Search Results (23)

Human fungal infections comprise systemic mycoses as well as various skin diseases. Rising case numbers along with inefficient therapies and the appearance of drug-resistant strains unleashed a considerable health problem over the last years. Thus, the identification and development of new antifungal drugs is mandatory, which can include the design of new antifungals, or, more time saving, the repurposing of known drugs already applied for the therapy of other human diseases. The orally applicable gold-based drug auranofin has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis since the 1980s. However, auranofin also showed marked activity against various cancers, microbes, parasites, and viruses. Facing a pressing need to find new drug candidates against mycoses, especially against those listed in the WHO fungal pathogen priority list, we have summarized the eminent antifungal activities of auranofin in this review. Given its established safety profile and broad-spectrum activity, auranofin represents a promising candidate for repurposing in antifungal therapy. The mechanism of action of auranofin was correlated with thioredoxin reductase inhibition, but other modes of action such as interference with mitochondrial protein import and NADH kinase were also described and discussed. A selection of promising antifungal gold complexes was also provided. Pertinent literature is covered until 2025. Full article

Equine skin mycoses are a significant concern in Kazakhstan’s livestock industry due to the country’s historical livestock farming practices, the development of equestrian sports, and food traditions. Skin infections are among the most common fungal infections in horses. Emerging pathogens of equine dermatophytosis include keratinophilic Chrysosporium spp., which can degrade and metabolize keratin found in superficial tissues. This, combined with their thermotolerance, contributes to their pathogenicity. In this study, we investigated the biological properties and pathogenicity of two Chrysosporium strains isolated from equine skin lesions in northern and central Kazakhstan. Our findings showed that the Chrysosporium isolates caused a variety of clinically expressed skin lesions and exhibited cultural and morphological similarities to Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Genetic identification using ribosomal gene sequencing revealed 98.9% identity with Chrysosporium kreiselii and Chrysosporium zonatum sequences in both cases. The C. kreiselii strain caused pronounced skin lesions typical of classic dermatomycoses, demonstrated both keratinophilic and keratinolytic properties, and showed resistance to antifungal drugs. In contrast, the C. zonatum strain, which caused atypical lesions such as dandruff and seborrhea, was more sensitive to antifungal agents and exhibited keratinophilic properties. Our results highlight the emergence of new pathogenic Chrysosporium strains responsible for skin pathology in horses in Kazakhstan. We recommend that the identification of Chrysosporium skin infections in horses in Kazakhstan be followed by a comprehensive retrospective analysis of newly identified pathogens, including a full characterization of their pathogenicity. Full article

A 5-year-old boy affected by chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) underwent two allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) from the same unrelated donor. The first HCT was complicated by prolonged fever and primary graft failure. While fully aplastic, the patient developed a disseminated infection by Scedosporium apiospermum involving the knee and parasternal skin (day +34 and +40 post-HCT). The patient was treated with voriconazole and granulocyte transfusions followed by a second HCT 80 days after the first HCT. At day +105, the patient developed fever, headache, and altered level of consciousness associated with multiple bilateral cerebral abscesses at magnetic resonance imaging. The serum B-D-glucan test was positive. Micafungin was added to voriconazole. Despite an initial clinical improvement, the patient developed hydrocephalus. Scedosporium apiospermum was cultured from cerebrospinal fluid. Liposomal amphotericin B, instead of micafungin, was combined with voriconazole as salvage therapy. Unfortunately, the patient developed uncal herniation and died at day +193 from HCT. This case shows that the prognosis of scedosporiosis remains poor despite adequate antifungal treatment. Noteworthy, the B-D-Glucan test is confirmed useful as a non-invasive marker for early diagnosis and may help the differential diagnosis of mycoses. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fungal infections, commonly referred to as mycoses, are widespread and affect various parts of the body. Common types of fungal skin infections include tinea pedis, tinea unguim, tinea cruris, tinea versicolor, and tinea manuum. Athletes, in particular, are at a higher risk of contracting these infections due to several factors inherent to their training and competitive environments. Methods: This research examined the incidence, anatomical distribution, and seasonal occurrence of fungal skin infections among beach volleyball athletes in Greece. The study cohort consisted of 785 participants, with an average age of 28.4 years. Variables recorded included gender, the seasonal periods during which athletes might be more prone to injuries, and the specific body areas affected by fungal infections. In addition, training-related data such as weekly training frequency, and daily training duration were collected. Results: Incidence rates correlated in relation to gender: male, tinea pedis (p < 0.000), tinea manuum (p < 0.010); number of weekly trainings: tinea pedis (p < 0.000), tinea unguium (p < 0.043), tinea cruris (p < 0.008), tinea versicolor (p < 0.038), tinea manuum (p < 0.043); average hours of daily training: tinea unguium (p < 0.039), tinea manuum (p < 0.039). Conclusions: Athletic activities often involve exposure to warm, moist conditions that promote fungal growth. Locker rooms, showers, and equipment can harbor fungi, spreading infections among athletes. Understanding these infections is essential for effective prevention and management, as they can impact performance and health if untreated. Proper hygiene, antifungal treatments, and public health measures are crucial to reducing the risk in athletic settings. Full article

