, David J. Seilly, Fiona J. E. Morgan, Julian Parkhill, Nazreen F. Hadjirin, Jodi A. Lindsay, Matthew T. G. Holden, Giles F. Edwards, Geoffrey Foster, Gavin K. Paterson, Xavier Didelot, Mark A. Holmes, Ewan M. Harrison, Anders R. Larsen
Summary: This study reveals that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were present in European hedgehogs before the discovery of antibiotics and have spread among hedgehog populations and between hedgehogs and secondary hosts. The study also shows that the hedgehog dermatophyte Trichophyton erinacei produces two beta-lactam antibiotics that give an advantage to MRSA strains. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding and managing antibiotic resistance in both wild animals and different ecosystems.
Article
Microbiology
Rasmus Kroger Hare, Amir Arastehfar, Soren Rosendahl, Arezoo Charsizadeh, Farnaz Daneshnia, Hamid Eshaghi, Hossein Mirhendi, Teun Boekhout, Ferry Hagen, Maiken Cavling Arendrup
Summary: Candida parapsilosis is a common cause of candidemia in certain geographical areas and among children. However, the proportion of cases varies among children in different regions. This study found no evidence of clonal outbreaks in the pediatric ward in Iran, but highlighted the importance of using appropriate discriminatory methods for outbreak investigation.
Article
Microbiology
Karen Marie Thyssen Astvad, Rasmus Kroger Hare, Karin Meinike Jorgensen, Ditte Marie Lindhardt Saunte, Philip Kjettinge Thomsen, Maiken Cavling Arendrup
Summary: Terbinafine resistance in Trichophyton species is increasing in Denmark, with a high prevalence of non-wildtype isolates and known/novel SQLE mutations. T. rubrum is the most common species, but T. mentagrophytes/interdigitale SC isolates also contribute to resistance. Population-based studies and susceptibility testing are important for understanding and addressing this emerging problem.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Panagiota-Christina Georgiou, Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Joseph Meletiadis
Summary: A simple, cheap, and fast phenotypic test was developed for the detection of fluconazole and anidulafungin-resistant C. glabrata isolates.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Dermatology
Kristoffer Nagy Skaastrup, Karen Marie Thyssen Astvad, Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Gregor Borut Ernst Jemec, Ditte Marie Lindhardt Saunte
Summary: Soaking sock pieces in a QAC-detergent for 24 hours effectively disinfects them from terbinafine-resistant or terbinafine-susceptible isolates of Trichophyton spp. Freezing and steam washing methods did not show any disinfectant properties.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Thomas R. Rogers, Paul E. Verweij, Mariana Castanheira, Eric Dannaoui, P. Lewis White, Maiken Cavling Arendrup
Summary: The increasing incidence and changing epidemiology of invasive fungal infections pose challenges to their effective management. Understanding antifungal drug resistance and developing reliable detection methods are crucial for successful treatment.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Correction
Microbiology
Karen Marie Thyssen Astvad, Rasmus Kroger Hare, Karin Meinike Jorgensen, Ditte Marie Lindhardt Saunte, Philip Kjettinge Thomsen, Maiken Cavling Arendrup
Article
Microbiology
Maria Siopi, Antonios Papadopoulos, Anastasia Spiliopoulou, Fotini Paliogianni, Nissrine Abou-Chakra, Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Christina Damoulari, Georgios Tsioulos, Efthymia Giannitsioti, Frantzeska Frantzeskaki, Iraklis Tsangaris, Spyros Pournaras, Joseph Meletiadis
Summary: This study describes the isolation of a pan-echinocandin-resistant Candida parapsilosis strain from the urine of a patient who had been exposed to echinocandins for a prolonged period. The isolate harbored a novel alteration in the hotspot 1 region of the fks1 gene. Bloodstream isolates collected from the same patient earlier were susceptible to echinocandins and had wild-type FKS1 sequences.
Article
Microbiology
Karin M. Jorgensen, Karen M. T. Astvad, Rasmus K. Hare, Maiken C. Arendrup
Summary: Ibrexafungerp is a promising antifungal drug that shows broad spectrum activity against various clinical yeast isolates. The MIC values of ibrexafungerp were determined and compared to other licensed antifungal drugs. The study also identified wild-type upper-limit values for each yeast species. Partial inhibition near the MIC range was found to contribute to the variability in MIC values.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Sevtap Arikan-Akdagli, Mariana Castanheira, Jesus Guinea, Jeffrey B. Locke, Joseph Meletiadis, Oscar Zaragoza
Summary: The study evaluated the application of a modified EUCAST method in Candida isolates, and the results showed that the method significantly reduced inter-laboratory variation, identified wild-type populations, and separated mutants successfully, except for isolates with weak mutations.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Maria-Ioanna Beredaki, Maiken C. Arendrup, David Andes, Joseph Meletiadis
Summary: By developing a novel in vitro dialysis-diffusion PK/PD model, the pharmacodynamics of micafungin against Candida albicans were studied. The study supports the EUCAST breakpoints but questions the appropriateness of the current CLSI breakpoint.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Douglas E. Zuill, Amanda L. Almaguer, Joanna Donatelli, Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Jeffrey B. Locke
Summary: The study examined the use of surfactants to reduce non-specific binding of rezafungin in EUCAST E.Def 7.3 MIC testing. Tween 20, Tween 80, and Triton X-100 were evaluated for their antifungal activity when combined with rezafungin. An optimized concentration of 0.002% Tween 20 generated reliable and reproducible rezafungin MIC values across different plate types and maintained differentiation of wild-type and mutant strains. T20 performance was consistent across manufacturers and temperatures.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Cornelia Geisler Crone, Signe Marie Wulff, Bruno Ledergerber, Jannik Helweg-Larsen, Pia Bredahl, Maiken Cavling Arendrup, Michael Perch, Marie Helleberg
Summary: The optimal prevention strategy for invasive aspergillosis (IA) in lung transplant recipients is still unknown. A Danish study compared IA rates in periods with universal and targeted prophylaxis, and found that targeted prophylaxis may be preferred due to comparable IA rates and lower rates of adverse events.