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Infect Disord Drug Targets 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran.

Background: HIV can interrupt the normal development of bone marrow cell lines. Bone marrow aspiration/biopsy (BMA/B) has been described as a diagnostic tool in AIDS patients with fever of unknown origin (FUO). In this study, we aimed to study patients with AIDS who had undergone a BMA/B to investigate FUO and describe the pathologies diagnosed in the biopsy. Read More

Braz J Microbiol 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Laboratoire Microbiologie Santé et Environnement (LMSE), Doctoral School of Science and Technology, Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Tripoli, Lebanon.

In the recent years, the epidemiology of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) has changed worldwide. This is remarkably noticed with the significant increase in high-risk populations. Although surveillance of such infections is essential, data in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region remain scarce. Read More

J Microbiol Methods 2020 Jul 2:105986. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. Electronic address:

A major obstacle to prompt diagnosis of fungal pulmonary infections is that deep sputum samples are scarce, yet are frequently rejected if they contain saliva. We show that including saliva controls unfailingly distinguishes oropharyngeal flora from pulmonary fungi, thus preserving valuable samples for analysis, expediting diagnoses and improving patient care. Read More

Clin Microbiol Infect 2020 Jun 30. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, Cimi-Paris, France. Electronic address:

Lancet Infect Dis 2020 Jun 30. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections, 1208 Geneva, Switzerland; The National Aspergillosis Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK. Electronic address:

Rev Iberoam Micol 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Dirección de Investigación, Hospital General de México "Dr. Eduardo Liceaga", Ciudad de México, México.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a public health problem in Mexico, and the trend of the disease is increasing. From 2000 to 2017, 7.32 million new cases were diagnosed, with pulmonary mycoses being one of the most serious complications. Read More

J Clin Lab Anal 2020 Jul 2:e23448. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Background: Few studies have assessed the sensitization of mycotic allergens and Aspergillus fumigatus molecular allergens. This study aimed to investigate the relationships of A fumigatus components and mycotic allergens in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patients and A fumigatus (Af)-sensitized asthma patients.

Methods: Serum sIgE levels of Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium herbarum, Mucor racemosus, Candida albicans, Alternaria alternata, Helminthosporium halodes, and A fumigatus allergen components (Asp f 1, Asp f 2, Asp f 3, Asp f 4, and Asp f 6) were measured via the ImmunoCAP assay in 18 ABPA and 54 Af-sensitized asthma patients in Guangzhou city, China. Read More

World Allergy Organ J 2020 Jun 23;13(6):100130. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Makerere University Lung Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Background: The burden of asthma in Africa is high, and yet the disease is not universally prioritised. Data on allergic asthma and its impact on asthma morbidity are limited in Africa. Our aim was to describe the distribution of skin prick positivity among asthmatics in Eastern Africa. Read More

J Fungi (Basel) 2020 Jun 29;6(3). Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.

Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is a chronic fungal infection of the lung associated with high morbidity and mortality. The CPA Research network (CPAnet) registry established in 2018 is an international multicenter collaboration aiming to improve CPA knowledge and patient care. This study's aim was to describe the data collection process and content of CPAnet registry with preliminary clinical data. Read More

Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Queen's University Belfast, 1596, Belfast, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

Rationale: Aspergillus infection in patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia remains uncharacterised due to absence of a disease definition and limited access to sensitive diagnostic tests.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and outcomes of Aspergillus infection in adults with suspected ventilator associated pneumonia.

Methods: Two prospective UK studies recruited 360 critically ill adults with new or worsening alveolar shadowing on chest X-ray and clinical/haematological parameters supporting suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia. Read More

Biomacromolecules 2020 Jun 30. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a serious threat to immunodeficient and critically ill patients caused mainly by the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Here, poly(glycidol) based nanogels (NGs) are proposed as delivery vehicles for antifungal agents for sustained drug release. NGs are formed by simple self-assembly of random copolymers followed by oxidative crosslinking of thiol functionalities. Read More

Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA

The incidence of invasive fungal infections is rising due to the increase in susceptible populations. Current clinically available drugs have therapeutic limitations due to toxicity, narrow spectrum of activity, and more importantly for the consistent rise of fungal species that are intrinsically resistant or develop resistance due to the prolonged therapy. Thus, there is an urgent need for new broad-spectrum antifungal agents with low toxicity and a novel mechanism of action. Read More

J Fungi (Basel) 2020 Jun 24;6(2). Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Clinical and Translational Fungal-Working Group, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.

