Review
Microbiology
Roni Bitterman, Tina Marinelli, Shahid Husain
Summary: Long-term survival after lung transplantation is lower than other transplanted organs, with infectious complications, particularly invasive fungal infections, being a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Current data on preventive measures are lacking, necessitating further research for optimal strategies.
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Nicolas Barros, Russell E. Rosenblatt, Meaghan M. Phipps, Vladislav Fomin, Michael K. Mansour
Summary: Patients with liver diseases, including decompensated cirrhosis, alcohol-associated hepatitis, and liver transplant recipients, have an increased risk of acquiring invasive fungal infections (IFIs). These infections have a high morbidity and mortality rate. Candida is the most common fungal pathogen causing IFI, but other pathogens such as Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis, and endemic mycoses are also being recognized. The diagnosis of IFIs can be made through direct observation or isolation of the pathogen, or by detecting antigens, antibodies, or nucleic acid. This article provides an update on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of IFI in patients with liver disease and liver transplantation.
HEPATOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Nicolas Barros, Russell E. Rosenblatt, Meaghan M. Phipps, Vladislav Fomin, Michael K. Mansour
Summary: Patients with liver diseases, including decompensated cirrhosis, alcohol-associated hepatitis, and liver transplant recipients, are at higher risk of acquiring invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Expanding knowledge recognizes not only Candida as the most common fungal pathogen causing IFIs, but also the increasing recognition of other pathogens like Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis, and endemic mycoses. The diagnosis of IFIs can be made by direct observation or isolation of the pathogen, or by detecting antigens, antibodies, or nucleic acid.
HEPATOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Thomas Senoner, Robert Breitkopf, Benedikt Treml, Sasa Rajsic
Summary: Invasive fungal infections are a major challenge in organ transplant patients, with candidiasis being the most common, followed by aspergillosis and cryptococcosis. Liver transplant recipients are at high risk for candidiasis and aspergillosis, and targeted prophylaxis is recommended. Timely treatment is crucial for optimal outcomes in transplanted patients. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology, risk factors, prophylaxis, and treatment strategies for the most common fungal infections in organ transplantation, focusing on liver transplantation.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Nancy N. Vuong, Danielle Hammond, Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis
Summary: The role of inhaled antifungals for prophylaxis and treatment of invasive fungal pneumonias in certain high-risk groups has not been clearly defined. Recent literature suggests that inhaled liposomal amphotericin B could be an alternative prophylactic option for neutropenic populations at high risk for invasive fungal pneumonia, where systemic triazoles are not tolerated. Inhaled amphotericin B is commonly used for prophylaxis in lung transplant recipients and shows promise in preventing fungal pneumonias secondary to viral pneumonias, influenza, and SARS CoV-2. Limited data are available for the adjunct treatment of inhaled amphotericin, but its utility is feasible.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Robert Breitkopf, Benedikt Treml, Katharina Simmet, Zoran Bukumiric, Margot Fodor, Thomas Senoner, Sasa Rajsic
Summary: Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are a significant risk after liver transplantation, and the use of antifungal prophylaxis is common. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of IFIs under targeted echinocandin prophylaxis in high-risk liver transplant recipients. The results showed that despite prophylaxis, there was still a notable risk for IFIs, especially in patients with certain risk factors. It is important to critically evaluate the use of echinocandins for prophylaxis and adhere to internal prophylaxis algorithms to minimize the risk of IFIs.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hiba Dagher, Ray Hachem, Anne-Marie Chaftari, Ying Jiang, Shahnoor Ali, Rita Deeba, Shivan Shah, Issam Raad
Summary: Isavuconazole shows promising clinical response and good safety profile in high-risk cancer patients with hematologic malignancies, whether used as first-line therapy or after the failure of other therapies. Additionally, combination therapy did not provide additional benefit compared to Isavuconazole therapy.
