Exophiala species are ubiquitous dematiaceous yeast-like fungi of the order Chaetothyriales that bear melanin-like pigment in their cell wall that is responsible for their dark color and is thought to be a major fungal virulence factor [1–3]. Among the agents of phaeohyphomycosis (cutaneous, subcutaneous, and invasive infections caused by dark-walled fungi), most human Exophiala infections are ...

Central nervous system (CNS) fungal infections have a high rate of morbidity and mortality that increased during last three decades. CNS fungal infections present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. High numbers of organ transplants, chemotherapy patients, intensive care unit hospitalizations, immunocompromised patients and haematological malignancies increase morbidity and mortality. Sever...

Fungal infections pose a significant risk for the increasing population of individuals who are immunocompromised. Phagocytes play an important role in immune defense against fungal pathogens, but the interactions between host and fungi are still not well understood. Sphingolipids have been shown to play an important role in many cell functions, including the function of phagocytes. In this revi...

The aim of this study was to examine the burden of fungal disease in Norway, contributing to a worldwide effort to improve awareness of the needs for better diagnosis and treatment of such infections. We used national registers and actual data from the Departments of Microbiology from 2015 and estimated the incidence and/or prevalence of superficial, allergic and invasive fungal disease using p...

Invasive fungal infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients who receive immunosuppressive therapy, such as solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Many of the fungi associated with these infections are angioinvasive and are best diagnosed by visualizing the organism in or culturing the organism from deep tissue. However, obtaining such...

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Fungal endophthalmitis caused by dissemination from extraocular fungal infections has been reported to vary between 9% and 45%. However, recent clinical experience disagrees with that. This study is an investigation of patients in an inner city teaching hospital, the risks associated with endogenous fungal endophthalmitis, and this incidence. METHODS All ophthalmology consu...

Fungal infections of skin are one of the most common infections in human beings. The areas which are likely to get infected include the scalp, the hands and the feet. Dermatophytes, yeasts and moulds are the three major fungi responsible for skin infections. Earlier oral antifungal agents were used for treatment of fungal infection in finger and toe nails. The disadvantages of oral antifungal a...

OBJECTIVES Heart and lung transplant recipients are at risk for invasive fungal infections. This study evaluated the affect of single-agent antifungal prophylaxis with itraconazole on the rate of fungal infections after heart or lung transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS An observational, retrospective study was performed to evaluate the rate of fungal infections in heart and lung transplant reci...