Background Cutaneous congenital candidiasis (CCC) is a rare condition consisting of invasive fungal infection of the epidermis and dermis that mostly affects preterm infants. Maternal vaginal candidiasis is present in half of the cases, although the occurrence of invasive candidiasis during pregnancy or peripartum period is exceptional. Case report We present the case of a full-term infant that was

BACKGROUND Schizophyllum commune is a basidiomycete fungus which is widely distributed in nature. Its role as responsible for disease in humans is not well known, partly due to its difficult identification. The incorporation of mass spectrometry techniques (MALDI-TOF) and molecular biology to the laboratories has allowed the description of a greater number of cases. CASE REPORT In this paper, we present

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in a wide range of important physiologic processes and has a pathologic role in some diseases. TNF antagonists (infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept) are effective in treating inflammatory conditions. Antilymphocyte biological agents (rituximab, alemtuzumab), integrin antagonists (natalizumab, etrolizumab and vedolizumab), interleukin

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the most frequent recessive inherited diseases in western countries. Advances in medical care have led to a substantial increase in the life expectancy of CF patients. Survival beyond adolescence has permitted to see fungi not only as late colonizers, but also as potential pathogens responsible of allergic reactions and chronic infections related to lung function deterioration

BACKGROUND Pneumocystisjirovecii primary infection occurs asymptomatically before 6 months of age, suggesting that the infection is acquired very early in life. Furthermore, Pneumocystis pneumonia has been described in newborns, which emphasizes the importance of studying Pneumocystis colonization in mother-infant pairs. AIMS To evaluate the prevalence of Pneumocystis colonization among pregnant women

Antecedentes La histoplasmosis diseminada (HD) es una infección fúngica oportunista en pacientes con infección por VIH gravemente inmunocomprometidos. El síndrome hemofagocítico (SHF), que puede presentarse en estos pacientes coinfectados cuando la respuesta inmunitaria está significativamente alterada, suele estar asociado a una elevada mortalidad. Objetivos Describir las características epidemiológicas

Antecedentes La histoplasmosis es una micosis sistémica endémica en América con pocos casos reportados en pediatría. Objetivos Describir la epidemiología, formas clínicas y evolución de la histoplasmosis en niños de un hospital pediátrico en Argentina. Métodos El estudio, retrospectivo y descriptivo, se llevó a cabo entre enero de 2008 y diciembre de 2016 en el Hospital de Pediatría «Prof. Dr. Juan

BACKGROUND Candidemia is a life-threatening fungal infection characterized by the presence of Candida in the blood. AIMS To describe the clinical-epidemiological features and main risk factors among patients with candidemia admitted to Intensive Care Unit. METHODS A cross-sectional, retrospective and observational study was performed between January 2015 and July 2016. Laboratory reports and medical

BACKGROUND Candida albicans is the main agent that causes vulvovaginal candidiasis. Resistance among isolates to azole antifungal agents has been reported. AIMS Due to the well-known antifungal potential of curcumin, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the in vitro anticandidal activity of curcumin and its effect in the treatment of experimental vulvovaginal candidiasis. METHODS The anticandidal

BACKGROUND In a previous work we showed the feasibility of an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) for detecting latent infection by Histoplasma capsulatum. While in that proof-of-concept study we used crude fungal extracts as antigens, the newest IGRAs developed for other infections are based on molecularly defined antigens, mostly on mixtures of immunogenic peptides. AIMS To identify proteins in

BACKGROUND Candida yeasts are considered the main agents of nosocomial fungal infections. AIMS This study aimed to establish the epidemiological profile of patients with candiduria hospitalized in the capital of the State of Mato Grosso, in the Central-Western region of Brazil. METHODS Patients from three private hospitals and a public hospital participated in the study. This was an observational and

Candida auris is a new species of Candida that causes nosocomial outbreaks in several countries around the world, including Spain. C.auris is resistant to fluconazole and multi- and pan-resistant strains have been described. It is highly transmissible and can survive long term in the hospital environment, causing long-lasting outbreaks that are difficult to detect in early stages, and making it difficult

