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Advances in Fungal Infections: Special Issue in Diagnostics Journal, 3rd...
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Advances in Fungal Infections: Special Issue in Diagnostics Journal, 3rd Edition

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 6429

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alfred O. Ankrah

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. National Centre for Radiotherapy Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, P.O. Box KB369, Korle Bu, GA-222 7974 Accra, Ghana
2. Medical Imaging Center, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
3. Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria & Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Private Bag X169, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Interests: PET/CT imaging; fungal infections; tuberculosis; human immunodeficiency virus
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Andor W.J.M. Glaudemans

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Medical Imaging Center, Department of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
Interests: infections; inflammatory diseases; PET/CT; imaging; (tumor)immunology; multimodality imaging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mike M. Sathekge

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
2. Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa
Interests: radionuclide therapy; radiobiology; theranostics; targeted alpha therapy; radionuclide imaging; inflammation and infection imaging; tuberculosis; HIV; fungal infections; prostate cancer; neuroendocrine tumors; novel radiopharmaceutical design; machine learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fungi are ubiquitous in the environment and occur as commensals in the flora of mucosal surfaces of mammalian tissues. Fungal infections, however, cause severe morbidity and mortality, particularly in immunocompromised patients and seriously ill patients. In fact, some epidemiologists have even projected that a fungus may be the next cause of a pandemic after COVID-19.

To be prepared to stop or contain the potential havoc that fungi may cause, it is important to understand their emerging epidemiological patterns, the mechanisms underlying their microbiology, and their drug-resistance mechanisms to discuss all available techniques for diagnosis and treatment and explore new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. It is important that the different disciplines that work on different aspects of fungi pull their resources and expertise together to overcome the current and potential threats posed by fungal infections.

In this Special Issue on fungi, we invite reviews and original articles that include—but are not limited to—the following:

  1. Advances in our knowledge of the genetics and microbiologic mechanisms by which fungi resist destruction.
  2. New insights into human immune response and the mechanisms by which fungi are able to evade this.
  3. New diagnostic and therapeutic platforms in managing these fungal infections.
  4. New paradigms of multidisciplinary management of fungal infections.
  5. Potential therapeutic strategies that may augment the current strategies.

Dr. Alfred O. Ankrah
Prof. Dr. Andor W.J.M. Glaudemans
Prof. Dr. Mike M. Sathekge
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • medical diagnosis
  • mycosis
  • invasive fungal infections
  • antifungal agents
  • galactomannan
  • β-D-glycan
  • antifungal stewardship
  • computed tomography
  • monitoring antifungal treatment
  • blood stream infections
  • molecular testing

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 2731 KiB  
Article
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia: The Potential of KEX1, MSG1, and MSG2 as Key Antigens in Cytokine Release Assays
by F. A. Ottilie Neumann, Markus Müller, Gregor Mattert, Sven Liebig, Victor Herbst, Dorinja Zapf, Til R. Kiderlen, Christian Linke, Franziska Arp, P. Markus Deckert, Stefan Lüth, Sandra Schwarzlose-Schwarck, Werner Dammermann and Mark Reinwald
Diagnostics 2025, 15(7), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15070793 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 430
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is the most frequently diagnosed AIDS-defining illness in Europe, with especially high mortality in HIV-negative patients caused by delayed diagnosis and low awareness. This study aims to evaluate cytokine release assays (CRA) to facilitate a less invasive [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is the most frequently diagnosed AIDS-defining illness in Europe, with especially high mortality in HIV-negative patients caused by delayed diagnosis and low awareness. This study aims to evaluate cytokine release assays (CRA) to facilitate a less invasive and resource-efficient PJP specific diagnostic test. We focus on the P. jirovecii antigens Kexin 1 (KEX1), MSG1, and MSG2, which were identified in prior studies as immunologically relevant. Methods: Whole blood samples from 50 participants—22 healthy individuals and 28 immunocompromised individuals, including 8 with proven PJP—were stimulated in vitro with full-length and partial KEX1, MSG1, MSG2, and a combination of all three antigens (PJ-MIX). Following 24 h incubation at 37 °C, cytokine levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-17A, and IL-17F were measured. Results: Stimulation with full-length KEX1, MSG1, MSG2, and PJ-MIX antigens induced higher IL-2 concentrations in the healthy control group compared to the groups IL-2 baseline levels and to the group of proven PJP cases. Similarly, stimulation with full-length KEX1, MSG1, and PJ-MIX elevated IFN-γ levels in the healthy control group compared to baseline IFN-γ levels. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the potential of IL-2 and IFN-γ release following stimulation with PJ antigens, with PJ-MIX eliciting the strongest and most significant responses, suggesting a cumulative antigen effect. This pilot study establishes a foundation for a PJP-specific CRA, deepening our knowledge of T-cell immunity against PJP. Clinically, such a test could, among other applications, evaluate at-risk patients who should receive prophylaxis and may consequently reduce PJP-related morbidity and mortality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fungal Infections: Special Issue in Diagnostics Journal, 3rd Edition)
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Review

