Browsing by Author "Hoenigl, Martin"
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Item Open Access 10th Trends in Medical Mycology Held on 8 to 11 October 2021, Aberdeen, Scotland, Organized by the European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM)(Journal of Fungi) Cornely, Oliver A; Gow, Neil; Hoenigl, Martin; Warris, AdiliaPlenary Sessions: [...]Item Open Access An update on current and novel molecular diagnostics for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections(Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics) Jenks, Jeffrey D; White, P Lewis; Kidd, Sarah E; Goshia, Tyler; Fraley, Stephanie I; Hoenigl, Martin; Thompson, George RItem Open Access Blood Aspergillus PCR: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.(Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland), 2020-01) Egger, Matthias; Jenks, Jeffrey D; Hoenigl, Martin; Prattes, JuergenInvasive Aspergillosis (IA) is one of the most common invasive fungal diseases and is accompanied by high morbidity and mortality. In order to maximize patient outcomes and survival, early and rapid diagnosis has been shown to be pivotal. Hence, diagnostic tools aiding and improving the diagnostic process are ambitiously searched for. In this context, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may represent a potential candidate. Its additional value and benefits in diagnosis have been demonstrated and are scientifically established. Nevertheless, standardized and widespread usage is sparse because several factors influence diagnostic quality and need to be considered in order to optimize diagnostic performance and outcome. In the following review, the current role of PCR in the diagnosis of IA is explored, with special focus on the strengths and limitations of PCR in different settings.Item Open Access Breakthrough invasive fungal infections: Who is at risk?(Mycoses, 2020-10) Jenks, Jeffrey D; Cornely, Oliver A; Chen, Sharon C-A; Thompson, George R; Hoenigl, MartinThe epidemiology of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in immunocompromised individuals has changed over the last few decades, partially due to the increased use of antifungal agents to prevent IFIs. Although this strategy has resulted in an overall reduction in IFIs, a subset of patients develop breakthrough IFIs with substantial morbidity and mortality in this population. Here, we review the most significant risk factors for breakthrough IFIs in haematology patients, solid organ transplant recipients, and patients in the intensive care unit, focusing particularly on host factors, and highlight areas that require future investigation.Item Open Access Broad spectrum triazoles for invasive mould infections in adults: Which drug and when?(Medical mycology, 2019-04) Jenks, Jeffrey D; Mehta, Sanjay R; Hoenigl, MartinInvasive mould infections are an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality globally, mainly due to increasing numbers of immunocompromised individuals at risk for fungal infections. The introduction of broad spectrum triazoles, which are much better tolerated compared to conventional amphotericin B formulations, has increased survival, particularly in invasive mould infection. However, early initiation of appropriate antifungal treatment remains a major predictor of outcome in invasive mould infection, but despite significant advances in diagnosis of these diseases, early diagnosis remains a challenge. As a result, prophylaxis with mould-active triazoles is widely used for those patients at highest risk for invasive mould infection, including patients with prolonged neutropenia after induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia and patients with graft-versus-host-disease. Posaconazole is the recommended drug of choice for antimould prophylaxis in these high-risk patients. Voriconazole has its primary role in treatment of invasive aspergillosis but not in prophylaxis. Recently, isavuconazole has been introduced as an excellent alternative to voriconazole for primary treatment of invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematological malignancies. Compared to voriconazole, isavuconazole and posaconazole have broader activity against moulds and are therefore also an option for treatment of mucormycosis in the presence of intolerance or contraindications against liposomal amphotericin B.Item Open Access Bronchoalveolar lavage Aspergillus Galactomannan lateral flow assay versus Aspergillus-specific lateral flow device test for diagnosis of invasive pulmonary Aspergillosis in patients with hematological malignancies.(The Journal of infection, 2019-03) Jenks, Jeffrey D; Mehta, Sanjay R; Taplitz, Randy; Law, Nancy; Reed, Sharon L; Hoenigl, MartinItem Open Access CD4:CD8 ratio and CD8+ cell count for prognosticating mortality in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy.(Journal of laboratory and precision medicine, 2018-02) Jenks, Jeffrey Daniel; Hoenigl, MartinItem Open Access Clinical characteristics and outcomes of invasive Lomentospora prolificans infections: Analysis of patients in the FungiScope® registry.(Mycoses, 2020-05) Jenks, Jeffrey D; Seidel, Danila; Cornely, Oliver A; Chen, Sharon; van Hal, Sebastiaan; Kauffman, Carol; Miceli, Marisa H; Heinemann, Melina; Christner, Martin; Jover Sáenz, Alfredo; Burchardt, Alexander; Kemmerling, Björn; Herbrecht, Raoul; Steinmann, Joerg; Shoham, Shmuel; Gräber, Sandra; Pagano, Livio; Deeren, Dries; Slavin, Monica A; Hoenigl, MartinOBJECTIVES:Invasive fungal infections caused by Lomentospora prolificans are associated with very high mortality rates and can be challenging to treat given pan-drug resistance to available antifungal agents. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical presentation and outcomes in a cohort of patients with invasive L prolificans infections. METHODS:We performed a retrospective review of medical records of patients with invasive L prolificans infection in the FungiScope® registry of rare invasive fungal infections. Patients diagnosed between 01 January 2008 and 09 September 2019 were included in for analysis. RESULTS:The analysis included 41 patients with invasive L prolificans infection from eight different countries. Haematological/oncological malignancies were the most frequent underlying disease (66%), disseminated infection was frequent (61%), and the lung was the most commonly involved organ (44%). Most infections (59%) were breakthrough infections. Progression/deterioration/treatment failure was observed in 23/40 (58%) of patients receiving antifungal therapy. In total, 21/41 (51%) patients, and 77% of patients with underlying haematological/oncological malignancy, had a fatal outcome attributed to invasive fungal infection. Combination antifungal therapy was frequent (24/40) and associated with improved survival. In particular, treatment regimens including terbinafine were significantly associated with higher treatment success at final assessment (P = .012), with a positive trend observed for treatment regimens that included voriconazole (P = .054). CONCLUSIONS:Lomentospora prolificans infections were associated with mortality rates of 77% and above in patients with underlying haematological/oncological malignancies and those with disseminated infections. While combination therapy is the preferred option for now, the hope lies with novel antifungals currently under development.Item Open Access COVID-19 Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CAPA)-From Immunology to Treatment.(Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland), 2020-06) Arastehfar, Amir; Carvalho, Agostinho; van de Veerdonk, Frank L; Jenks, Jeffrey D; Koehler, Philipp; Krause, Robert; Cornely, Oliver A; S Perlin, David; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Hoenigl, MartinLike 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. Diagnosis of CAPA remains challenging, mainly because bronchoalveolar lavage fluid galactomannan testing and culture, which represent the most sensitive diagnostic tests for aspergillosis in the ICU, are hindered by the fact that bronchoscopies are rarely performed in COVID-19 patients due to the risk of disease transmission. Similarly, autopsies are rarely performed, which may result in an underestimation of the prevalence of CAPA. Finally, the treatment of CAPA is complicated by drug-drug interactions associated with broad spectrum azoles, renal tropism and damage caused by SARS-CoV-2, which may challenge the use of liposomal amphotericin B, as well as the emergence of azole-resistance. This clinical reality creates an urgency for new antifungal drugs currently in advanced clinical development with more promising pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles.Item Open Access Defining and managing COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis: the 2020 ECMM/ISHAM consensus criteria for research and clinical guidance.(The Lancet. Infectious diseases, 2021-06) Koehler, Philipp; Bassetti, Matteo; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke; Chen, Sharon CA; Colombo, Arnaldo Lopes; Hoenigl, Martin; Klimko, Nikolay; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Oladele, Rita O; Vinh, Donald C; Zhu, Li-Ping; Böll, Boris; Brüggemann, Roger; Gangneux, Jean-Pierre; Perfect, John R; Patterson, Thomas F; Persigehl, Thorsten; Meis, Jacques F; Ostrosky-Zeichner, Luis; White, P Lewis; Verweij, Paul E; Cornely, Oliver A; European Confederation of Medical Mycology; International Society for Human Animal Mycology; Asia Fungal Working Group; INFOCUS LATAM/ISHAM Working Group; ISHAM Pan Africa Mycology Working Group; European Society for Clinical Microbiology; Infectious Diseases Fungal Infection Study Group; ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Critically