Review
Pediatrics
Kristin E. D. Weimer, P. Brian Smith, Mihai Puia-Dumitrescu, Samia Aleem
Summary: Invasive fungal infections, primarily caused by Candida and Aspergillus species, are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in neonates. Proper identification and treatment, along with prevention strategies such as prophylactic antifungal therapy and reducing exposure to modifiable risk factors, are essential for managing these infections effectively.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Christos Stafylidis, Panagiotis Diamantopoulos, Eleni Athanasoula, Elena Solomou, Amalia Anastasopoulou
Summary: Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are highly immunocompromised and susceptible to invasive mold infections (IMIs), which can lead to increased morbidity and mortality. The exact incidence of IMIs in ALL patients varies, with factors such as prolonged neutropenia, corticosteroid treatment, and lack of antimold prophylaxis contributing to the risk. Novel ALL treatments may also increase susceptibility to IMIs. Alternative antifungal agents such as isavuconazole may hold promise for primary prophylaxis, but more clinical trials are needed to assess their efficacy in ALL patients.
Article
Immunology
Elsa Pennese, Prassede Salutari, Luigi Carriero, Francesco Restuccia, Antonio Fabio De Filippis, Giulia De Luca, Raffaella Giancola, Francesco Guardalupi, Giulia Corradi, Bianca Fabi, Stefano Baldoni, Mauro Di Ianni
Summary: CAR-T therapy has revolutionized the treatment of relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies, but patients should be aware of the increased risk of infections due to immunosuppression after treatment. This article describes a clinical case of a 55-year-old patient with relapsed/refractory DLBCL who received axicabtagene ciloleucel, highlighting the importance of antifungal prophylaxis in CAR-T therapy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Zoe Freeman Weiss, Jessica Little, Sarah Hammond
Summary: The current armamentarium of antifungal agents has significantly improved over the last 50 years. However, existing therapies still have their limitations and novel antifungals are needed to address the increasing prevalence of invasive mold infections and antifungal resistance.
EXPERT REVIEW OF ANTI-INFECTIVE THERAPY
(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
Medicine, General & Internal
Chunrong Ju, Qiaoyan Lian, Xin Xu, Qingdong Cao, Cong Lan, Rongchang Chen, Jianxing He
Summary: This study found that invasive fungal disease is prevalent among lung transplant recipients in southern China, with Aspergillus being the most common pathogen. Factors such as anastomotic disease and cytomegalovirus pneumonia are associated with the occurrence of IFD.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
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.
Article
Immunology
Alexander Rombauts, Marta Bodro, Victor Daniel Gumucio, Irene Carbonell, Alex Fava, Laura Llado, Jose Gonzalez-Costello, Federico Oppenheimer, Maria Angeles Castel-Lavilla, Oscar Len, Ester Marquez-Algaba, Xavier Nuvials-Casals, Daniel Martinez Gonzalez, Judith Sacanell Lacasa, Jordi Carratala, Nuria Sabe
Summary: COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is common in the ICU, but little is known about its occurrence in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) and the efficacy of antifungal prophylaxis. A retrospective study compared SOTRs with and without nebulized amphotericin-B prophylaxis, showing a lower incidence of pulmonary mold infections in the prophylaxis group. Nebulized amphotericin-B was found to be safe and potentially effective in reducing the risk of CAPA in SOTRs with COVID-19. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Respiratory System
Catia Cilloniz, Juan M. Pericas, Anna Motos, Albert Gabarrus, Ricard Ferrer, Rosario Menendez, Jordi Riera, Dario Garcia-Gasulla, Osca Penuelas, Laia Fernandez-Barat, Jose Angel Lorente, David de Gonzalo-Calvo, Ferra Barbe, Antoni Torres
ARCHIVOS DE BRONCONEUMOLOGIA
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Gennaro Martucci, Matthieu Schmidt, Cara Agerstrand, Ali Tabatabai, Fabio Tuzzolino, Marco Giani, Raj Ramanan, Giacomo Grasselli, Peter Schellongowski, Jordi Riera, Ali Ait Hssain, Thibault Duburcq, Vojka Gorjup, Gennaro De Pascale, Sarah Buabbas, Whitney Gannon, Kyeongman Jeon, Brian Trethowan, Vito Fanelli, Juan Chico, Martin Balik, Lars M. Broman, Antonio Pesenti, Alain Combes, Marco Ranieri, Giuseppe Foti, Hergen Buscher, Kenichi Tanaka, Roberto Lorusso, Daniel Brodie, Int ECMO Network (ECMONet
Summary: Patients receiving VV ECMO are more likely to receive PRBC transfusions than other critically ill patients. In clinical practice, a haemoglobin concentration lower than 7 g/dL is consistently associated with increased risk of death in the intensive care unit, and PRBC transfusion is only associated with reduced risk of death when the haemoglobin concentration is below this threshold.
LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Abraham Andre Arturo Geng-Cahuayme, Berta Saez-Gimenez, Manuel Altabas-Gonzalez, Miriam Vazquez-Varela, Cristina Berastegui-Garcia, Jordi Giralt-Lopez de Sagredo, Marta Zapata-Ortega, Enar Recalde-Vizcay, Manuel Lopez-Meseguer
Summary: This study analyzed the clinical characteristics, complications, and efficacy of total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) in patients with chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). The results show that TLI can attenuate the decline in forced expiratory volume in 1-sec (FEV1) and a good Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score may be an important prognostic factor.
CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Marcel Fleig, Thomas Mueller, Velia M. Antonini, Jordi Riera, Mirko Belliato, Lars Mikael Broman, Jo-Anne Fowles, Jan Belohlavek, Roberto Lorusso, Leen Vercaemst, Tim Jones, Peter P. Roeleveld, Matteo Di Nardo, Nicholas Barrett, Justyna Swol
Summary: Based on the EuroELSO survey, majority of the COVID-19 patients received ECLS for respiratory or cardiac support, with adult patients being the majority. Most centers considered age >65 or biological age as a relative or absolute contraindication for ECLS in COVID-19, in accordance with available guidelines. The long-term outcomes after ECLS in COVID-19 and the impact of critical illness and long-COVID are still uncertain.
Article
Microbiology
Marta Palau, Estela Munoz, Nieves Larrosa, Xavier Gomis, Ester Marquez, Oscar Len, Benito Almirante, Joan Gavalda
Summary: Biofilm-producing microorganisms are medically crucial and cause 80% of human infections. This study evaluated the efficacy of hyperthermia in preventing biofilm formation in vitro and in a rabbit model. The results showed that hyperthermia can effectively prevent biofilm formation under specific temperature and time conditions.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Eva Revilla-Lopez, Victoria Ruiz de Miguel, Manuel Lopez-Meseguer, Cristina Berastegui, Meritxell Boada-Perez, Alberto Mendoza-Valderrey, Marta Arjona-Peris, Marta Zapata-Ortega, Victor Monforte, Carlos Bravo, Antonio Roman, Susana Gomez-Olles, Berta Saez-Gimenez
Summary: The authors examined the diagnostic accuracy of various biomarkers for lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and found that the combination of MMP-2 and VEGF-D can improve the diagnostic accuracy for LAM.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Leire Martin-Souto, Aitziber Antoran, Maialen Areitio, Leire Aparicio-Fernandez, Maria Teresa Martin-Gomez, Roberto Fernandez, Egoitz Astigarraga, Gabriel Barreda-Gomez, Carsten Schwarz, Volker Rickerts, Fernando L. Hernando, Aitor Rementeria, Idoia Buldain, Andoni Ramirez-Garcia
Summary: The detection of Scedosporium/Lomentospora relies on non-standardized low-sensitivity culture procedures, which is concerning for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) as it may lead to poor prognosis. A rapid serological dot immunobinding assay (DIA) was developed to detect serum IgG against Scedosporium/Lomentospora in less than 15 min. This DIA showed a sensitivity and specificity of 90.48% and 79.30%, respectively, in a study involving CF patients. The test can provide a complementary, rapid, simple, and sensitive method for the diagnosis of Scedosporium/Lomentospora in CF patients.
