Article
Infectious Diseases
Ghada El-Saeed Mashaly, Mayada Sabry Zeid
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between genotype, virulence factors and fluconazole tolerance among Candida albicans isolates from pediatric patients. The results showed that genotype A was the most prevalent, and biofilm formation and enzyme production were important virulence determinants in pediatric infections. Fluconazole tolerance was significantly correlated with biofilm formation and proteinase production.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Virginia E. Glazier, Juraj Kramara, Tomye Ollinger, Norma V. Solis, Robert Zarnowski, Rohan S. Wakade, Min-Ju Kim, Gabriel J. Weigel, Shen-Huan Liang, Richard J. Bennett, Melanie Wellington, David R. Andes, Mark A. Stamnes, Scott G. Filler, Damian J. Krysan, James W. Kronstad
Summary: Candida albicans, a diploid human fungal pathogen, displays significant genomic and phenotypic heterogeneity. The effect of Rob1 on biofilm and filamentation virulence traits is dependent on both the specific environmental condition and the clinical strain of C. albicans. Different alleles of Rob1 have different functional effects, with the rare ROB1(946S) allele supporting increased filamentation and biofilm formation. These findings highlight the importance of heterozygosity as a driver of C. albicans phenotypic heterogeneity.
Article
Immunology
Sanjib Das, Achintya Mohan Goswami, Tanima Saha
Summary: Candida albicans, a common member of the human microbiome, causes infections through the regulation of kinases, which control morphological features and virulence factors.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Jasminka Talapko, Martina Juzbasic, Tatjana Matijevic, Emina Pustijanac, Sanja Bekic, Ivan Kotris, Ivana Skrlec
Summary: Candida albicans is a common commensal fungus in the human body, which can cause various infections when the balance with the host immune system is disrupted. Factors such as dysbiosis of microbiota, immune dysfunction, and mucosal barrier damage contribute to the transition of C. albicans from a normal flora to a pathogenic state. The presence of C. albicans in the bloodstream can lead to invasive infections.
Article
Immunology
Ying Li, Chaoqun Chen, Liu Cong, Shanshan Mao, Mingzhu Shan, Zibing Han, Jiayi Mao, Zhiyu Xie, Zuobin Zhu
Summary: This study identified a maleimide compound (MPD) that effectively inhibits various virulence factors of C. albicans, including adhesion, filamentation, and biofilm formation. MPD has low cytotoxicity, hemolytic activity, and drug resistance development. In a Galleria mellonella-C. albicans infection model, MPD treatment significantly prolonged the survival time of infected larvae. Mechanism research revealed that MPD increased farnesol secretion, which inhibited the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway and subsequently inhibited the virulence factors. This study suggests the potential application of MPD in overcoming fungal infections in clinics.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Qing-Ru Bu, Meng-Yuan Bao, Yue Yang, Tian-Ming Wang, Chang-Zhong Wang
Summary: Natural products, particularly functional foods, offer potential in preventing and treating Candida albicans infections by targeting its virulence factors.
Article
Plant Sciences
Estefania Cordisco, Elisa Petenatti, Laura Svetaz, Maximiliano Sortino
Summary: The study evaluated the photodynamic antifungal activity of T. pentachaeta root extracts, showing strong antifungal effects against C. albicans and the generation of active substances under UVA light irradiation.
Article
Microbiology
Sabi Pokhrel, Nawarat Boonmee, Orawan Tulyaprawat, Sujiraphong Pharkjaksu, Iyarit Thaipisutikul, Phoom Chairatana, Popchai Ngamskulrungroj, Chalermchai Mitrpant
Summary: Biofilm formation is an important virulence factor for the pathogenesis of Candida albicans. This study used the zebrafish model to evaluate the in vivo virulence of strains with different biofilm formation strengths. The results showed that stronger biofilm formation was associated with shorter survival time in zebrafish and higher up-regulation of biofilm-associated genes.
