Aspergillus hubkae, a Novel Species Isolated from a Patient with Probable Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis.

A 50-year-old man, previously diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cavities, presented with symptoms including fever, shortness of breath, and cough. A pulmonary CT scan revealed multiple cavities, consolidation and tree-in-bud in the upper lungs. Further investigation through direct examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed septate hyphae with dichotomous acute branching. Subsequent isolation and morphological analysis identified the fungus as belonging to Aspergillus section Nigri. The patient was diagnosed with probable invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and successfully treated with a three-month oral voriconazole therapy. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial ß-tubulin, calmodulin and RNA polymerase second largest subunit sequences revealed that the isolate represents a putative new species related to Aspergillus brasiliensis, and is named Aspergillus hubkae here. Antifungal susceptibility testing demonstrated that the isolate is resistant to itraconazole but susceptible to voriconazole. This phenotypic and genetic characterization of A. hubkae, along with the associated case report, will serve as a valuable resource for future diagnoses of infections caused by this species. It will also contribute to more precise and effective patient management strategies in similar clinical scenarios.

Silver(I) complexes with voriconazole as promising anti-Candida agents.

Recognizing that metal ions play an important role in modifying the pharmacological properties of known organic-based drugs, the present manuscript addresses the complexation of the antifungal agent voriconazole (vcz) with the biologically relevant silver(I) ion as a strategy for the development of new antimycotics. The synthesized silver(I) complexes with vcz were characterized by mass spectrometry, IR, UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystallographic results showed that complexes {[Ag(vcz)(H2O)]CH3SO3}n (1), {[Ag(vcz)2]BF4}n (2) and {[Ag(vcz)2]PF6}n (3) have polymeric structures in the solid state, in which silver(I) ions have a distorted tetrahedral geometry. On the other hand, DFT calculations revealed that the investigated silver(I) complexes 1-3 in DMSO exist as linear [Ag(vcz-N2)(vcz-N19)]+ (1a), [Ag(vcz-N2)(vcz-N4)]+ (2a) and [Ag(vcz-N4)2]+ (3a) species, respectively. The evaluated complexes showed an enhanced anti-Candida activity compared to the parent drug with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the range of 0.02-1.05 µM. In comparison with vcz, the corresponding silver(I) complexes showed better activity in prevention hyphae and biofilm formation of C. albicans, indicating that they could be considered as promising agents against Candida that significantly inhibit its virulence. Also, these complexes are much better inhibitors of ergosterol synthesis in the cell membrane of C. albicans at the concentration of 0.5 × MIC. This is also confirmed by a molecular docking, which revealed that complexes 1a - 3a showed better inhibitory activity than vcz against the sterol 14α-demethylase enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP51B), which plays a crucial role in the formation of ergosterol.

Fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis genotypes from hospitals located in five Spanish cities and one in Italy: Description of azole-resistance profiles associated with the Y132F ERG11p substitution.

BACKGROUND: Fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis is a matter of concern. OBJECTIVES: To describe fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis genotypes circulating across hospitals in Spain and Rome and to study their azole-resistance profile associated with ERG11p substitutions. PATIENTS/METHODS: We selected fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis isolates (n = 528 from 2019 to 2023; MIC ≥8 mg/L according to EUCAST) from patients admitted to 13 hospitals located in five Spanish cities and Rome. Additionally, we tested voriconazole, posaconazole, isavuconazole, amphotericin B, micafungin, anidulafungin and ibrexafungerp susceptibility. RESULTS: Of the 53 genotypes found, 49 harboured the Y132F substitution, five of which were dominating city-specific genotypes involving almost half the isolates. Another genotype involved isolates harbouring the G458S substitution. Finally, we found two genotypes with the wild-type ERG11 gene sequence and one with the R398I substitution. All isolates were fully susceptible/wild-type to amphotericin B, anidulafungin, micafungin and ibrexafungerp. The azole-resistance patterns found were: voriconazole-resistant (74.1%) or voriconazole-intermediate (25.2%), posaconazole-resistant (10%) and isavuconazole non-wild-type (47.5%). Fluconazole-resistant and voriconazole non-wild-type isolates were likely to harbour substitution Y132F if posaconazole was wild type; however, if posaconazole was non-wild type, substitution G458S was indicated if isavuconazole MIC was >0.125 mg/L or substitution Y132F if isavuconazole MIC was ≤0.125 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: We detected a recent clonal spread of fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis across some cities in Spain, mostly driven by dominating city-specific genotypes, which involved a large number of isolates harbouring the Y132F ERG11p substitution. Isolates harbouring substitution Y132F can be suspected because they are non-susceptible to voriconazole and rarely posaconazole-resistant.