Article
Microbiology
Marta Palau, Estela Munoz, Muriel F. F. Gusta, Nieves Larrosa, Xavier Gomis, Joan Gilabert, Benito Almirante, Victor Puntes, Robert Texido, Joan Gavalda
Summary: Given the current increase and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), new strategies are urgently needed to combat it. This study synthesized highly monodispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and tested their antibacterial activity alone and in combination with hyperthermia against different strains. The results showed that AgNPs_mPEG_AK exhibited significantly enhanced efficacy and the combination with hyperthermia showed promising results against MDR/XDR strains and biofilm-producing strains.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Cristina Tello-Diaz, Marta Palau, Estela Munoz, Xavier Gomis, Joan Gavalda, Nuria Fernandez-Hidalgo, Sergi Bellmunt-Montoya
Summary: The aim of this study was to quantify in vitro biofilm formation by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) on the surfaces of different types of commonly used vascular grafts. The Dacron silver-triclosan and Omniflow II vascular grafts showed the greatest resistance to in vitro methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation compared to other vascular grafts.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Letter
Respiratory System
Catia Cilloniz, Anna Motos, Joan Canseco, Yhivian Penasco, Pilar Ricart, Elena Abril, Jose Manuel Gomez Garcia, Aaron Blandino Ortiz, Nadia Garcia Mateo, Angel Sanchez-Miralles, Nieves Franco, Jordi Riera, Ricard Ferrer, Elena Bustamante-Munguira, Jesus Caballero, Amalia Martinez de la Gandara, Susana Sancho, Joan-Ramon Masclans, Luis Urrelo-Cerron, Nieves Carbonell, Lorenzo Socias, Carme Barbera, Jose A. Lorente, Oscar Penuelas Rodriguez, Rosario Menendez, David de Gonzalo-Calvo, Adrian Ceccato, Laia Fernandez-Barat, Dario Garcia-Gasulla, Albert Gabarrus, Carolina Garcia-Vidal, Asuncion Moreno, Ferran Barbe, Jose M. Miro, Antoni Torres
ARCHIVOS DE BRONCONEUMOLOGIA
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Irene Medina, Cecilia Carpio, Isabel Ruiz-Camps, Adaia Albasanz-Puig, Oriana Lopez-Godino, Juliana Esperalba, Francisco Beas, Mario Sanchez-Salinas, Gloria Iacoboni, Pere Barba
Summary: This article reports a case of urinary tract infection after CAR-T cell therapy and discusses the diagnosis and treatment methods for this rare infection. CAR-T cell therapy is a new approach for treating lymphoma and other blood cancers.
Editorial Material
Critical Care Medicine
Jordi Riera, Jan Belohlavek, Christian Jung
INTENSIVE CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Maria Lozano-Espinosa, Dario Antolin-Amerigo, Jordi Riera, Federico Gordo Vidal, Santiago Quirce, Joaquin Alvarez Rodriguez
Summary: The treatment of choice for severe asthma exacerbations with respiratory failure includes ventilatory support and different kinds of asthma medication. Mortality rate in these patients has decreased due to advances in pharmacological treatment. In invasive cases, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) may be necessary. ECMO can minimize lung injury and enable diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers, while ECCO2R is more widely used. This article aims to review the evidence for the usefulness of extracorporeal respiratory support in severe asthma exacerbations.
RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Matthieu Schmidt, David Hajage, Micha Landoll, Benjamin Pequignot, Elise Langouet, Matthieu Amalric, Armand Mekontso-Dessap, Luis Chiscano-Camon, Katy Surman, Dylan Finnerty, Patricia Santa-Teresa, Antonio Arcadipane, Pablo Millan, Roberto Roncon-Albuquerque, Aaron Blandino-Ortiz, Pablo Blanco-Schweizer, Pilar Ricart, Ricardo Gimeno-Costa, Carlos Luis Albacete, Philip Fortuna, Peter Schellongowski, Dieter Dauwe, Hadrien Winiszewski, Antoine Kimmoun, Bruno Levy, Greet Hermans, Giacomo Grasselli, Guillaume Lebreton, Christophe Guervilly, Gennaro Martucci, Christian Karagiannidis, Jordi Riera, Alain Combes
Summary: In this retrospective study, the outcomes of patients who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by different variants of SARS-CoV-2 were investigated. The results showed that patients infected with the delta variant had a higher risk of mortality after ECMO treatment compared to patients infected with other variants.
LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2023)
