Medically important pathogenic fungi invade vertebrate tissue and are considered primary when part of their nature life cycle is associated with an animal host and are usually able to infect immunocompetent hosts. Opportunistic fungal pathogens complete their life cycle in environmental habitats or occur as commensals within or on the vertebrate body, but under certain conditions can thrive upon infecting humans. The extent of host damage in opportunistic infections largely depends on the portal and modality of entry as well as on the host's immune and metabolic status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe emerging pathogen has been associated with nosocomial outbreaks on six continents. Genetic analysis indicates simultaneous and independent emergence of separate clades of the species in different geographical locations. Both invasive infection and colonization have been observed, warranting attention due to variable antifungal resistance profiles and hospital transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF-related inherited immune disorders are a major risk factor for chronic disseminated fungal infection. In addition to pathogens of and dermatophytes, the environmental opportunists of the black yeast-like fungi are relatively frequent in this patient cohort. Particularly the genus is overrepresented.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis article is the 13th contribution in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein 125 taxa from four phyla, ten classes, 31 orders, 69 families, 92 genera and three genera are treated, demonstrating worldwide and geographic distribution. Fungal taxa described and illustrated in the present study include three new genera, 69 new species, one new combination, one reference specimen and 51 new records on new hosts and new geographical distributions. Three new genera, (), ( genus ) and () are introduced based on distinct phylogenetic lineages and unique morphologies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRapid and accurate differentiation of complex () species from other mycobacterium is essential for appropriate therapeutic management, timely intervention for infection control and initiation of appropriate health care measures. However, routine clinical characterization methods for () species remain both, time consuming and labor intensive. In the present study, an innovative liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry method for the identification of clinically most relevant complex species is tested using a model set of mycobacterium strains.
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