Like severe influenza, coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) resulting in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has emerged as an important disease that predisposes patients to secondary pulmonary aspergillosis, with 35 cases of COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) published until June 2020. The release of danger-associated molecular patterns during severe COVID-19 results in both pulmonary epithelial damage and inflammatory disease, which are predisposing risk factors for pulmonary aspergillosis. Moreover, collateral effects of host recognition pathways required for the activation of antiviral immunity may, paradoxically, contribute to a highly permissive inflammatory environment that favors fungal pathogenesis. Read More

Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Nowadays, reports in the literature support that patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at higher risk to develop invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). However, the interpretation of -positive cultures from the airways in critically ill COPD is still a challenge. Indeed, as the patient could be merely colonized, tissue samples are required to ascertain IPA diagnosis but they are rarely obtained before death. Read More

J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2020 May 26. Epub 2020 May 26.

Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW Rochester, MN. Electronic address:

Background: The management of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis remains a challenge for thoracic and reconstructive surgeons. Different management options have been proposed with no consensus regarding the best treatment modality. The goal of this study is to report our experience with the use of intrathoracic muscle flaps for the management of pulmonary aspergillosis. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2020 Jun 25:e13387. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Division of Hematology, Jichi Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Saitama-city, Japan.

Background: We evaluated the clinical impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation calculated in terms of the area under the curve of CMV antigenemia (CMV-AUC) on the development of invasive mold infection (IMI) in the post-engraftment phase after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Methods: Among 394 consecutive patients who underwent their first allogeneic HSCT at our center between 2007 and 2018, 335 were included after excluding patients with a past history of invasive fungal disease (IFD), the development of IFD before engraftment, engraftment failure, or early death within 30 days. CMV antigenemia (CMV-AG) was monitored weekly after engraftment and 3 or more cells/2 slides were regarded as positive. Read More

Mycoses 2020 Jun 25. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Background: Invasive aspergillosis is a well-known complication of severe influenza pneumonia with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, recent studies are reporting emergence of aspergillosis in severe COVID-19 pneumonia, named as COVID-19 associated aspergillosis (CAPA).

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia from February 2020- April 2020. Read More

Front Microbiol 2020 5;11:1193. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

Applied Systems Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany.

Phagocytosis is series of steps where the pathogens and the immune cells interact during an invasion. This starts with the adhesion process between the host and pathogen cells, and is followed by the engulfment of the pathogens. Many analytical methods that are applied to characterize phagocytosis based on imaging the host-pathogen confrontation assays rely on the fluorescence labeling of cells. Read More

J Fungi (Basel) 2020 Jun 22;6(2). Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria.

Isavuconazole (ISA) is a triazole antifungal agent recommended for treatment of invasive aspergillosis or mucormycosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate ISA levels in a real world setting in a mixed patient cohort including patients with non-malignant diseases and extracorporeal treatments, and to correlate findings with efficacy and safety outcomes. We investigated 33 ISA treatment courses in 32 adult patients with hematological and other underlying diseases and assessed the clinical response, side effects and ISA trough plasma concentrations. Read More

Int J Dermatol 2020 Jun 23. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Division of General Medicine, Department of Comprehensive Medicine 1, Jichi Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Saitama City, Japan.

Open Forum Infect Dis 2020 Jun 21;7(6):ofaa168. Epub 2020 May 21.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Background: The social, contextual, and behavioral determinants that influence care in patients at risk for invasive fungal diseases (IFD) are poorly understood. This knowledge gap is a barrier to the implementation of emerging antifungal stewardship (AFS) programs. We aimed to understand the barriers and enablers to AFS, opportunities for improvement, and perspectives of AFS for hematology patients at a major medical center in Australia. Read More

Trop Doct 2020 Jun 23:49475520934358. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Division of Infectious Diseases, PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, India.

