• Exophiala dermatitidis
• Black fungi
• Filamentous fungi
• Indoor environments

• Exophiala/drug effects
• Exophiala/isolation & purification
• Antifungal Agents/pharmacology
• Humans
• Drug Resistance, Fungal
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Phaeohyphomycosis/microbiology
• Phaeohyphomycosis/drug therapy
• Family Characteristics
• Voriconazole/pharmacology
• Sweden
• Triazoles

• NK received research support from FoU-labmedicin, Sahlgrenska university Hospital
• University of Gothenburg

• Mycobiome
• bioreactor
• faecal indicators
• opportunistic fungi
• pollution
• river

• 14-αdemethylase
• Candida albicans
• DNA gyrase
• Staphylococcus aureus
• antimicrobials
• pyrrole
• synthesis

• Molecular Docking Simulation
• 14-alpha Demethylase Inhibitors/pharmacology
• DNA Gyrase/metabolism
• DNA Gyrase/pharmacology
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry
• Pyrroles/pharmacology
• Pyrroles/chemistry
• Antifungal Agents/pharmacology
• Antifungal Agents/chemistry
• Escherichia coli
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Molecular Structure
• Structure-Activity Relationship

Oceans are a rich source of structurally unique bioactive compounds from the perspective of potential therapeutic agents. Marine peptides are a particularly interesting group of secondary metabolites because of their chemistry and wide range of biological activities. Among them, cyclic peptides exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities, including against bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. Moreover, there are several examples of marine cyclic peptides revealing interesting antimicrobial activities against numerous drug-resistant bacteria and fungi, making these compounds a very promising resource in the search for novel antimicrobial agents to revert multidrug-resistance. This review summarizes 174 marine cyclic peptides with antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, or antiviral properties. These natural products were categorized according to their sources—sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, crabs, marine bacteria, and fungi—and chemical structure—cyclic peptides and depsipeptides. The antimicrobial activities, including against drug-resistant microorganisms, unusual structural characteristics, and hits more advanced in (pre)clinical studies, are highlighted. Nocathiacins I–III (91–93), unnarmicins A (114) and C (115), sclerotides A (160) and B (161), and plitidepsin (174) can be highlighted considering not only their high antimicrobial potency in vitro, but also for their promising in vivo results. Marine cyclic peptides are also interesting models for molecular modifications and/or total synthesis to obtain more potent compounds, with improved properties and in higher quantity. Solid-phase Fmoc- and Boc-protection chemistry is the major synthetic strategy to obtain marine cyclic peptides with antimicrobial properties, and key examples are presented guiding microbiologist and medicinal chemists to the discovery of new antimicrobial drug candidates from marine sources.

• antimicrobial resistance
• cyclic depsipeptides
• cyclic peptides
• marine peptides
• peptide synthesis

The first step in the infection of fungal pathogens in humans is the adhesion of the pathogen to host tissue cells or abiotic surfaces such as catheters and implants. One of the main players involved in this are the expressed cell wall adhesins. Here, we review the Flo adhesin family and their involvement in the adhesion of these yeasts during human infections. Firstly, we redefined the Flo adhesin family based on the domain architectures that are present in the Flo adhesins and their functions, and set up a new classification of Flo adhesins. Next, the structure, function, and adhesion mechanisms of the Flo adhesins whose structure has been solved are discussed in detail. Finally, we identified from Pfam database datamining yeasts that could express Flo adhesins and are encountered in human infections and their adhesin architectures. These yeasts are discussed in relation to their adhesion characteristics and involvement in infections.

• Candida glabrata
• Flo adhesin family
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• abiotic surface adhesion
• adhesin architecture
• adhesin structure
• host-pathogen interaction
• pathogenic yeasts

• Biofilm
• Candida auris
• Cytotoxicity
• Drug resistance
• Hemolysis
• Monohydrazones

• Animals
• Antifungal Agents/chemical synthesis
• Antifungal Agents/chemistry
• Antifungal Agents/pharmacology
• Biofilms/drug effects
• Candida/drug effects
• Candida/physiology
• Cell Line
• Cell Survival/drug effects
• Drug Resistance, Microbial/drug effects
• Halogenation
• Hemolysis/drug effects
• Humans
• Hydrazones/chemical synthesis
• Hydrazones/chemistry
• Hydrazones/pharmacology
• Mice
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Structure-Activity Relationship
• Voriconazole/pharmacology

• UL1 TR000117 NCATS NIH HHS
• P20 RR020171 NCRR NIH HHS
• P20 GM130456 NIGMS NIH HHS
• R01 CA172379 NCI NIH HHS
• UL1 TR001998 NCATS NIH HHS

• antibacterial activity
• antifungal activity
• carbazole
• clinical isolate of Staphylococcus aureus

Despite the various applications of Satureja species, there are limited data in this domain. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to investigate the essential oil (EO) biological activity of S. macrosiphon species in Iran.