Anti-Aspergillus activities of olorofim at sub-MIC levels during early-stage growth.

Olorofim, the first member of the novel class of antifungal drugs, the orotomides, shows promising anti-Aspergillus activity and is currently in phase III clinical development. Using high-throughput microscopy, we monitored olorofim's antifungal potential at sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) levels with a focus on early-stage growth. Unlike voriconazole, olorofim showed significant growth inhibitory activities against three main pathogenic Aspergillus species, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger, at concentrations >100,000-fold below its MIC. IMPORTANCE: Among antifungal compounds in clinical development for systemic disease, the orotomide olorofim is one of only two that target a completely new mechanism of action. Olorofim is highly potent against pathogenic Aspergillus species including cryptic species that frequently show increased resistance to current agents. In this study, our primary focus was on evaluating in detail the inhibitory activity of voriconazole and olorofim against different pathogenic Aspergillus species employing high-throughput microscopy. Compared to standardized, less-sensitive visual assessment-based methods, microscopy-assisted growth monitoring allowed us to detect sub-MIC drug concentration ranges with significant inhibitory activity at early-stage growth. This revealed that olorofim exerts growth inhibition at concentrations that are several magnitudes below those of voriconazole.

In vitro interactions of proton pump inhibitors and azoles against pathogenic fungi.

Introduction: Azole resistance has been increasingly reported and become an issue for clinical managements of invasive mycoses. New strategy with combination therapy arises as a valuable and promising alternative option. The aim of the present study is to investigate the in vitro combinational effect of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and azoles against pathogenic fungi. Methods: In vitro interactions of PPIs including omeprazole (OME), lansoprazole (LAN), pantoprazole (PAN), and rabeprazole (RAB), and commonly used azoles including itraconazole (ITC), posaconazole (POS), voriconazole (VRC) and fluconazole (FLC), were investigated via broth microdilution chequerboard procedure adapted from the CLSI M27-A3 and M38-A2. A total of 67 clinically isolated strains, namely 27 strains of Aspergillus spp., 16 strains of Candida spp., and 24 strains of dematiaceous fungi, were studied. C. parapsilosis (ATCC 22019) and A. flavus (ATCC 204304) was included to ensure quality control. Results: PPIs individually did not exert any significant antifungal activity. The combination of OME with ITC, POS, or VRC showed synergism against 77.6%, 86.6%, and 4% strains of tested pathogenic fungi, respectively, while synergism of OME/FLC was observed in 50% strains of Candida spp. Synergism between PAN and ITC, POS, or VRC was observed against 47.8%, 77.6% and 1.5% strains of tested fungi, respectively, while synergism of PNA/FLC was observed in 50% strains of Candida spp. Synergism of LAN with ITC, POS, or VRC was observed against 86.6%, 86.6%, and 3% of tested strains, respectively, while synergism of LAN/FLC was observed in 31.3% strains of Candida spp. Synergy of the combination of RAB with ITC, POS, or VRC was observed against 25.4%, 64.2%, and 4.5% of tested strains, respectively, while synergism of RAB/FLC was observed in 12.5% of Candida spp.. Among PPIs, synergism was least observed between RAB and triazoles, while among triazoles, synergism was least observed between VRC and PPIs. Among species, synergy was much more frequently observed in Aspergillus spp. and dematiaceous fungi as compared to Candida spp. Antagonism between PPIs with ITC or VRC was occasionally observed in Aspergillus spp. and dematiaceous fungi. It is notable that PPIs combined with azoles showed synergy against azole resistant A. fumigatus, and resulted in category change of susceptibility of ITC and POS against Candida spp. Discussion: The results suggested that PPIs combined with azoles has the potential to enhance the susceptibilities of azoles against multiple pathogenic fungi and could be a promising strategy to overcome azole resistance issues. However, further investigations are warranted to study the combinational efficacy in more isolates and more species, to investigate the underlying mechanism of interaction and to evaluate the potential for concomitant use of these agents in human.

