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Infection Prevention and Control of Fungal Infections

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A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Pathogenesis and Disease Control".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2024 | Viewed by 5037

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Presterl

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Guest Editor

Department of Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Interests: infection prevention and control of fungal infection; effectiveness of disinfectants and new disinfection and decontamination approaches toward fungi; epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections including invasive fungal infections; principles and open questions about fungal-healthcare-associated infection; emerging fungal pathogens in the hospital environment; new approaches to prevent fungal infections

Dr. Magda Diab-Elschahawi

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Guest Editor

Department for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Control Vienna General Hospital, Vienna, Austria
Interests: infection prevention and control of fungal infection; effectiveness of disinfectants and new disinfection and decontamination approaches on fungi; epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections including invasive fungal infections; principles and open questions about fungal-healthcare-associated infection; emerging fungal pathogens in the hospital environment; new approaches to prevent fungal infections

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are looking for innovative decontamination approaches toward environmentally tenacious healthcare-associated fungi such as C. auris, resistance against many types of disinfection, and antifungals. We are also interested in new emerging fungal pathogens in the hospital environment and the influence of COVID-19 as a possible risk factor for invasive fungal infection in certain patient populations.

Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Presterl
Dr. Magda Diab-Elschahawi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

infection control
invasive fungal infection
emerging fungal pathogens
hospital environment
disinfection
COVID-19

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 610 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Candida auris Surveillance in High-Risk Settings by Implementing a High-Throughput Molecular Assay on the Hologic Fusion Open Access Platform

by Filipe M. Cerqueira, Jennifer Bertsch, Mary Ann DeMaet, Teresa York, April McDougal, Janak A. Patel and Ping Ren

J. Fungi 2024, 10(4), 285; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10040285 - 12 Apr 2024

Viewed by 562

Abstract

Candida auris, a resilient pathogenic yeast with frequent multidrug resistance, presents a persistent challenge in healthcare settings. The timely identification of C. auris is crucial for infection control and prevention, especially in facilities facing unique hurdles, such as our institution, which serves four major hospitals and approximately 80% of the Texas inmate population. Understaffing, communal living, and financial constraints exacerbate infection control issues. To address common staff shortages, streamline testing services, and enhance testing efficiency, there was a pressing need for rapid and high-throughput detection of C. auris. This study presents the validation and utility of an assay implemented on the Hologic Fusion Open Access platform using samples collected from high-risk patients’ axilla and groin areas, as well as environmental swab samples from patient rooms. Our assay complemented efforts to control C. auris outbreaks within our healthcare system, providing valuable insights into its presence within surveillance samples. This assay demonstrated the value of high-throughput molecular detection platforms in challenging healthcare environments by aiding infection preventionists in containing the spread of C. auris and preventing nosocomial infections. Our research contributes essential data on the suitability and performance of the Hologic Fusion Open Access platform for C. auris detection. These findings hold significant implications for enhancing surveillance and control measures in high-risk settings, making a significant impact on the field of infection control and prevention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infection Prevention and Control of Fungal Infections)

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12 pages, 815 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Candida auris in Austria—What Is New and What Is Different

by Kathrin Spettel, Richard Kriz, Christine Wu, Lukas Achter, Stefan Schmid, Sonia Galazka, Brigitte Selitsch, Iris Camp, Athanasios Makristathis, Heimo Lagler and Birgit Willinger

J. Fungi 2023, 9(2), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9020129 - 17 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2330

Abstract

Candida auris is a novel and emerging pathogenic yeast which represents a serious global health threat. Since its first description in Japan 2009, it has been associated with large hospital outbreaks all over the world and is often resistant to more than one antifungal drug class. To date, five C. auris isolates have been detected in Austria. Morphological characterization and antifungal susceptibility profiles against echinocandins, azoles, polyenes and pyrimidines, as well as the new antifungals ibrexafungerp and manogepix, were determined. In order to assess pathogenicity of these isolates, an infection model in Galleria mellonella was performed and whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis was conducted to determine the phylogeographic origin. We could characterize four isolates as South Asian clade I and one isolate as African clade III. All of them had elevated minimal inhibitory concentrations to at least two different antifungal classes. The new antifungal manogepix showed high in vitro efficacy against all five C. auris isolates. One isolate, belonging to the African clade III, showed an aggregating phenotype, while the other isolates belonging to South Asian clade I were non-aggregating. In the Galleria mellonella infection model, the isolate belonging to African clade III exhibited the lowest in vivo pathogenicity. As the occurrence of C. auris increases globally, it is important to raise awareness to prevent transmission and hospital outbreaks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infection Prevention and Control of Fungal Infections)

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Review

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18 pages, 3262 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sporothrix brasiliensis: Epidemiology, Therapy, and Recent Developments

by Melissa Orzechowski Xavier, Vanice Rodrigues Poester, Mariana Rodrigues Trápaga and David A. Stevens

J. Fungi 2023, 9(9), 921; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9090921 - 13 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1728

Abstract

Sporotrichosis caused by Sporothrix brasiliensis is an emergent mycosis that is now a worldwide concern. One important step to sporotrichosis control is its correct treatment. However, limitations abound; thus, new antifungals, mainly focused on S. brasiliensis, are urgently needed. We performed a systematic review (following the PRISMA guideline) focused on (1) the global distribution of human and animal sporotrichosis by S. brasiliensis, especially outside of Brazil; (2) appraising therapies tested against this pathogen. We identified sporotrichosis caused by S. brasiliensis reported in five countries (Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, the United Kingdom, and the United States) in addition to Brazil, occurring on three continents, highlighting the epidemiological scenario in Argentina with an important increase in reported cases in recent years. Regarding the antifungal activity of drugs, 25 articles described the in vitro action of 20 unique chemicals and eight repurposed drugs against S. brasiliensis. Only five studies reported in vivo activity against S. brasiliensis (five drugs) using invertebrate and vertebrate models. Sporotrichosis caused by S. brasiliensis has a global impact and it is no longer specifically a Brazilian problem. We review the need for understanding the disease epidemiology, education of clinicians and of the populace, organization of health care delivery to respond to a spreading epidemic, and research on therapy for sporotrichosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infection Prevention and Control of Fungal Infections)

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