Antifungal therapy

Yeasts-Colorimetric Antifungal Susceptibility Testing: Introduction, Principle, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

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Yeasts-Colorimetric Antifungal Susceptibility Testing-Introduction, Principle, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

Introduction Yeasts, especially Candida and Cryptococcus species, are frequent causes of opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Determining their antifungal susceptibility is crucial for guiding effective therapy. While broth microdilution methods (CLSI/EUCAST) serve as reference standards, they are labor-intensive and time-consuming. Colorimetric antifungal susceptibility testing systems …

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Yeast Identification by MALDI-TOF (VITEK): Introduction, Principle, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

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Yeast Identification by MALDI-TOF (VITEK): Introduction, Principle, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

Introduction Yeasts, especially Candida species, are among the most important causes of opportunistic fungal infections in humans. Accurate and rapid identification is crucial for guiding antifungal therapy and improving patient outcomes. Traditional phenotypic methods are time-consuming and often misidentify cryptic species. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight …

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Candida auris PCR-Directly on Clinical Samples: Introduction, Principle, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

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Candida auris PCR-Directly on Clinical Samples: Introduction, Principle, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

Introduction Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast responsible for outbreaks of healthcare-associated infections worldwide. It is difficult to identify by conventional culture and biochemical methods, often misidentified as other Candida species (C. haemulonii, C. famata). Rapid and accurate detection is essential to initiate infection …

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Fungal Blood Culture-Mold: Introduction, Principle, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

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Fungal Blood Culture Bottle showing fungal growth

Introduction Molds such as Aspergillus, Fusarium, Scedosporium, and members of the Mucorales are important causes of invasive fungal infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients (oncology, transplant, hematology, ICU). Unlike yeasts (Candida, Cryptococcus), which are more frequently recovered from blood cultures, molds are rarely detected in routine …

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Mold Identification by MALDI-TOF (BRUKER)-Introduction, Principle, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

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Introduction Accurate and timely identification of molds is essential for clinical microbiology, especially in cases of invasive fungal infections caused by Aspergillus, Fusarium, Scedosporium, Mucorales, and other filamentous fungi. Traditional methods based on morphology and phenotypic characteristics are slow, require expertise, and may misidentify cryptic …

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Fungemia-Introduction, Common Fungi, Clinical Feature, Lab Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

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Blood fungal culture bottles containing a biphasic medium used for detecting fungal growth in fungemic patients

Introduction Fungemia refers to the presence of fungi in the bloodstream, indicating systemic fungal infection. Candida species are most commonly responsible, but other yeasts and molds may also invade the bloodstream. Fungemia is a medical emergency, especially in ICU patients, immunocompromised hosts, post-surgical cases, and …

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Funguria-Introduction, Common fungi, Clinical Feature, Lab Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

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Urine sample for fungal culture and KOH mount

Introduction Funguria refers to the presence of fungi in the urine, either due to colonization, contamination, or true urinary tract infection (UTI). It is increasingly reported in hospitalized or catheterized patients, particularly those with immunosuppression, antibiotic overuse, or diabetes. Most cases are asymptomatic, but it …

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Fungal Pneumonia-Introduction, Common fungi, Clinical Feature, Lab Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

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Aspergillus fumigatus growth on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) plate

Introduction Fungal pneumonia or invasive fungal pulmonary infection is often life-threatening, especially in immunocompromised patients, such as those with cancer, undergoing chemotherapy, or with HIV/AIDS. pulmonary inflammation caused by inhaled fungal spores or hematogenous fungal spread, leading to pneumonia-like illness. Common Fungi Causing Pulmonary Infections: …

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