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12 pages, 570 KiB  
Review
Mycological Methods for Routine Air Sampling and Interpretation of Results in Operating Theaters
by Rok Tomazin and Tadeja Matos
Diagnostics 2024, 14(3), 288; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14030288 - 29 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3606
Abstract
Many infectious diseases are transmitted via the air and are, therefore, particularly difficult to combat. These infections include various invasive mycoses caused by molds. The usual route of infection is the inhalation of conidia. In hospitals, infection can also occur through the deposition [...] Read more.
Many infectious diseases are transmitted via the air and are, therefore, particularly difficult to combat. These infections include various invasive mycoses caused by molds. The usual route of infection is the inhalation of conidia. In hospitals, infection can also occur through the deposition of conidia in otherwise sterile anatomical sites during surgical and other invasive procedures. Therefore, knowledge of airborne mold concentrations can lead to measures to protect patients from fungal infections. The literature on this topic contains insufficient and sometimes ambiguous information. This is evidenced by the fact that there are no international recommendations or guidelines defining the methodology of air sampling and the interpretation of the results obtained. Surgical departments, intensive care units and medical mycology laboratories are, therefore, left to their own devices, leading to significant differences in the implementation of mycological surveillance in hospitals. The aim of this mini-review is to provide an overview of the current methods of air sampling and interpretation of results used in medical mycology laboratories. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fungal Infections: Special Issue in Diagnostics Journal, 3rd Edition)
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Other

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Angioinvasive Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral Mucormycosis in a Patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Complex and Lethal Cause of Stroke
by Nadine Weissert, Annerose Mengel, Katharina Bader, Florian Hennersdorf and Katharina Feil
Diagnostics 2024, 14(19), 2246; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14192246 - 8 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1450
Abstract
Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis is a rapidly progressive and often fatal fungal infection caused by molds of the order Mucorales, particularly affecting immunocompromised individuals. This infection is notorious for its angioinvasive properties, enabling the fungi to invade blood vessels and leading to tissue necrosis. [...] Read more.
Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis is a rapidly progressive and often fatal fungal infection caused by molds of the order Mucorales, particularly affecting immunocompromised individuals. This infection is notorious for its angioinvasive properties, enabling the fungi to invade blood vessels and leading to tissue necrosis. We report the clinical course of a 59-year-old Caucasian man with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 16.8%) who presented with unilateral headache, left-sided facial numbness, and incomplete left ocular motor paresis. Initial presentation raised suspicion of orbital phlegmon, leading to antibiotic and later corticosteroid pulse therapy, which worsened the patient’s condition. Subsequent imaging demonstrated extensive inflammatory changes, including wall irregularities of the left intracranial internal carotid artery, accompanied by ocular protrusion and periorbital enhancement. New palatal lesions indicated mucormycosis, which was confirmed by molecular analysis of a palatal biopsy, leading to Amphotericin B treatment. Pre-surgery imaging revealed a malignant middle cerebral artery infarction, and the patient died 16 days after symptom onset and 12 days after initial presentation under palliative care due to a poor prognosis. This case of angioinvasive mucormycosis underscores the severe and often fatal course of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in an immunocompromised individual. The rapid progression from initially vague and unspecific symptoms to extensive vascular involvement and stroke highlights the critical need for early and accurate diagnosis, as well as prompt intervention to prevent further disease progression. Additionally, this case also illustrates the potential risks associated with corticosteroid therapy in the presence of undiagnosed fungal infections, which can exacerbate the condition and lead to serious complications. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for mucormycosis in similar clinical scenarios, prioritizing adequate antifungal treatment and careful monitoring to improve patient outcomes. Early interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for the effective management of such complex cases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fungal Infections: Special Issue in Diagnostics Journal, 3rd Edition)
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