Randomised Comparison of Safety Profile and Short Term Response of Itraconazole, Voriconazole and Amphotericin B in the Management of Chronic Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis. Debbarma et al., 2019.
This is a small but important study, the first randomised controlled trial for chronic invasive fungal rhino sinusitis (CIFS). It evaluates the short term clinical response to itraconazole, voriconazole and amphotericin B. The authors suggest that voriconazole may be the most effective treatment modality for chronic invasive fungal sinusitis compared to other commonly used drugs such as itraconazole and amphotericin B.
Evaluation of target attainment of oral posaconazole suspension in immunocompromised children. Lai et al., 2020
Invasive fungal infections are serious complications in immunocompromised paediatric patients that have had intensive chemotherapy or haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Antifungal prophylaxis can reduce incidence. This study investigates whether posaconaole is an effective prophylactic, it is increasingly being used off label, despite questions around efficacy and safety. The authors report sub-therapeutic concentrations and highlight the need for new formulations for children.
Polymorphisms within the ARNT2 and CX3CR1 Genes Are Associated with the Risk of Developing Invasive Aspergillosis. Lupiañez et al., 2020
This paper describes 7 potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the macrophage related ARNT2 and CX3CR1 genes and assesses the contribution that these SNPs may have in invasive aspergillosis (IA) susceptibility in high-risk hematological patients. The authors also conducted functional assays to determine the effect of these markers on the immune response to Aspergillus fumigatus. They report a consistent association with IA risk for 3 SNPs within the ARNT2 and CX3CR1 genes and immune response effects including impaired macrophage-mediated production of IL1β and exacerbated release of IL8.
Concomitant Presence of Aspergillus Species and Mycobacterium Species in the Respiratory Tract of Patients: Underestimated Co-occurrence? Dellière et al., 2020
This 7 year retrospective study in France, assesses the prevalence of Aspergillus and Mycobacterium concomitant isolation from respiratory samples, and depicts related clinical and microbiological characteristics. The authors report that co-infection is rare and note that further studies are warranted in order to fully describe the exact relationship between these opportunistic pathogens and the clinical impact of co-isolations.
The fungal CCAAT-binding complex and HapX display highly variable but evolutionary conserved synergetic promoter-specific DNA recognition. Furukawa et al., 2020.
HapX is involved in iron homeostasis and is crucial for fungal virulence. It interacts with the CCAAT-binding complex (CBC). This paper describes, using in vivo and in vitro analyses, the plasticity and mode of CBC:HapX:DNA interaction. It describes the cooperative DNA-binding pattern of HapX and the CBC which comprises a CBC-binding site with a consensus sequence and two 3’-downstream HapX recognition sites. The interactions are essential for full HapX functionality during both iron starvation and excess.