The EO of S. macrosiphon flowers was obtained by hydrodistillation. Chemical compositions of the EO were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In addition, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were measured by means of the broth microdilution method. The estimation of antibiofilm and cytotoxic activities was also accomplished using the tetrazolium salt and MTT assays, respectively.

A total of 26 components were identified in the EO with linalool as the main constituent (28.46%). A MIC range value of 0.25-8 μL/mL was obtained against all of the tested fungi. The EO inhibited the biofilm development of the Candida tested strains at a concentration of 4-8 μL/mL. Cytotoxicity (IC₅₀) of EO against the HeLa cell was greater than the MIC concentration (6.49 μL/mL).

Based on the findings, it was concluded that the EO of S. macrosiphon has the potential for further use as an antifungal agent.

• Essential oil
• MTT assay
• Satureja macrosiphon
• XTT assay

• Antifungal
• Benzimidazole
• Cytotoxic
• MTT
• Nano-SnCl4/SiO2

Three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in Gauteng province in South Africa were investigated to determine the diversity, co-occurrence and implications of their fungal communities using illumina sequencing platform and network analysis. Phylogenetic taxonomy revealed that members of the fungal communities were assigned to 6 phyla and 361 genera. Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were the most abundant phyla, dominated by the genera Naumovozyma, Pseudotomentella, Derxomyces, Ophiocordyceps, Pulchromyces and Paecilomyces. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of fungal OTUs related to class lineages such as Agaricomycetes, Eurotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes indicating new fungal diversity in WWTPs. Dominant and rare fungal genera that can potentially be used in bioremediation such as Trichoderma, Acremonium, Talaromyces, Paecilomyces, cladophialophora and Saccharomyces were detected. Conversely, genera whose members are known to be pathogenic to human and plant such as Olpidium, Paecilomyces, Aspergillus, Rhodotorula, Penicillium, Candida, Synchytrium, Phyllosticta and Mucor were also detected in all WWTPs. Phylotype analysis confirmed that some fungal phylotypes were highly similar to the reported fungal pathogens of concern. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the fungal genera such as Minimedusa, Glomus, Circinella, Coltricia, Caloplaca, Phylosticta, Peziza, Candida, and Hydnobolites were the major networking hub in the WWTPs. The overall results in this study highlighted that WWTPs represent a potential source of beneficial fungi for bioremediation of pollutants in the ecosystem and the need to consider human and plant fungal pathogens during safety evaluation of treated wastewater for reuse.

• epidemiology
• fungal infections

• Infectious diseases
• Structural biology

• R01 HL062150 NHLBI NIH HHS
• the National Key Research and Development Program of China,2017YFA0505903 the National Natural Science Foundation of China,31370735 and 31670737 the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province and Foundation,2014KJT021-2014SZ and 2015JQO029 Chengdu Hi-TECH Industrial Development Zone,2016-XT00-00033-GX-01
• the National Natural Science Foundation of China,81672782 Sichuan Province Foundation,2018JY0018

In the present work, 15 new 1-(4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)phenyl)-3-(4-substituedphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one derivatives (3a–3o) were synthesized to evaluate their antifungal activity. Structures of newly synthesized imidazole derivatives (3a–3o) were characterized by IR, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and LCMSMS spectroscopic methods. The anticandidal activity of compounds (3a–3o) against C. albicans (ATCC 24433), C. krusei (ATCC 6258), C. parapsilosis (ATCC 22019), and C. glabrata (ATCC 90030) was elucidated according to the EUCAST definitive (EDef 7.1) method. Consistent with the activity studies, 3a–3d were found to be more potent derivatives with their MIC₅₀ values (0.78 µg/mL–3.125 µg/mL) against Candida strains. Compound 3c indicated similar antifungal activity to ketoconazole against all Candida species and was evaluated as the most active derivative in the series. Effects of the most potent derivatives 3a–3d on ergosterol biosynthesis were observed by LC-MS-MS method, which is based on quantification of the ergosterol level in C. krusei. Moreover, these compounds were subjected to a cytotoxicity test for the preliminary toxicological profiles and were found as non-cytotoxic. Furthermore, docking studies for the most active derivative 3c were performed to evaluate its binding modes on lanosterol 14-α-demethylase. In addition to in vitro tests, docking studies also revealed that Compound 3c is a potential ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitor.

