Classic Mycoses Caused by Dimorphic Fungi

2015 ◽  
pp. 205-205
Keyword(s):  
Dimorphic Fungi

scholarly journals In vitro antifungal activity of miltefosine and levamisole: their impact on ergosterol biosynthesis and cell permeability of dimorphic fungi

2015 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 962-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.S.N. Brilhante ◽  
E.P. Caetano ◽  
R.A.C. Lima ◽  
D.S.C.M. Castelo Branco ◽  
R. Serpa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antifungal Activity ◽  
Cell Permeability ◽  
Ergosterol Biosynthesis ◽  
Dimorphic Fungi ◽  
In Vitro Antifungal Activity

Blastomycosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (01) ◽  
pp. 031-041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilan S. Schwartz ◽  
Carol A. Kauffman
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Amphotericin B ◽  
Skin Lesions ◽  
Primary Therapy ◽  
Temperature Dependent ◽  
Dimorphic Fungi ◽  
Disseminated Infection ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Yeast Phase ◽  
Tentative Diagnosis

AbstractBlastomycosis is a serious fungal disease of humans and other mammals caused by environmentally acquired infection with geographically restricted, thermally dimorphic fungi belonging to the genus Blastomyces. The genetic and geographic diversity of these pathogens is greater than previously appreciated. In addition to Blastomyces dermatitidis and the cryptic species Blastomyces gilchristii, which cause blastomycosis in mid-western and various eastern areas of North America, atypical blastomycosis is occasionally caused by Blastomyces helicus in western parts of North America and Blastomyces percursus in Africa. Blastomycosis is acquired by inhalation of the conidia that are produced in the mold phase; in the lungs, temperature-dependent transformation occurs to the yeast phase. In this form, the organism is phagocytized by macrophages and can spread hematogenously to various organs causing disseminated infection. Pulmonary disease is most common and varies from mild, self-limited infection to severe, potentially fatal adult respiratory distress syndrome. Disseminated infection is manifested primarily by skin lesions, but many other organs can be involved. Diagnosis is established by growth of the organism in culture; however, a tentative diagnosis can be made quickly by histopathological identification of the classic yeast form in tissues or by finding Blastomyces antigen in urine or serum. Blastomycosis is treated initially with amphotericin B when the disease is severe, involves the central nervous system, or the host is immunosuppressed. Itraconazole is recommended for primary therapy in mild-to-moderate infection and for step-down therapy after initial amphotericin B treatment. Voriconazole and posaconazole can be used for patients in whom itraconazole is not tolerated.

scholarly journals Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly of a Human Fungal Pathogen Reveals Synteny among Geographically Distinct Species

mBio ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Voorhies ◽  
Shirli Cohen ◽  
Terrance P. Shea ◽  
Semar Petrus ◽  
José F. Muñoz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
South America ◽  
Genome Assembly ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Significant Morbidity ◽  
Dimorphic Fungi ◽  
Human Fungal Pathogen ◽  
America South ◽  
Chromosome Level

Histoplasma species are dimorphic fungi causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. These fungi grow as mold in the soil and as budding yeast within the human host. Histoplasma can be isolated from soil in diverse regions, including North America, South America, Africa, and Europe.

scholarly journals Generation and Activity Evaluation of a Mouse-Human Immunoglobulin G1 Chimeric Antibody to Histoplasma capsulatum HSP60

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ágata Nogueira D'Áurea Moura ◽  
Scott J. Garforth ◽  
Leandro Buffoni Roque da Silva ◽  
Darien Woodley ◽  
Filipe Vieira Barbalho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Histoplasma Capsulatum ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Human Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Chimeric Antibody ◽  
Human Antibody ◽  
Chimeric Mouse ◽  
Dimorphic Fungi

Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are highly conserved molecules that are constitutively expressed and upregulated in response to physiological stress conditions. These immunogenic chaperones can have essential functions in fungi, particularly in dimorphic pathogens. Histoplasma capsulatum and Paracoccidioides species are dimorphic fungi that are the causative agents of histoplasmosis and paracoccidioidomycosis, respectively, which are systemic mycoses with significant rates of morbidity and mortality. Current treatment consists of long-term antifungal agents, and there is an urgent need for new therapeutic approaches with higher efficacy, lower toxicity, better biodistribution and improved selectivity. We engineered an immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) isotype chimeric mouse-human monoclonal antibody, titled ch-MAb 4E12, from the parental IgG2a MAb 4E12, a monoclonal antibody to H. capsulatum Hsp60 that is protective in experimental histoplasmosis and paracoccidioidomycosis models elicited by H. capsulatum var. capsulatum and Paracoccidioides lutzii, respectively. The ch-MAb 4E12 increased phagolysosomal fusion and enhanced the yeasts uptake by PMA differentiated human THP1 macrophage cells in vitro. At low concentrations, the chimeric antibody significantly reduced the pulmonary and splenic fungal burden compared to an irrelevant antibody or no treatment. These results are the first to show that a chimeric mouse-human antibody can modify infection caused by dimorphic fungi.

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