Ill Patients; Interregional Association of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy; Medical Mycology Society of Nigeria; Medical Mycology Society of China Medicine Education Association; Infectious Diseases Working Party of the German Society for Haematology and Medical Oncology; Association of Medical Microbiology; Infectious Disease CanadaSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causes direct damage to the airway epithelium, enabling aspergillus invasion. Reports of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis have raised concerns about it worsening the disease course of COVID-19 and increasing mortality. Additionally, the first cases of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis caused by azole-resistant aspergillus have been reported. This article constitutes a consensus statement on defining and managing COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis, prepared by experts and endorsed by medical mycology societies. COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis is proposed to be defined as possible, probable, or proven on the basis of sample validity and thus diagnostic certainty. Recommended first-line therapy is either voriconazole or isavuconazole. If azole resistance is a concern, then liposomal amphotericin B is the drug of choice. Our aim is to provide definitions for clinical research and up-to-date recommendations for clinical management of the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis.Item Open Access Development and validation of the San Diego Early Test Score to predict acute and early HIV infection risk in men who have sex with men.(Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2015-08) Hoenigl, Martin; Weibel, Nadir; Mehta, Sanjay R; Anderson, Christy M; Jenks, Jeffrey; Green, Nella; Gianella, Sara; Smith, Davey M; Little, Susan JBackground
Although men who have sex with men (MSM) represent a dominant risk group for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the risk of HIV infection within this population is not uniform. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a score to estimate incident HIV infection risk.Methods
Adult MSM who were tested for acute and early HIV (AEH) between 2008 and 2014 were retrospectively randomized 2:1 to a derivation and validation dataset, respectively. Using the derivation dataset, each predictor associated with an AEH outcome in the multivariate prediction model was assigned a point value that corresponded to its odds ratio. The score was validated on the validation dataset using C-statistics.Results
Data collected at a single HIV testing encounter from 8326 unique MSM were analyzed, including 200 with AEH (2.4%). Four risk behavior variables were significantly associated with an AEH diagnosis (ie, incident infection) in multivariable analysis and were used to derive the San Diego Early Test (SDET) score: condomless receptive anal intercourse (CRAI) with an HIV-positive MSM (3 points), the combination of CRAI plus ≥5 male partners (3 points), ≥10 male partners (2 points), and diagnosis of bacterial sexually transmitted infection (2 points)-all as reported for the prior 12 months. The C-statistic for this risk score was >0.7 in both data sets.Conclusions
The SDET risk score may help to prioritize resources and target interventions, such as preexposure prophylaxis, to MSM at greatest risk of acquiring HIV infection. The SDET risk score is deployed as a freely available tool at http://sdet.ucsd.edu.Item Open Access Diagnosis of Breakthrough Fungal Infections in the Clinical Mycology Laboratory: An ECMM Consensus Statement.(Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland), 2020-10) Jenks, Jeffrey D; Gangneux, Jean-Pierre; Schwartz, Ilan S; Alastruey-Izquierdo, Ana; Lagrou, Katrien; Thompson Iii, George R; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Hoenigl, Martin; European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) Council InvestigatorsBreakthrough invasive fungal infections (bIFI) cause significant morbidity and mortality. Their diagnosis can be challenging due to reduced sensitivity to conventional culture techniques, serologic tests, and PCR-based assays in patients undergoing antifungal therapy, and their diagnosis can be delayed contributing to poor patient outcomes. In this review, we provide consensus recommendations on behalf of the European Confederation for Medical Mycology (ECMM) for the diagnosis of bIFI caused by invasive yeasts, molds, and endemic mycoses, to guide diagnostic efforts in patients receiving antifungals and support the design of future clinical trials in the field of clinical mycology. The cornerstone of lab-based diagnosis of breakthrough infections for yeast and endemic mycoses remain conventional culture, to accurately identify the causative pathogen and allow for antifungal