BACKGROUND The prevalence of opportunistic yeast infections has increased in recent decades as the result of an increasing immunocompromised patient population. AIMS To evaluate ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence to identify medically important yeast species, to investigate the performance of both the rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and D1/D2 region in identifying clinically relevant yeasts

BACKGROUND Ocular involvement in AIDS patients is a common event mainly caused by inflammation or infection. Despite the high prevalence rate of cryptococcosis in these individuals, ocular features have been occasionally described. CASE REPORT A 20-year-old Brazilian female with HIV infection recently diagnosed was admitted with a respiratory profile presumptively diagnosed as Pneumocystis jirovecii

BACKGROUND Mucormycosis is a fungal infection caused by species of the Mucorales order. These microorganisms are angioinvasive, with rapid disease progression and potentially lethal in its rhinocerebral form. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 12-year-old female with trisomy 21, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diabetes, with fever and neutropenia who developed rhinocerebral mucormicosis. After treatment

BACKGROUND Cryptococcosis is a generally systemic and potentially lethal fungal infection. Although HIV infection is a predisposing condition, especially if the CD4+ lymphocyte count is less than 100cells/mm3, other forms of immunosuppression may be associated with this opportunistic fungal condition, such as prolonged steroid therapy or solid organ transplantation. Pulmonary presentation must be included

BACKGROUND In the last three decades the species of Candida have been of great interest due to the high mortality rates that they cause in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. These species are opportunistic pathogens and they have inhabited other environments long before colonizing human cells. Among these environments we find wastewater from mines, and water from aquifers and soils that contain

BACKGROUND Members of the Pleosporaceae family are known as important sources of airborne allergens which are responsible for asthma and allergic diseases. AIMS The purpose of this study was to investigate the gene profiling and expression pattern of Alt a 1 in Alternaria alternata and other members of the Pleosporaceae family including Stemphylium botryosum, Ulocladium chartarum, Curvularia lunata

BACKGROUND Histoplasmosis is a systemic infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, naturally found in nitrogen-rich soil, whose main transmission route is the inhalation of conidia. Up to 95% of histoplasmosis cases are asymptomatic or transient, and the remaining 5% of cases have pathological manifestations in the lungs, bone marrow, liver, spleen, intestine, mucous membranes

BACKGROUND In Spain, data of candidemia are limited to surveys conducted in specific areas or tertiary care centers. Also, in recent years, attention has shifted toward episodes of candidemia in non-ICU wards. AIMS We reviewed the cases of Candida isolates recovered from the blood of patients admitted to the Emergency Room (ER) in our tertiary care hospital. METHODS The patients selected for this study

BACKGROUND Candida albicans is a microorganism frequently involved in several infections; the patient's oral cavity, caries niches or periodontal disease can sometimes be the reservoir.. The fungal resistance to the available treatments, among other reasons, has led to the search for new antifungal alternatives. AIMS To carry out a comparative study of the in vitro effects of diethylstilboestrol (DES)

BACKGROUND Sertraline (SRT) is an antidepressant that has proven its activity in vitro against Cryptococcus, Coccidioides, Trichosporon and other fungi. Disseminated sporotrichosis, although rare, has a high mortality and its treatment is difficult and prolonged, often relying in combining two or more antifungals. AIMS In our study we evaluate the antifungal activity of SRT, alone and in combination

BACKGROUND Onychomycosis affects between 2% to 30% of the world population. Nail biopsy may help in making a diagnosis and can distinguish between invasion and colonisation. AIMS To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of nail biopsy with Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining for onychomycosis, compared to direct KOH examination, culture and its combination in a reference laboratory in Colombia. METHODS

BACKGROUND Aspergillus osteomyelitis of the ribs is relatively uncommon. It is a debilitating and severe form of invasive aspergillosis. CASE REPORT A 61year-old female presented with spontaneous chest pain on the right side of the rib cage and a palpable soft-tissue mass. FDG-PET/CT scan identified activity in the infected site. The lesion was punctured, and purulent material was sent to the laboratory