• 14-alpha demethylase
• anticandidal activity
• docking study
• ergosterol inhibition
• imidazole

• Deep tissue samples
• diagnosis
• fungal PCR
• invasive fungal disease

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Finland
• Hospitals, University
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Invasive Fungal Infections/diagnosis
• Male
• Microbiological Techniques/methods
• Microscopy/methods
• Middle Aged
• Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods
• Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Retrospective Studies
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Young Adult

• Broad-range fungal diagnostics
• Emerging fungal pathogens
• Invasive fungal infections
• Molecular fungal diagnostics
• Panfungal PCR

• Fungal infection
• Mucorales
• Opportunistic infection
• Sinusitis
• Turbinate sign

• D2 region of the large-subunit rRNA gene
• GenBank
• Identification
• Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions
• Mould
• MycoBank
• Sequencing

• Aspergillus
• Bibliometric
• Candida
• fungal infections
• prevention
• resistance
• triazole

Mycoses are serious health problem, especially in immunocompromised individuals. A new imidazole-bearing compound containing an oxime functionality was synthesized and characterized with different spectroscopic techniques to be used for the preparation of new antifungal agents. The stereochemistry of the oxime double bond was unequivocally determined via the single crystal X-ray technique. The title compound 4, C₁₃H₁₃N₃O₃·C₃H₈O, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁with a = 9.0963(3) Å, b = 14.7244(6) Å, c = 10.7035(4) Å, β = 94.298 (3)°, V = 1429.57(9) ų, Z = 2. The molecules were packed in the crystal structure by eight intermolecular hydrogen bond interactions. A comprehensive spectral analysis of the title molecule 4 has been performed based on the scaled quantum mechanical (SQM) force field obtained by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. A molecular docking study illustrated the binding mode of the title compound 4 into its target protein. The preliminary antifungal activity of the title compound 4 was determined using a broth microdilution assay.

• DFT
• benzodioxole
• crystal structure
• imidazole
• oxime

• Fungal
• infection
• tenosynovitis
• upper extremity

• Candida albicans
• DC polarity
• electrotherapy
• fungal infections
• ultrastructural morphology

• Fungal infections
• Ukraine
• aspergillosis
• candidiasis
• cryptococcosis

• Aspergillus
• Candida
• fungal pathogens
• proteomics
• vaccine candidates

The ethnomedicinal plant Curatella americana L. (Dilleniaceae) is a common shrub in the Brazilian cerrado, in which crude extract showed antifungal activity in a preliminary study. In this work, the antifungal and cytotoxic properties of the crude extract, fractions, and isolated compounds from C. americana were evaluated against the standard yeast strains Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis, clinical isolates, and fluconazole-resistant strains. The combinatory effects between subfractions and isolated compounds and effects on cell morphology, virulence factors, and exogenous ergosterol were also evaluated. The MIC obtained against the Candida species including fluconazole-resistant strain ranged from 15.3 to 31.3 µg/mL for crude extract, 3.9 to 15.6 µg/mL for ethyl acetate fraction, and 7.8 to 31.3 µg/mL for subfractions. The isolated compounds identified as 4′-O-methyl-catechin, epicatechin-3-O-gallate, and 4′-O-methyl-catechin-3-O-gallate showed lower antifungal activity than the crude extract and fractions (MIC ranging from 31.3 to 125.0 µg/mL). The addition of exogenous ergosterol to yeast culture did not interfere in the antifungal activity of the extract and its fractions. Synergistic antifungal activity was observed between subfractions and isolated compounds. The effects on virulence factors and the different mechanisms of action compared to fluconazole and nystatin suggest that this ethnomedicinal plant may be an effective alternative treatment for candidiasis.

Invasive candidiasis (IC) bears a high risk of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care units (ICU). With the current advances in critical care and the use of wide-spectrum antibiotics, invasive fungal infections (IFIs) and IC in particular, have turned into a growing concern in the ICU. Further to blood cultures, some auxiliary laboratory tests and biomarkers are developed to enable an earlier detection of infection, however these test are neither consistently available nor validated in our setting. On the other hand, patients’ clinical status and local epidemiology data may justify the empiric antifungal approach using the proper antifungal option. The clinical approach to the management of IC in febrile, non-neutropenic critically ill patients has been defined in available international guidelines; nevertheless such recommendations need to be customized when applied to our local practice. Over the past three years, Iranian experts from intensive care and infectious diseases disciplines have tried to draw a consensus on the management of IFI with a particular focus on IC in the ICU. The established IFI-clinical forum (IFI-CF), comprising the scientific leaders in the field, has recently come up with and updated recommendation on the same (June 2014). The purpose of this review is to put together literature insights and Iranian experts’ opinion at the IFI-CF, to propose an updated practical overview on recommended approaches for the management of IC in the ICU.