susceptibility testing. The impact of non-culture-based methods are not well-studied for the definite diagnosis of breakthrough invasive yeast infections. Non-culture-based methods have an important role for the diagnosis of breakthrough invasive mold infections, in particular invasive aspergillosis, and a combination of testing involving conventional culture, antigen-based assays, and PCR-based assays should be considered. Multiple diagnostic modalities, including histopathology, culture, antibody, and/or antigen tests and occasionally PCR-based assays may be required to diagnose breakthrough endemic mycoses. A need exists for diagnostic tests that are effective, simple, cheap, and rapid to enable the diagnosis of bIFI in patients taking antifungals.Item Open Access Do high MICs predict the outcome in invasive fusariosis?(The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, 2021-03) Nucci, Marcio; Jenks, Jeffrey; Thompson, George R; Hoenigl, Martin; Dos Santos, Marielle Camargo; Forghieri, Fabio; Rico, Juan Carlos; Bonuomo, Valentina; López-Soria, Leyre; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Candoni, Anna; Garcia-Vidal, Carolina; Cattaneo, Chiara; Buil, Jochem; Rabagliati, Ricardo; Roiz, Maria Pia; Gudiol, Carlota; Fracchiolla, Nicola; Campos-Herrero, Maria Isolina; Delia, Mario; Farina, Francesca; Fortun, Jesus; Nadali, Gianpaolo; Sastre, Enric; Colombo, Arnaldo L; Pérez Nadales, Elena; Alastruey-Izquierdo, Ana; Pagano, LivioBackground
Invasive fusariosis (IF) affects mostly severely immunocompromised hosts and is associated with poor outcome. Since Fusarium species exhibit high MICs for most antifungal agents, this could explain the poor prognosis. However, a clear-cut correlation between MIC and outcome has not been established.Objective
To evaluate the correlation between MIC and outcome (6 week death rate) in patients with IF.Methods
We performed a multicentre retrospective study of patients with IF who received treatment and had MIC levels determined by EUCAST or CLSI for the drug(s) used during treatment. We compared the MIC50 and MIC distribution among survivors and patients who died within 6 weeks from the diagnosis of IF.Results
Among 88 patients with IF, 74 had haematological diseases. Primary treatment was monotherapy in 52 patients (voriconazole in 27) and combination therapy in 36 patients (liposomal amphotericin B + voriconazole in 23). The MIC50 and range for the five most frequent agents tested were: voriconazole 8 mg/L (range 0.5-64), amphotericin B 2 mg/L (range 0.25-64), posaconazole 16 mg/L (range 0.5-64), itraconazole 32 mg/L (range 4-64), and isavuconazole 32 mg/L (range 8-64). There was no difference in MIC50 and MIC distribution among survivors and patients who died. By contrast, persistent neutropenia and receipt of corticosteroids were strong predictors of 6 week mortality.Conclusions
Our study did not show any correlation between MIC and mortality at 6 weeks in patients with IF.Item Open Access Drug-Resistant Fungi: An Emerging Challenge Threatening Our Limited Antifungal Armamentarium.(Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland), 2020-12) Arastehfar, Amir; Gabaldón, Toni; Garcia-Rubio, Rocio; Jenks, Jeffrey D; Hoenigl, Martin; Salzer, Helmut JF; Ilkit, Macit; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Perlin, David SThe high clinical mortality and economic burden posed by invasive fungal infections (IFIs), along with significant agricultural crop loss caused by various fungal species, has resulted in the widespread use of antifungal agents. Selective drug pressure, fungal attributes, and host- and drug-related factors have counteracted the efficacy of the limited systemic antifungal drugs and changed the epidemiological landscape of IFIs. Species belonging to Candida, Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, and Pneumocystis are among the fungal pathogens showing notable rates of antifungal resistance. Drug-resistant fungi from the environment are increasingly identified in clinical settings. Furthermore, we have a limited understanding of drug class-specific resistance mechanisms in emerging Candida species. The establishment of antifungal stewardship programs in both clinical and agricultural fields and the inclusion of species identification, antifungal susceptibility testing, and therapeutic drug monitoring practices in the clinic can minimize the emergence of drug-resistant fungi. New antifungal drugs featuring promising therapeutic profiles have great promise to treat drug-resistant fungi in the clinical setting. Mitigating antifungal tolerance, a prelude to the emergence of resistance, also requires the development of effective and fungal-specific adjuvants to be used in combination with systemic antifungals.Item Open Access ECMM/ISHAM recommendations for clinical management of COVID-19 associated mucormycosis in low- and middle-income countries.