BACKGROUND The gold standard for the sporotrichosis diagnosis is culture; however, serologic approaches have been recently implemented to aid in the sporotrichosis diagnosis. Nevertheless, the clinical consequences of the introduction of serologic tests are poorly addressed. AIMS To correlate the results of culture and serology of patients with suspected sporotrichosis. METHODS A retrospective study

BACKGROUND The number of fungal infections has increased in recent years in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. Epidemiological studies are important for proper control of infections. AIMS To evaluate the etiology of fungal infections in patients in RS, from 2003 to 2015. METHODS This is a retrospective and longitudinal study carried out at Mycology Department of Central Laboratory of RS; 13,707 samples

A 21 year-old man, HIV infected, and with poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment, consulted us due to a papular rash on trunk and extremities, showing simultaneously hypochromic stains on his back. He was afebrile and hemodynamically stable. In the mycological study of the clinical samples taken from different lesions, yeasts compatible with Malassezia were observed. Oral itraconazole was prescribed

BACKGROUND Histoplasmosis, caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, represents an important public health problem, especially in urban environments where bats and humans cohabit indoors. AIMS To detect the presence of H. capsulatum indoors, using samples of bat droppings collected in roost sites inside houses. METHODS A Real-Time TaqMan PCR assay targeting the ITS1 region of the ribosomal

BACKGROUND Phaeoacremonium parasiticum is considered a rare infectious agent that is part of a heterogeneous group of fungi causing phaeohyphomycosis. This organism is capable of producing subcutaneous infections, eumycetomas, osteomyelitis, arthritis, myositis and also disseminated diseases, such as fungemia and endocarditis. CASE REPORT We describe a case of cutaneous infection by P. parasiticum

BACKGROUND Candida parapsilosis, Candida metapsilosis and Candida orthopsilosis are emerging as relevant causes of candidemia. Moreover, they show differences in their antifungal susceptibility and virulence. The echinocandins are different in terms of in vitro antifungal activity against Candida. Time-kill (TK) curves represent an excellent approach to evaluate the fungicidal activity of antifungal

BACKGROUND Emerging fungi infections, although being not the most frequent, are a cause of major morbidity and mortality in recipients of solid organ transplants. The infections caused by the fungi Scedosporium apiospermum are a paradigmatic example of these. CASE REPORT We present the clinical case of a 55 year-old female kidney transplant recipient that got infected with S. apiospermum through the

BACKGROUND Sporotrichosis is a fungal disease caused by the Sporothrix schenckii species complex. It is usually acquired by trauma with plants. Lymphatic-cutaneous is the most common clinical manifestation. CASE REPORT The present case describes the development of an epidermoid carcinoma as a late complication on a long evolution sporotrichosis scar. During a period of 50 years, the patient had lesions

BACKGROUND Sporotrichosis is a fungal infection caused by the Sporothrix schenckii complex. In order to colonize the host, the pathogen must neutralize the reactive oxygen species produced by the phagocytic cells during the respiratory burst. Little is known about these mechanisms in S. schenckii. AIMS To identify the proteins differentially expressed after the exposure of S. schenckiisensu stricto

BACKGROUND The incidence of systemic infections by Saccharomyces cerevisiae has increased in recent years, especially among immunocompromised patients. Amphotericin B, voriconazole or echinocandins have been used with favorable outcome against systemic infections by this fungus. However, clinical experience is limited and no in vivo studies have been conducted. AIMS We evaluated the in vitro activity

BACKGROUND The enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (Hmgr) catalyzes the synthesis of mevalonate, a key compound for the synthesis of cholesterol in humans and ergosterol in fungi. Since the Hmgr enzymes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Candida glabrata are similar to the Hmgr enzymes of mammals, fungal Hmgr enzymes have been proposed as a model for studying