Article
Immunology
Lingbing Zeng, Yongcheng Huang, Junjun Tan, Jun Peng, Niya Hu, Qiong Liu, YanLi Cao, Yuping Zhang, Junzhu Chen, Xiaotian Huang
Summary: This study investigates the role of the cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 7 gene (QCR7) in the virulence of Candida albicans. Defective QCR7 reduces inflammation cell recruitment and attenuates the virulence of C. albicans infection. It also affects the use of multiple carbon sources and causes mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, overexpression of cell-surface-associated genes can restore the defective virulence and carbon-source utilization of the QCR7 knockout strain.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mohammed A. El-Kholy, Ghada F. Helaly, Ebtisam F. El Ghazzawi, Gamal El-Sawaf, Sherine M. Shawky
Summary: This study examined the antifungal susceptibility profile and virulence factors of Candida tropicalis isolates from ICU patients in Alexandria, Egypt. The results showed an increasing trend in fluconazole and voriconazole resistance, with strong biofilm formation observed in blood culture isolates. Early and accurate identification of Candida species along with susceptibility testing is crucial due to the emergence of C. tropicalis as a serious source of infections.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Carolina Medeiros de Almeida Maia, Silvana Pasetto, Cassiano Francisco Weege Nonaka, Edja Maria Melo de Brito Costa, Ramiro Mendonca Murata
Summary: The study found that the A. colubrina extract has antifungal, anti-biofilm, and anti-proteolytic enzyme effects against Candida strains, with low cytotoxicity to host cells and modulatory effects on the host immune response.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Min Pan, Qirui Wang, Ting Cheng, Daqiang Wu, Tianming Wang, Guiming Yan, Jing Shao
Summary: The study demonstrated the potent synergistic potential of combined use of PAE and FLZ/AmB in inhibiting Candida virulence factors. The concomitant use of two drugs was consistently more effective than either drug alone in increasing survival rate, decreasing fungal burden, and alleviating pathological features of G. mellonella infected by the fungus. These findings suggest the anti-Candida effects of PAE plus FLZ/AmB and their potential to increase the sensitivity of C. albicans to FLZ/AmB.
Article
Microbiology
Yasmin Ahmed, Melanie A. C. Ikeh, Donna M. MacCallum, Alison M. Day, Kevin Waldron, Janet Quinn
Summary: Polyphosphate mobilization plays a vital role in the pathobiology of Candida albicans, impacting processes such as activation of the Pho4 transcription factor, cell cycle progression, stress resistance, morphogenetic switching, and virulence. Blocking polyphosphate mobilization leads to significant morphological defects and attenuated virulence.
Article
Immunology
Yufei Xie, Hong Hua, Peiru Zhou
Summary: Magnolol, a lignin compound extracted from Magnolia officinalis Cortex, exhibits prominent antifungal effects against Candida albicans by inhibiting adhesion, hyphal formation, and biofilm viability. It disrupts the spatial structure and ultrastructure of biofilms, causing thinning, rupture, and leakage of Candida albicans cell walls. Moreover, magnolol inhibits the expression of virulence factors and related signaling pathways, including PKC and Cek1 MAPK pathways. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the clinical application of magnolol as an antifungal agent.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Chaerim Kim, Jae-Goo Kim, Ki-Young Kim
Summary: Although Candida albicans commonly colonizes on mucosal surfaces, it can cause candidiasis as an opportunistic infectious fungus. The emergence of resistant Candida strains and the toxicity of anti-fungal agents have led to the development of new potential anti-fungal agents. Sclareol, a labdane-type diterpene, has shown anti-Candida activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 50 mu g/mL in 24 h. It induces apoptosis-like cell death, suppresses biofilm and hyphal formation in C. albicans, and is considered as a novel anti-fungal agent and anti-virulence factor.