A young Indian man presented elsewhere with a short history of haematuria and cough. Investigations revealed renal and pulmonary lesions. Histopathology of these lesions was reported as mucormycosis. Read More

Intensive Care Med 2020 Jun 22. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Purpose: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is increasingly reported in patients with influenza admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Classification of patients with influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) using the current definitions for invasive fungal diseases has proven difficult, and our aim was to develop case definitions for IAPA that can facilitate clinical studies.

Methods: A group of 29 international experts reviewed current insights into the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of IAPA and proposed a case definition of IAPA through a process of informal consensus. Read More

Clin Respir J 2020 Jun 22. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

Introduction: Pulmonary Aspergillosis is the main respiratory fungal infection however; its diagnosis is missed or delayed in critically ill non-neutropenic patients. Despite the utility of fiberoptic bronchoscopy for the evaluation of tracheobronchial aspergillosis (TBA) in immunocompromised patients has been extensively studied, however its utility in critically ill non-neutropenic patients is underestimated.

Objectives: To assess the bronchoscopic changes suspected TBA relative to the microbiological and histopathological aspects in critically ill non-neutropenic patients admitted to respiratory intensive care unit (RICU). Read More

Cureus 2020 May 18;12(5):e8186. Epub 2020 May 18.

Internal Medicine, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, USA.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is an aggressive fungal infection of the lungs characterized by tissue invasion by fungal hyphal elements. The definitive diagnosis is challenging because it relies on histopathological demonstration of fungal elements, and these days clinicians are relying more on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cultures and serum biomarkers (galactomannan and beta-D-glucan). We would like to emphasize through our case the necessity to keep a high index of suspicion for IPA despite negative cultures and serum biomarkers in immunosuppressed patients and consider surgical biopsy early. Read More

Chest 2020 Jun 18. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Influenza-associated aspergillosis (IAA) has been increasingly reported in the literature in recent years, but contemporary large-scale data on the morbidity and mortality burden of IAA are lacking. Research question; To estimate the predictors, associations and outcomes of IAA in the U.S. Read More

Mycopathologia 2020 Jun 20. Epub 2020 Jun 20.

Division of Clinical Hematology, Department of Radiology, Hospital de la Sant Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Av. Mas Casanovas, 90, 08041, Barcelona, Spain.

Broad-spectrum antifungal prophylaxis is currently considered the standard of care for adults with de novo AML for the prevention of invasive fungal infections (IFIs), especially invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Because fluconazole has been used in our center as anti-yeast prophylaxis, we sought to analyze in detail the incidence of IFIs over a 17-year period, as well as their impact on outcome. A standardized protocol of patient management, including serum galactomannan screening and thoracic CT-guided diagnostic-driven antifungal therapy, was used in all patients. Read More

J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2020 Jun 16. Epub 2020 Jun 16.

School of Medicine and Public Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute.

Background: Severe asthma with fungal sensitisation (SAFS) and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) are important complications of severe asthma. The evidence for treating them with omalizumab is limited.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of treatment with omalizumab in severe allergic asthma patients comparing those with and without evidence of fungal sensitisation using data recorded in the Australian Xolair registry. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2020 Jun;16(698):1250-1255

Service de pneumologie, Département de médecine, RHNE site de Pourtalès, 2000 Neuchâtel.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a specific complex immunological response to the spores of Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) colonizing the bronchi of asthmatic or cystic fibrosis patients. Recurrent episodes of bronchial obstruction and inflammation, as well as mucoid impaction cause bronchiectasis, pulmonary infiltrates and fibrotic alterations of the lung parenchyma, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of ABPA remains incompletely understood, so it is not clear why certain colonized subjects develop hypersensitivity to Af, and why some sensitized patients develop ABPA and others do not. Read More

Mycoses 2020 Jun 18. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece.

Background: Invasive fungal infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. Moreover, Fungal Infective Endocarditis (FIE) is a rare infection that carries a higher mortality than bacterial IE in normal host, while in transplant recipients may be even higher. The purpose of this study was to systemically review all published cases of FIE in solid organ and allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients, describe the epidemiology, microbiology, clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes of these infections, and to identify risk factors for mortality by FIE. Read More

Eur Respir Rev 2020 Jun 16;29(156). Epub 2020 Jun 16.