Dermatophytosis in cattle is most often caused by infection with Trichophyton verrucosum (T. verrucosum), but also with Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (T. mentagrophytes) and others, regardless of the geographical zone. The infection is transmitted through direct contact between animals as well as infected environmental elements. The human-to-human transmission of fungal infection is also possible.. This retrospective study was conducted based on a detailed analysis of the results of the mycological examination and medical documentation of 40 patients from Greater Poland, diagnosed with cattle-to-human dermatophytoses from March 2017 to November 2023. T. verrucosum accounted for 97.5% of infections and T. mentagrophytes for 2.5%; no other species of dermatophytes from cattle were found. Superficial skin mycosis in humans associated with cattle was more often diagnosed in small children and men directly engaged in cattle breeding. The dominant etiological factor of the superficial fungal skin infection was T. verrucosum, which mainly affected the scalp in children and upper limbs in adult men. In relation to the cattle population in Greater Poland, the number of cases of superficial skin mycoses among cattle breeders and their family members over the period of more than six and a half years of observation does not seem to be high. Full article

Human mycoses cover a diverse field of fungal diseases from skin disorders to systemic invasive infections and pose an increasing global health problem based on ineffective treatment options, the hampered development of new efficient drugs, and the emergence of resistant fungal strains. Niclosamide is currently applied for the treatment of worm infections. Its mechanisms of action, which include the suppression of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (also known as mitochondrial uncoupling), among others, has led to a repurposing of this promising anthelmintic drug for the therapy of further human diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and microbial infections. Given the urgent need to develop new drugs against fungal infections, the considerable antifungal properties of niclosamide are highlighted in this review. Its chemical and pharmacological properties relevant for drug development are also briefly mentioned, and the described mitochondria-targeting mechanisms of action add to the current arsenal of approved antifungal drugs. In addition, the activities of further salicylanilide-based niclosamide analogs against fungal pathogens, including agents applied in veterinary medicine for many years, are described and discussed for their feasibility as new antifungals for humans. Preliminary structure–activity relationships are determined and discussed. Various salicylanilide derivatives with antifungal activities showed increased oral bioavailabilities when compared with niclosamide. The simple synthesis of salicylanilide-based drugs also vouchsafes a broad and cost-effective availability for poorer patient groups. Pertinent literature is covered until 2024. Full article

Mycoses of the skin are infectious diseases caused by fungal microorganisms that are generally treated with topical agents. However, such therapy is often ineffective and has to be supported by oral use of active substances, which, in turn, can cause many side effects. A good alternative for the treatment of deep-skin mycoses seems to be microneedles (MNs). The aim of this research was to fabricate and evaluate the properties of innovative MNs coated with a hydrogel as potential carriers for clotrimazole (CLO) in the treatment of deep fungal skin infections. A 3D printing technique using a photo-curable resin was employed to produce MNs, which were coated with hydrogels using a dip-coating method. Hydrogels were prepared with carbopol EZ-3 Polymer (Lubrizol) in addition to glycerol and triisopropanolamine. Clotrimazole was introduced into the gel as the solution in ethanol or was suspended. In the first step of the investigation, a texture analysis of hydrogels was prepared with a texture analyzer, and the drug release studies were conducted with the use of automatic Franz diffusion cells. Next, the release profiles of CLO for coated MNs were checked. The last part of the investigation was the evaluation of the antifungal activity of the prepared systems, and the inhibition of the growth of Candida albicans was checked with the diffusion and suspended-plate methods. The texture profile analysis (TPA) for the tested hydrogels showed that the addition of ethanol significantly affects the following studied parameters: hardness, adhesiveness and gumminess, causing a decrease in their values. On the other hand, for the gels with suspended CLO, better spreadability was seen compared to gels with dissolved CLO. The presence of the active substance did not significantly affect the values of the tested parameters. In the dissolution study, the results showed that higher amounts of CLO were released for MNs coated with a hydrogel containing dissolved CLO. Also, microbiological tests proved its efficacy against fungal cultures. Qualitative tests carried out using the diffusion method showed that circular zones of inhibition of fungal growth on the plate were obtained, confirming the hypothesis of effectiveness. The suspension-plate technique confirmed the inhibitory effect of applied CLO on the growth of Candida albicans. From the analysis of the data, the MNs coated with CLO dissolved in hydrogel showed better antifungal activity. All received results seem to be helpful in developing further studies for MNs as carriers of antifungal substances. Full article