(Mycoses, 2021-09) Rudramurthy, Shivaprakash M; Hoenigl, Martin; Meis, Jacques F; Cornely, Oliver A; Muthu, Valliappan; Gangneux, Jean Pierre; Perfect, John; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke; ECMM and ISHAMReports are increasing on the emergence of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) globally, driven particularly by low- and middle-income countries. The recent unprecedented surge of CAM in India has drawn worldwide attention. More than 28,252 mucormycosis cases are counted and India is the first country where mucormycosis has been declared a notifiable disease. However, misconception of management, diagnosing and treating this infection continue to occur. Thus, European Confederation of Medical Mycology (ECMM) and the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) felt the need to address clinical management of CAM in low- and middle-income countries. This article provides a comprehensive document to help clinicians in managing this infection. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and inappropriate (high dose or not indicated) corticosteroid use are the major predisposing factors for this surge. High counts of Mucorales spores in both the indoor and outdoor environments, and the immunosuppressive impact of COVID-19 patients as well as immunotherapy are possible additional factors. Furthermore, a hyperglycaemic state leads to an increased expression of glucose regulated protein (GRP- 78) in endothelial cells that may help the entry of Mucorales into tissues. Rhino-orbital mucormycosis is the most common presentation followed by pulmonary mucormycosis. Recommendations are focused on the early suspicion of the disease and confirmation of diagnosis. Regarding management, glycaemic control, elimination of corticosteroid therapy, extensive surgical debridement and antifungal therapy are the standards for proper care. Due to limited availability of amphotericin B formulations during the present epidemic, alternative antifungal therapies are also discussed.Item Open Access Fungal Endocarditis: Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management.(Clinical microbiology reviews, 2023-07) Thompson, George R; Jenks, Jeffrey D; Baddley, John W; Lewis, James S; Egger, Matthias; Schwartz, Ilan S; Boyer, Johannes; Patterson, Thomas F; Chen, Sharon C-A; Pappas, Peter G; Hoenigl, MartinFungal endocarditis accounts for 1% to 3% of all infective endocarditis cases, is associated with high morbidity and mortality (>70%), and presents numerous challenges during clinical care. Candida spp. are the most common causes of fungal endocarditis, implicated in over 50% of cases, followed by Aspergillus and Histoplasma spp. Important risk factors for fungal endocarditis include prosthetic valves, prior heart surgery, and injection drug use. The signs and symptoms of fungal endocarditis are nonspecific, and a high degree of clinical suspicion coupled with the judicious use of diagnostic tests is required for diagnosis. In addition to microbiological diagnostics (e.g., blood culture for Candida spp. or galactomannan testing and PCR for Aspergillus spp.), echocardiography remains critical for evaluation of potential infective endocarditis, although radionuclide imaging modalities such as 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography are increasingly being used. A multimodal treatment approach is necessary: surgery is usually required and should be accompanied by long-term systemic antifungal therapy, such as echinocandin therapy for Candida endocarditis or voriconazole therapy for Aspergillus endocarditis.Item Open Access Global guideline for the diagnosis and management of rare mould infections: an initiative of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology in cooperation with the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology and the American Society for Microbiology.(The Lancet. Infectious diseases, 2021-08) Hoenigl, Martin; Salmanton-García, Jon; Walsh, Thomas J; Nucci, Marcio; Neoh, Chin Fen; Jenks, Jeffrey D; Lackner, Michaela; Sprute, Rosanne; Al-Hatmi, Abdullah MS; Bassetti, Matteo; Carlesse, Fabianne; Freiberger, Tomas; Koehler, Philipp; Lehrnbecher, Thomas; Kumar, Anil; Prattes, Juergen; Richardson, Malcolm; Revankar, Sanjay; Slavin, Monica A; Stemler, Jannik; Spiess, Birgit; Taj-Aldeen, Saad J; Warris, Adilia; Woo, Patrick CY; Young, Jo-Anne H; Albus, Kerstin; Arenz, Dorothee; Arsic-Arsenijevic, Valentina; Bouchara, Jean-Philippe; Chinniah, Terrence Rohan; Chowdhary, Anuradha; de Hoog, G Sybren; Dimopoulos, George; Duarte, Rafael F; Hamal, Petr; Meis, Jacques F; Mfinanga, Sayoki; Queiroz-Telles, Flavio; Patterson, Thomas F; Rahav, Galia; Rogers, Thomas R; Rotstein, Coleman; Wahyuningsih, Retno; Seidel, Danila; Cornely, Oliver AWith increasing numbers of patients needing intensive care or who are