Article
Microbiology
Meital Elbaz, Amanda Chikly, Ronnie Meilik, Ronen Ben-Ami
Summary: The urinary tract is an uncommon source of Candida bloodstream infection (CBSI), but the frequency of U-CBSI may be increasing. Patients with U-CBSI are typically older with a higher incidence of dementia, and risk factors include bladder catheterization and urologic procedures. U-CBSI tends to occur earlier and have a lower mortality rate compared to CBSI of undetermined origin.
Review
Microbiology
Matthew C. Fisher, Ana Alastruey-Izquierdo, Judith Berman, Tihana Bicanic, Elaine M. Bignell, Paul Bowyer, Michael Bromley, Roger Brueggemann, Gary Garber, Oliver A. Cornely, Sarah J. Gurr, Thomas S. Harrison, Ed Kuijper, Johanna Rhodes, Donald C. Sheppard, Adilia Warris, P. Lewis White, Jianping Xu, Bas Zwaan, Paul E. Verweij
Summary: This review emphasizes the important threat of invasive fungal infections to public health and the emergence of antifungal resistance. It discusses the main mechanisms of antifungal resistance and compares them with bacterial resistance to antimicrobial control. The review also explores the research and innovation topics needed to minimize the occurrence and impact of antifungal resistance, including environmental links, surveillance, diagnostics, transmission routes, novel therapeutics, and hotspot mitigation strategies. The need for global efforts to manage existing antifungal drugs and direct future research and development of therapies and interventions is highlighted.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jason S. L. Yu, Clara Correia-Melo, Francisco Zorrilla, Lucia Herrera-Dominguez, Mary Y. Wu, Johannes Hartl, Kate Campbell, Sonja Blasche, Marco Kreidl, Anna-Sophia Egger, Christoph B. Messner, Vadim Demichev, Anja Freiwald, Michael Mulleder, Michael Howell, Judith Berman, Kiran R. Patil, Mohammad Tauqeer Alam, Markus Ralser
Summary: The presence of auxotrophs in microbial communities increases metabolic interactions between cells and enhances antimicrobial drug tolerance. Auxotrophs obtain altered metabolic flux distributions through the metabolic adaptations necessary to uptake specific metabolites, enriching community environments in metabolites. Increased efflux activities reduce intracellular drug concentrations, allowing cells to grow in the presence of drug levels above minimal inhibitory concentrations.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jacob L. Steenwyk, Megan A. Phillips, Feng Yang, Swapneeta S. Date, Todd R. Graham, Judith Berman, Chris Todd Hittinger, Antonis Rokas
Summary: The evolutionary rates of functionally related genes are often correlated. A gene coevolution network was established by studying orthologous gene pairs of budding yeast species. The network modules provide insights into cellular and genomic structure and function. Analysis of deletion mutant data reveals that the neighborhood and connectivity of orthologous genes affect fitness in diverse environments.
Article
Microbiology
Meital Elbaz, Maya Korem, Oshrat Ayalon, Yonit Wiener-Well, Yael Shachor-Meyouhas, Regev Cohen, Jihad Bishara, Alaa Atamna, Tal Brosh-Nissimov, Nir Maaravi, Lior Nesher, Bibiana Chazan, Sharon Reisfeld, Oren Zimhony, Michal Chowers, Yasmin Maor, Eugene Katchman, Ronen Ben-Ami
Summary: Variable rates of clinically important fungal diseases were observed in COVID-19 patients, with a correlation to on-site testing capacity. COVID-19-associated fungal diseases were associated with high mortality rates, but appropriate antifungal therapy can reduce mortality.