Dermatophytosis is a superficial fungal skin infection common in humans around the world and is one of the many zoonotic skin diseases that cat owners are at risk of contracting. This retrospective study was conducted based on a detailed analysis of the results of mycological examination and medical documentation of 56 patients diagnosed with cat-to-human dermatophytoses from January 2017 to July 2022. Zoonotic mycoses were diagnosed more frequently in young people and women. In children, lesions most often occurred in the scalp area, and in adults, in the glabrous skin area. Skin infections caused by Microsporum canis (M. canis) prevailed and were confirmed in 47 patients (83.9%). Trichophyton mentagrophytes (T. mentagrophytes) was found in nine (16.1%) patients. M. canis predominantly caused infections of the scalp, followed by lower limb infections. Hairy scalps were almost exclusively involved in children. The odds of diagnosing M. canis infection compared to T. mentagrophytes infection was significantly higher in the head than in other regions, especially among children. The positive predictive value of a direct macroscopic examination was relatively low. Full article

Sporothrix brasiliensis is the main agent of zoonotic sporotrichosis transmitted by domestic cats in South America. In humans, sporotrichosis commonly presents with cutaneous or lymphocutaneous lesions, and in cats, with multiple ulcerated skin lesions associated with enlarged lymph nodes and respiratory signs. Fungal virulence factors may affect the clinical presentation of the mycoses. Sporothrix spp. present some virulence factors. This study aims to compare 24 S. brasiliensis strains from 12 familiar outbreaks of cat-to-human transmitted sporotrichosis. Fungal growth in different substrates, thermotolerance, resistance to oxidative stress, and production of enzymes were evaluated. An invertebrate model of experimental infection was used to compare the virulence of the strains. The strains grew well on glucose and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine but poorly on lactate. Their thermotolerance was moderate to high. All strains were susceptible to hydrogen peroxide, and the majority produced hemolysins but not phospholipase and esterase. There was no significant difference in the putative virulence-associated factors studied among the different hosts. Moreover, strains isolated from a human and a cat from four familiar outbreaks presented a very similar profile of expression of these factors, reinforcing the zoonotic transmission of S. brasiliensis in Brazil and demonstrating the plasticity of this species in the production of virulence factors. Full article

Turtles and ‘tortoises’ populations are declining in number, the factors driving extinction risks being related to habitat loss and degradation, climate change, introduction of invasive plant and animal species, consumption by humans for food and medicinal use, and collection for international pet trade. Fungal infections represent one of the main threats for ecosystem health. The present narrative review deals with conventional and emerging mycoses of Chelonians. Although conventional mycoses in captive and pet reptiles would depend on poor husbandry, being the agents mostly opportunistic pathogens, some fungal species were reported to occur more frequently, such as the entomopathogen Purpureocillium lilacinum. Furthermore, emerging agents such as the Fusarium solani species complex have been recognized as a real threat for the surviving of some aquatic species, acting as primary pathogens. This complex has been recently included within pathogens in One Health issues. Emydomyces testavorans is recognized as an emerging threat, although, due its recent identification, information about its epidemiology is limited. Data about treatments and outcomes of mycoses in Chelonians are also referred. Full article

Infections affecting the superficial keratinized layer of the skin, nails, and hair are referred to as dermatophytosis and dermatomycoses, which constitute the most common type of fungal infection that affects people. This clinical ailment has a prevalence of between 30 and 60% and is more common in India’s hot, muggy, tropical climate. Examining the prevalence of superficial mycoses (SM), their clinical symptoms, and the fungal species that were identified as the disease-causing agents were the main objectives of the current study. This study comprised 250 clinically confirmed patients with SM who visited our dermatology department over the course of a year. Skin scrapings, nail clippings, and hair samples were gathered, mounted, and cultured using KOH. Macroscopic examination of culture, tease mount, and phenotypic tests were used to identify the species. The age group of 11–20 years (29%) had the highest prevalence of SM out of the 250 clinically verified cases of the condition that were included in our study, followed by 21–30 years (20%) and 31–40 years (18%). Candida albicans, dermatophytes, and non-dermatophytic moulds were the three most prevalent fungal isolates. The most typical dermatophyte isolate was T. rubrum, which was primarily found in Tinea corporis (TCo), Tinea cruris (TCr), and Tinea faciei (TFa). T. mentagrophytes was the second most frequent isolate. According to our investigation, it was determined that non-dermatophytic moulds constitute a significant contributor to the development of SM in addition to dermatophytes. Full article