BACKGROUND Candida parapsilosis may acquire resistance to echinocandins, a fact that prompts the search for new therapeutic options. AIMS The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro activity of antifungal agents, alone and in combination, against four groups of C. parapsilosis strains: (1) echinocandin-susceptible (ES) clinical isolates (MIC ≤ 2μg/ml), (2) anidulafungin-resistant strains (MIC

BACKGROUND Nannizzia nana is a zoophilic dermatophyte that affects animals like pigs, boars and, exceptionally, humans, in whom it causes tinea capitis, as well as tinea corporis and onychomycosis. CASE REPORT Case 1. A previously healthy 8 year-old boy presented to our clinic with a 1-month evolution dermatosis that affected scalp, developing a pseudoalopecic tumor lesion with abundant seropurulent

BACKGROUND Invasive candidiasis by Candida albicans is associated with high morbidity and mortality, due in part to the late implementation of an appropriate antifungal therapy hindered by the lack of an early diagnosis. AIMS We aimed to evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of the antibodies against C. albicans germ tubes (CAGTA) raised in a rabbit model of candidemia. METHODS We measured the

BACKGROUND Fungal infections should be suspected in severe wounds that have been contaminated with organic material or soil, even when the patient is immunocompetent. The aim of this article is to contribute to a better understanding and knowledge of the antifungal sensitivity and epidemiology of some rare pathogens that may trigger severe infections. CASE REPORT Four different moulds were isolated

Critically ill patients without severe immunosuppression make up a population in which invasive aspergillosis (IA) has been identified as an emergent pathology. Chronic treatment with corticosteroids, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and liver cirrhosis are repeatedly identified risk factors. However, due to the non-specificity of the symptoms and signs in the critical patient, and the relative

Invasive aspergillosis is the most common invasive fungal infection in patients with acute hematological malignancies or treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation due to the marked alteration of the physiological mechanisms of antifungal immunity that takes place in these situations. For this reason, antifungal prophylaxis has a relevant role in these patients. The introduction of new antifungal

BACKGROUND Aspergillus tracheobronchitis (ATB) is an uncommon type of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in which fungal involvement is limited to the tracheobronchial tree. While the more severe forms, such as pseudomembranous and ulcerative ATB, occur almost exclusively in immunocompromised patients, the milder obstructive form may occur in patients without immune deficiency. CASE REPORT The case of

Isavuconazole is a new azole, structurally related to fluconazole and voriconazole, that presents a very high oral absorption with no first-pass effect which is not interfered by the presence of food, gastric pH modifications, or mucositis. Its distribution volume is very high, probably also to cerebrospinal fluid, in spite of the fact that it circulates highly bound to plasma proteins. It is extensively

Infections due to zygomycetes, caused by mucorales and entomophthorales, are characterized by angioinvasion and invasion of neighboring organs or structures. Mucorales most commonly cause rhinocerebral, pulmonary, cutaneous or disseminated infection and its spread is favored by several diseases (such as diabetes or chronic kidney disease) and risk factors (neutropenia, immunosuppression, iron overload)

The prognosis of invasive fungal infections (IFI) depends on the speed of diagnosis and treatment. Conventional diagnostic methods are of low sensitivity, laborious and too slow, leading to the need for new, faster, and more efficient diagnostic strategies. There are several techniques for diagnosing a candidemia that are faster than the conventional blood culture (BC). Once yeast growth in BC is detected

Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients have a high risk for developing invasive fungal infections (IFI). Treatment is difficult due to the interaction between the antifungal and immunosuppressant drugs, as well as the risk of hepatotoxicity and kidney failure associated with voriconazole and amphotericinB, respectively. Isavuconazole is a new antifungal triazole agent with excellent oral bioavailability

The landscape of invasive mycoses is in a continuous evolution with important implications for their diagnosis and treatment. The overall burden remains high, particularly in neonates and the elderly, patients admitted to intensive care units, using prostheses, catheters or other intravenous devices, those receiving different immunosuppressant treatments or antineoplastic chemotherapy, or transplant