Article
Virology
Ofir Israeli, Yehoudit Guedj-Dana, Ohad Shifman, Shirley Lazar, Inbar Cohen-Gihon, Sharon Amit, Ronen Ben-Ami, Nir Paran, Ofir Schuster, Shay Weiss, Anat Zvi, Adi Beth-Din
Summary: The study aimed to provide a rapid genetic-based diagnostic tool for accurate identification of monkeypox virus (MPXV) and related pathogens. The researchers developed a method called rapid amplicon nanopore sequencing (RANS) to quickly identify different pathogens. Using this method, they successfully diagnosed MPXV and other vesicle-forming viruses.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Neil A. R. Gow, Carolyn Johnson, Judith Berman, Alix T. Coste, Christina A. Cuomo, David S. Perlin, Tihana Bicanic, Thomas S. Harrison, Nathan Wiederhold, Mike Bromley, Tom Chiller, Keegan Edgar
Summary: Prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, antibiotic resistance was considered a major global healthcare priority. Although fungal infections have not received enough public attention, the annual deaths caused by these infections are comparable to or even exceed the global mortalities due to malaria, tuberculosis, or HIV. The rise of antifungal drug resistant strains has worsened the impact of fungal infections on human health. This review aims to illuminate the problem of antifungal resistance and suggest possible measures to mitigate this growing threat.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katreena Yamin, Swati Bijlani, Judith Berman, Awakash Soni, Joseph Shlomai, Bijoy Mukut Buragohain, Michal Werbner, Meital Gal-Tanamy, Avi Matityahu, Itay Onn
Summary: This study used two-photon microscopy to analyze chromosome condensation and found that mitotic chromosomes in unicellular eukaryotes are more condensed compared to interphase chromatin. The study also revealed decondensation of chromatin in human hepatoma cells infected by hepatitis C virus. The findings provide new insights into chromatin condensation during mitosis in unicellular organisms and the response of human cells to viral infection.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
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
Microbiology
Feng Yang, Eduardo F. C. Scopel, Hao Li, Liu-liu Sun, Nora Kawar, Yong-bing Cao, Yuan-Ying Jiang, Judith Berman
Summary: Antifungal drug tolerance is distinct from resistance and can be influenced by genetic background, physiology, temperature, and drug concentration. Candida albicans clinical isolates exhibit temperature-enhanced tolerance and different isolates achieve tolerance via various cellular processes. Tolerance emerges rapidly at high drug concentrations above the MIC, whereas resistance appears at lower drug concentrations after multiple passages. Specific aneuploidies, such as extra copies of chromosome R, are associated with tolerance. Understanding the factors that influence drug tolerance or resistance evolution is crucial for effective antifungal treatment strategies.
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.
Article
Microbiology
Marina Druseikis, Austin Mottola, Judith Berman
Summary: Clinically susceptible Candida albicans isolates often show treatment failure. Environmental and metabolic states affect drug responses, but current susceptibility testing standards overlook these factors. Identifying tolerant strains can improve patient outcomes, and studies on nutrient availability and drug exposure can help in reducing treatment failures.
CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS
(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)
Review
Hematology
Jannik Stemler, Nick de Jonge, Nicole Skoetz, Janos Sinko, Roger J. Bruggemann, Alessandro Busca, Ronen Ben-Ami, Zdenek Racil, Vanessa Piechotta, Russell Lewis, Oliver A. Cornely
Summary: Antifungal prophylaxis is strongly recommended during remission induction chemotherapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia. However, the potential drug-drug interactions and risk-benefit ratio of novel targeted agents have not been assessed in clinical trials. This study developed up-to-date recommendations on antifungal prophylaxis and management of pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions with triazole antifungals.
LANCET HAEMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Ron Ram, Tal Freund, Tami Halperin, Ronen Ben-Ami, Odelia Amit, Yael Bar-On, Ofrat Beyar-Katz, Nili Eilaty, Ronit Gold, Sigi Kay, Chen Glait-Santar, David Hagin
Summary: Patients with delayed B-cell reconstitution or B-cell aplasia show decreased immunogenicity to the COVID-19 vaccine, but cellular immune response can be developed with repeated vaccine doses. Therefore, vaccination should be recommended for these patients.
TRANSPLANTATION AND CELLULAR THERAPY
(2022)