Background: The rising incidence of implantation mycoses and invasive fungal infections prompts the need for studies describing the latest trends of these diseases; however, the literature remains scarce from tropical Asia in recent years. We shared our 11-year clinical experience at a tertiary center in Southern Taiwan to improve physicians’ understanding of the diseases, which could help them assume appropriate management strategies. Patients and methods: Forty cases of pathology-proven cases of implantation mycoses and invasive fungal infections with cutaneous involvement were retrospectively reviewed. The epidemiology, patients’ characteristics, initial clinical impressions, fungal species, management, and outcomes were compared and reported. Results: Fonsecaea sp. was the most commonly (14%) involved species in implantation mycoses. The percentages of immunocompromised patients with implantation mycoses and invasive fungal infections were 26% and 60%, respectively. Additionally, 46% of patients with implantation mycoses had type 2 diabetes mellitus. The lesions were commonly mistaken for skin appendage tumors, skin cancers, and hyperkeratotic dermatoses. The prognosis was favorable for the implantation mycoses (83% showed clinical improvement) but bleak for the invasive fungal infections (100% mortality). Conclusions: Presentations of implantation mycoses and invasive fungal infections vary widely, and immunocompromised status and diabetes mellitus are important associated factors. Full article

In folk medicine, Vismia guianensis is used to treat skin diseases and mycoses in the Amazon region. We evaluated the anti-Candida activity of the hydroalcoholic extract from the leaves of Vismia guianensis (EHVG). HPLC-PDA and FIA-ESI-IT-MSⁿ were used to chemically characterize EHVG. The anti-Candida activity was determined in vitro by the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against Candida glabrata (ATCC-2001); Candida albicans (ATCC-90028, ATCC-14053, and ATCC-SC5314), and C. albicans clinical isolates. EHVG effects on adhesion, growth, and biofilm formation were also determined. Molecular docking was used to predict targets for EHVG compounds. The main compounds identified included anthraquinone, vismione D, kaempferol, quercetin, and vitexin. EHVG was fungicidal against all tested strains. C. albicans ATCC 14053 and C. glabrata ATCC 2001 were the most sensitive strains, as the extract inhibited their virulence factors. In silico analysis indicated that vismione D presented the best antifungal activity, since it was the most effective in inhibiting CaCYP51, and may act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent, according to the online PASS prediction. Overall, the data demonstrate that EHVG has an anti-Candida effect by inhibiting virulence factors of the fungi. This activity may be related to its vismione D content, indicating this compound may represent a new perspective for treating diseases caused by Candida sp. Full article

New world cutaneous leishmaniasis (NWCL) is an anthropozoonosis caused by different species of the protozoan Leishmania. Colorimetric in situ hybridization (CISH) was shown to satisfactorily detect amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. in animal tissues, yet it was not tested for the diagnosis of human NWCL. The aim of this study was to compare CISH, histopathology (HP), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques to diagnose NWCL in human cutaneous lesions. The sample comprised fifty formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin biopsy specimens from patients with NWCL caused by L. (V.) braziliensis. These specimens were analyzed by CISH, using a generic probe for Leishmania, IHC, and HP to assess the sensitivity of these methods by using a parasitological culture as a standard reference. Additional specimens from three patients diagnosed with cutaneous mycoses were also included to evaluate cross-reactions between CISH and IHC. The sensitivities of IHC, CISH, and HP for detecting amastigotes was 66%, 54%, and 50%, respectively. IHC, unlike CISH, cross-reacted with different species of fungi. Together, these results demonstrate that CISH may be a complementary assay for the detection of amastigote in the laboratorial diagnosis routine of human NWCL caused by L. (V.) braziliensis. Full article

Fungal skin diseases are well-recognized diseases with public health implications. The study provides a comprehensive overview and aims to determine the rate of positive fungal cultures to identify the most common fungal species in guinea pigs and rabbits and to determine the rate of asymptomatic carriers in healthy pet animals. This knowledge is essential for understanding disease transmission dynamics and epidemiological situation problems. A total of 167 animals (64 rabbits and 103 guinea pigs) were investigated in this study. The fungi of the genus Penicillium, Rhizopus, Mucor, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus were the most common in the examined animals, and they were isolated from 162 (97%) of the animals enrolled. No fungal growth was observed in 5 animals. In 15 cases (8.98%), we found pathogenic zoonotic dermatophytes (Trichophyton mentagrophytes), which caused several health problems in two humans in contact with affected animals. This study presents the prevalence of fungal flora in pet guinea pigs and rabbits in Slovakia. Full article