Dept of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an ion transporter that regulates mucus hydration, viscosity and acidity of the airway epithelial surface. Genetic defects in impair regulation of mucus homeostasis, causing severe defects of mucociliary clearance as seen in cystic fibrosis. Recent work has established that CFTR dysfunction can be acquired in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and may also contribute to other diseases that share clinical features of cystic fibrosis, such as asthma, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and bronchiectasis. Read More

Surg Neurol Int 2020 6;11:139. Epub 2020 Jun 6.

Departments of Neuroinfectology, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Mexico.

Background: Central nervous system involvement due to aspergillosis is an extremely serious entity, particularly in patients with severe neutropenia, hematological diseases, or post-transplant cases. Immunocompetent patients can be infected by intense exposure, particularly iatrogenic after invasive procedures.

Case Description: We present the case of a 26-year-old male with a 1 year appendectomy background, which required epidural anesthesia. Read More

Case Rep Crit Care 2020 23;2020:3601423. Epub 2020 May 23.

Intensive Care Unit, Anesthesiology Department, Bürgerspital Solothurn, Switzerland.

Invasive aspergillosis represents a clinical picture frequently associated with host's immunosuppression which usually involves a high morbidity and mortality. In general, the most frequent fungal entry is the lungs with secondary hematogenous dissemination, but there are other hypotheses like a gastrointestinal portal of entry. There are some rare publications of cases with invasive aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients. Read More

mBio 2020 Jun 16;11(3). Epub 2020 Jun 16.

Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

is the leading cause of pulmonary fungal diseases. Azoles have been used for many years as the main antifungal agents to treat and prevent invasive aspergillosis. However, in the last 10 years there have been several reports of azole resistance in and new strategies are needed to combat invasive aspergillosis. Read More

J Fungi (Basel) 2020 Jun 12;6(2). Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Infectious Diseases Service, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.

The of section (group ) are represented by over 20 species, of which is the most relevant human pathogen. Invasive aspergillosis (IA) caused by these fungi is rare but could represent an emerging issue among the expanding population of patients with long-term immunosuppression receiving antifungal prophylaxis. Clinicians should be aware of this unusual type of IA, which often exhibits distinct clinical features, such as an insidious and prolonged course and a high occurrence of extra-pulmonary manifestations, such as skin/soft tissue or brain lesions. Read More

J Clin Med 2020 Jun 11;9(6). Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea.

Background: Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is common in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients and contributes to high morbidity and mortality. Although kidney transplantation (KT) is a commonly performed SOT, data on the risk factors for IFD-related mortality are limited.

Methods: A 1:2 retrospective case-control study was performed in an experienced single center in the Republic of Korea. Read More

Trends Microbiol 2020 Jul 24;28(7):594-595. Epub 2020 Mar 24.

Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), São Paulo, Brazil; EMRC - Experimental Medicine Research Cluster, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address:

Mycoses 2020 Jun 15. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

The National Aspergillosis Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.

Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is a potentially life-threatening debilitating lung disease necessitating long-term oral antifungal treatment. However, development of antifungal-resistant isolates of Aspergillus and major toxicities requiring discontinuation of treatment limits their use. Intravenous (IV) antifungals are an option in this group of patients. Read More

J Cyst Fibros 2020 Jun 13. Epub 2020 Jun 13.

National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London SW3 6LY, UK.

Background: The prevalence of fungal disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis is increasing and the clinical spectrum is widening. Poor sensitivity and a lack of standard diagnostic criteria renders interpretation of culture results challenging. In order to develop effective management strategies, a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the airways fungal microbiome is required. Read More

Orphanet J Rare Dis 2020 Jun 15;15(1):150. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100005, China.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by biallelic mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The clinical features and mutation spectrum of CF have been well characterized in Caucasians, while limited studies were conducted in Chinese patients.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 20 individuals from 19 families were diagnosed with CF in this study. Read More

Cureus 2020 May 11;12(5):e8050. Epub 2020 May 11.

Internal Medicine, Northwell Health-Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, USA.

