tion mechanism from existing antifungal agents, and its clinical efficacy is expected. MCFG exhibits a wide antifungal spectrum against Candida and Apergillus species in vitro by inhibiting biosynthesis of the major fungal cell wall component, 1,3-b-D-glucan. Its superior transfer to the lung may be highly effective for prevention and treatment of pulmonary mycosis. Clinically, MCFG is particul...

We recently reported an outbreak of invasive aspergillosis in the major heart surgery unit of Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain (T. Peláez, P. Muñoz, J. Guinea, M. Valerio, M. Giannella, C. H. W. Klaassen, and E. Bouza, Clin. Infect. Dis., in press). Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from clinical samples from 10 patients admitted to the unit during the outbreak period (surgical wound i...

Metabolite-based detection of aspergillosis Aspergillosis is a group of diseases caused by the inhalation of ubiquitous Aspergillus spores, generally Aspergillus fumigatus [1], that evade the host immune system [2]. Its most aggressive form, invasive aspergillosis (IA), carries a particularly grim prognosis in immunocompromised patients [2]. High mortality and the associated socioeconomic burde...

bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1999; 82: 511–516. 4 Salez F, Brichet A, Desurmont S, et al. Effect of itraconazole therapy in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Chest 1999; 116: 1665–1668. 5 Montoya JG, Chaparro SV, Celis D, et al. Invasive aspergillosis in the setting of cardiac transplantation. Clin Infect Dis 2003; 37: 281–292. 6 Rijnders BJ, Cornelissen JJ,...

Clinical evaluation was retrospectively made of the results of serological diagnostic methods using plasma and/or sera of patients for the diagnosis of aspergillosis, candidosis, and pneumocystosis. Specimens were drawn from 8 patients with invasive aspergillosis, 3 with aspergilloma, 9 with candidosis, 4 with pneumocystosis, and 15 with no fungal infections. In invasive aspergillosis, the sens...

INTRODUCTION Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis is an uncommon subacute form of Aspergillus infection. It typically occurs in immunocompromised individuals and in those with underlying lung disease. This interesting case highlights the occurrence of this entity of aspergillosis in an immunocompetent middle-aged woman with atypical radiological findings. To the best of our knowledge thi...

There has been an increase in data suggesting that besides air, hospital water is a potential source of transmission of filamentous fungi, and in particular Aspergillus fumigatus. Molecular characterization of environmental and clinical A. fumigatus isolates, collected prospectively during an 18-month period, was performed to establish if waterborne fungi play a role in the pathogenesis of inva...

The mortality of central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis approaches 100%, requiring improved therapies. Voriconazole gives superior efficacy and survival in invasive aspergillosis, compared with amphotericin B. Also, in contrast to other antifungal drugs, voriconazole penetrates well into the CNS. We evaluated, retrospectively, the outcome and survival of 81 patients who were treated with vo...

The galactosaminogalactan (GAG) is a cell wall component of Aspergillus fumigatus that has potent anti-inflammatory effects in mice. However, the mechanisms responsible for the anti-inflammatory property of GAG remain to be elucidated. In the present study we used in vitro PBMC stimulation assays to demonstrate, that GAG inhibits proinflammatory T-helper (Th)1 and Th17 cytokine production in hu...

Invasive aspergillosis is a rare complication in patients with influenza infection. Several cases of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis accompanying influenza infections were reported during the influenza A/H1N1pdm 2009. We encountered a case of acute cerebral aspergillosis in a patient with influenza A/H1N1pdm 2009 infection. A 24-year-old man with uncontrolled diabetes was diagnosed with influe...