immunosuppressed, infections caused by moulds other than Aspergillus spp or Mucorales are increasing. Although antifungal prophylaxis has shown effectiveness in preventing many invasive fungal infections, selective pressure has caused an increase of breakthrough infections caused by Fusarium, Lomentospora, and Scedosporium species, as well as by dematiaceous moulds, Rasamsonia, Schizophyllum, Scopulariopsis, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Talaromyces and Purpureocillium species. Guidance on the complex multidisciplinary management of infections caused by these pathogens has the potential to improve prognosis. Management routes depend on the availability of diagnostic and therapeutic options. The present recommendations are part of the One World-One Guideline initiative to incorporate regional differences in the epidemiology and management of rare mould infections. Experts from 24 countries contributed their knowledge and analysed published evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of rare mould infections. This consensus document intends to provide practical guidance in clinical decision making by engaging physicians and scientists involved in various aspects of clinical management. Moreover, we identify areas of uncertainty and constraints in optimising this management.Item Open Access Immune Parameters for Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring in Invasive Mold Infection.(Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland), 2019-12) Jenks, Jeffrey D; Rawlings, Stephen A; Garcia-Vidal, Carol; Koehler, Philipp; Mercier, Toine; Prattes, Juergen; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Martin-Gomez, M Teresa; Buchheidt, Dieter; Pagano, Livio; Gangneux, Jean-Pierre; van de Veerdonk, Frank L; Netea, Mihai G; Carvalho, Agostinho; Hoenigl, MartinInfections caused by invasive molds, including Aspergillus spp., can be difficult to diagnose and remain associated with high morbidity and mortality. Thus, early diagnosis and targeted systemic antifungal treatment remains the most important predictive factor for a successful outcome in immunocompromised individuals with invasive mold infections. Diagnosis remains difficult due to low sensitivities of diagnostic tests including culture and other mycological tests for mold pathogens, particularly in patients on mold-active antifungal prophylaxis. As a result, antifungal treatment is rarely targeted and reliable markers for treatment monitoring and outcome prediction are missing. Thus, there is a need for improved markers to diagnose invasive mold infections, monitor response to treatment, and assist in determining when antifungal therapy should be escalated, switched, or can be stopped. This review focuses on the role of immunologic markers and specifically cytokines in diagnosis and treatment monitoring of invasive mold infections.Item Open Access Impact of climate change and natural disasters on fungal infections(The Lancet Microbe, 2024-03) Seidel, Danila; Wurster, Sebastian; Jenks, Jeffrey D; Sati, Hatim; Gangneux, Jean-Pierre; Egger, Matthias; Alastruey-Izquierdo, Ana; Ford, Nathan P; Chowdhary, Anuradha; Sprute, Rosanne; Cornely, Oliver; Thompson, George R; Hoenigl, Martin; Kontoyiannis, Dimitrios PItem Open Access Improving the rates of Aspergillus detection: an update on current diagnostic strategies.(Expert review of anti-infective therapy, 2019-01) Jenks, Jeffrey D; Salzer, Helmut JF; Hoenigl, MartinIntroduction
The spectrum of disease caused by Aspergillus spp. is dependent on the immune system of the host, and ranges from invasive aspergillosis (IA) to chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). Early and reliable diagnosis of Aspergillus disease is important to decrease associated morbidity and mortality. Areas covered: The following review will give an update on current diagnostic strategies for the diagnosis of IA and CPA. Expert commentary: Several new diagnostics for IA (including point-of-care tests) are now available to complement galactomannan testing. In particular, immunoPET/MRI imaging may be a promising approach for diagnosing IA in the near future. Notably, nearly all new biomarkers and tests for IA have been evaluated in the hematology setting only. Validation of biomarkers and tests is therefore needed for the increasing proportion of patients who develop IA outside the hematology setting. As an important first step, reliable definitions of IA are needed for non-hematology settings as clinical presentation and radiologic findings differ in these settings. CPA diagnosis is based on a combination of radiological findings in chest CT, mycological evidence (e.g. by the Aspergillus-specific IgG assay), exclusion of alternative diagnosis and chronicity. ([18F]FDG) PET/CT and immuno PET/MRI imaging are promising new imaging approaches.
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