Opportunistic fungal infections are rare but life-threatening in immunocompromised patients. We discuss a case of an immunocompromised patient with multiple myeloma who presented with shortness of breath, fever, ocular palsy, and hemiplegia. She was found to have influenza A respiratory tract infection complicated by invasive aspergillosis and mucormycosis. Read More

J Mycol Med 2020 Jun 1:101004. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Objective: Aspergillus sections Terrei and Nidulantes are the less common causes of invasive aspergillosis and pulmonary aspergillosis (PA) in immunocompromised patients when compared to A. fumigatus and A. flavus. Read More

Infez Med 2020 Jun;28(suppl 1):29-36

Luigi Sacco Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.

We reviewed studies reporting bacterial and fungal co-infections in patients with COVID-19. The majority were retrospective studies with poor quality data biased with short follow-up and selection of patients. Septic shock was reported in 4% to 33. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2020 30;30:101108. Epub 2020 May 30.

Division of Pulmonology, Geneva University Hospitals, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.

Background: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a pulmonary disease characterized by disruption of surfactant homeostasis resulting in its accumulation in the alveoli. PAP is classically classified into three categories (Table 1): 1/primary (or autoimmune) with antibodies targeting the GM-CSF pathway, 2/secondary to another disease, typically a hematologic malignancy, and 3/genetic.

Case-report: A 30 year-old woman received an allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Read More

Curr Fungal Infect Rep 2019 Dec 27;13(4):250-259. Epub 2019 Nov 27.

Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Fungal infections cause significant mortality in patients with acquired immunodeficiencies including AIDS, hematological malignancies, transplantation, and receipt of corticosteroids, biologics or small-molecule kinase inhibitors that impair key immune pathways. The contribution of several such pathways in antifungal immunity has been uncovered by inherited immunodeficiencies featuring profound fungal susceptibility. Furthermore, the risk of fungal infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiencies may be modulated by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in immune-related genes. Read More

J Immunol 2020 Jul 10;205(2):480-488. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213;

is an environmental fungus that can cause invasive pulmonary aspergillosis when spores are inhaled into the respiratory tract and invade airway or lung tissue. Influenza is a common respiratory virus that can cause severe respiratory disease, and postinfluenza invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, which is becoming a well-recognized clinical problem, typically occurs in critically ill patients. Mice challenged with influenza A PR/8/34 H1N1 and subsequently challenged with had increased fungal burden, viral burden, inflammation, and mortality compared with single infected mice. Read More

IDCases 2020 11;20:e00777. Epub 2020 May 11.

CHU de Poitiers, Service de Médecine Intensive et Réanimation, Poitiers, France.

A female 66 year-old patient, not immunocompromised, was admitted in ICU for severe influenza complicated by severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) leading to extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During ICU hospitalization, she developed a disseminated invasive aspergillosis with cerebral access and coronary occlusion which lead to cardiac arrest. Despite a successful revascularization procedure, the patient died of refractory shock. Read More

Vaccines (Basel) 2020 Jun 7;8(2). Epub 2020 Jun 7.

UMR BIPAR, INRAE, ANSES, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, France.

Naturally occurring human antibodies (Abs) of the isotypes IgM and IgG and reactive to the galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) epitope are associated with protection against infectious diseases, caused by pathogens expressing the glycan. Gut microbiota bacteria expressing α-Gal regulate the immune response to this glycan in animals lacking endogenous α-Gal. Here, we asked whether the production of anti-α-Gal Abs in response to microbiota stimulation in birds, confers protection against infection by , a major fungal pathogen that expresses α-Gal in its surface. Read More

J Fungi (Basel) 2020 Jun 6;6(2). Epub 2020 Jun 6.

Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) is a recently described disease entity affecting patients with severe pulmonary abnormalities treated in intensive care units. Delays in diagnosis contribute to a delayed start of antifungal therapy. In addition, the emergence of resistance to triazole antifungal agents puts emphasis on early surveillance for azole-resistant species. Read More

J Antimicrob Chemother 2020 Jun 9. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Background: The voriconazole and echinocandin combination has been found to be synergistic in vitro and in vivo against most Aspergillus fumigatus isolates, both with a WT azole phenotype and an azole-resistant phenotype. The interaction between isavuconazole and echinocandins is less well studied. This is especially true for azole-resistant isolates. Read More