• Invasive candidiasis
• Intensive care unit
• IFI-clinical forum
• Recommendations
• Iran

• Fungi/genetics
• Fungi/isolation & purification
• Fungi/pathogenicity
• Genes, Fungal
• Genes, Plant
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Prototheca/genetics
• Prototheca/isolation & purification
• Prototheca/pathogenicity
• RNA, Ribosomal/genetics
• Sequence Analysis, DNA
• Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

• Amphotericin B/pharmacology
• Antifungal Agents/pharmacology
• Biofilms/growth & development
• Candida/isolation & purification
• Candida/metabolism
• Candida/pathogenicity
• Candida/physiology
• Candidiasis/microbiology
• Environmental Microbiology
• Fluconazole/pharmacology
• Hemolysin Proteins/metabolism
• Hospitals
• Humans
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests
• Prevalence

• c. albicans
• c. neoformans
• glucan
• hsp60
• melanin
• ceramide
• radioimmunotherapy

• Animals
• Antibodies, Fungal/isolation & purification
• Antibodies, Fungal/therapeutic use
• Antibodies, Monoclonal/isolation & purification
• Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
• Antigens, Fungal/immunology
• Antigens, Fungal/metabolism
• Mice
• Mycoses/radiotherapy
• Radioimmunotherapy/methods
• Radioisotopes/therapeutic use

• R01 AI033142 NIAID NIH HHS
• R01 AI071142 NIAID NIH HHS
• R01 AI033774 NIAID NIH HHS
• R56 AI087541 NIAID NIH HHS
• R01 AI052733 NIAID NIH HHS
• R56 AI060507 NIAID NIH HHS
• R01 AI056168 NIAID NIH HHS
• R56 AI060507-06 NIAID NIH HHS

Opportunistic fungal pathogens may cause superficial or serious invasive infections, especially in immunocompromised and debilitated patients. Invasive mycoses represent an exponentially growing threat for human health due to a combination of slow diagnosis and the existence of relatively few classes of available and effective antifungal drugs. Therefore systemic fungal infections result in high attributable mortality. There is an urgent need to pursue and deploy novel and effective alternative antifungal countermeasures. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was established as a successful modality for malignancies and age-related macular degeneration but photodynamic inactivation has only recently been intensively investigated as an alternative antimicrobial discovery and development platform. The concept of photodynamic inactivation requires microbial exposure to either exogenous or endogenous photosensitizer molecules, followed by visible light energy, typically wavelengths in the red/near infrared region that cause the excitation of the photosensitizers resulting in the production of singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species that react with intracellular components, and consequently produce cell inactivation and death. Antifungal PDT is an area of increasing interest, as research is advancing (i) to identify the photochemical and photophysical mechanisms involved in photoinactivation; (ii) to develop potent and clinically compatible photosensitizers; (iii) to understand how photoinactivation is affected by key microbial phenotypic elements multidrug resistance and efflux, virulence and pathogenesis determinants, and formation of biofilms; (iv) to explore novel photosensitizer delivery platforms; and (v) to identify photoinactivation applications beyond the clinical setting such as environmental disinfectants.

• biofilms
• clinical applications
• multidrug efflux systems
• permeability barrier
• photodynamic inactivation
• photodynamic therapy
• photosensitizer
• reactive oxygen species

Radioimmunotherapy is the targeted delivery of cytocidal radiation to cells via specific antibody. Although mature for the treatment of cancer, RIT of infectious diseases is in pre-clinical development. However, as there is an obvious and urgent need for novel approaches to treat infectious diseases, RIT can provide us with a powerful approach to combat serious diseases, including invasive fungal infections. For example, RIT has proven more effective than standard amphotericin B for the treatment of experimental cryptococcosis. This review will discuss the concepts of RIT, its applications for infectious diseases, and the strides made to date to bring RIT of infectious diseases to fruition. Finally, we will discuss the potential of PAN-FUNGAL RIT, the targeting of conserved fungal cell surface antigens by RIT, as a treatment modality for fungi prior to the formal microbiological identification of the specific pathogen. In sum, RIT provides a mechanism for the targeted killing of drug susceptible or resistant fungi irrespective of the host immune status and may dramatically reduce the length of therapy currently required for many invasive fungal diseases.

• Candida albicans
• Cryptococcus neoformans
• Histoplasma capsulatum
• antibody
• beta-glucan
• heat shock protein 60
• melanin