Synergistic activity of clioquinol with voriconazole and amphotericin B against fungi of interest in eye infections.

Keratoplasty represents a risk factor for fungal eye infections, despites the antibacterial actives in the corneal tissue preservation means, it does not contain active substances with antifungal action. Among the most commonly associated fungal agents are the species belonging to the genera Fusarium and Candida. These agents can trigger an infectious process characterized by swift progression associated with high rates of morbidity, causing irreversible damage. Polyene and azole antifungals are the main agents of ocular therapy, however, they demonstrate some limitations, such as their toxicity and fungal resistance. In this context, drug repositioning and the combination of antifungals may be an alternative. Hence, the goal of this study was to investigate the potential activity of clioquinol (CLQ), a derivative of 8-hydroxyquinoline with previously described antifungal activity, along with its triple and quadruple combinations with antifungal agents commonly used in ophthalmic fungal therapy, natamycin (NAT), voriconazole (VRC), and amphotericin B (AMB), against main fungal pathogens in eye infections. The MICs for CLQ ranged from 0.25 to 2.0 µg/mL, for NAT from 4.0 to 32.0 µg/mL, for AMB it ranged from 0.25 to 16.0 µg/mL and for VRC from 0.03125 to 512.0 µg/mL. Among the tested combinations, the VRC-AMB-CLQ combination stands out, which showed a synergistic effect for more than 50 % of the tested strains and did not present antagonistic results against any of them. Toxicity data were similar to those antifungals already used, even with lower potential toxicity. Therefore, both clioquinol and the triple combination VCR-AMB-CLQ exhibited promising profiles for use as active components in corneal tissue preservation medium.

Observation of a Bone Invasion Model of Aspergillus fumigatus In Vitro and Analysis of the Antifungal Susceptibility.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the prevalence of invasive fungal infections has been on the rise, and one of the prevalent symptoms frequently observed is bone deterioration and bone loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using an in vitro model we studied how Aspergillus fumigatus invades the bone. Pathological analysis was then employed to observe the structure and distinctive features of the invading fungal elements within the bone invasion model. Meanwhile, the antifungal effects of itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and amphotericin B were evaluated. RESULTS: The pathological findings showed that in the experimental group, fungal spores and hyphae invaded the bone tissue or were observed growing in the vicinity of the bone edge tissues, as indicated by both HE and PAS staining. In contrast, no fungal elements were observed in the control group, indicating that the in vitro bone invasion model of A. fumigatus was successfully constructed. Furthermore, the findings from the antifungal sensitivity test demonstrated that the lowest effective concentrations of antifungal drugs against the bone invasion model were as follows: 4 µg/ml for itraconazole, 0.5 µg/ml for voriconazole, 2 µg/ml for posaconazole, and 2 µg/ml for amphotericin B. DISCUSSION: The successful construction of the bone invasion model of A. fumigatus has provided a solid basis for future investigations into the mechanisms underlying A. fumigatus bone invasion and the study of its virulence factors. Utilizing bone models is of utmost importance in advancing the development of novel antifungal treatment approaches, as well as in effectively preventing and treating fungal bone invasion and osteolytic diseases.

Four-Arm δ-Ornithine-Based Polypeptoids Resensitize Voriconazole against Azole-Resistant C. albicans.

Worldwide Candida albicans infections cause a huge burden in healthcare and the efficacy of traditional antifungals is diminished because of the rapid development of antifungal resistance. It is necessary to develop new antifungals or new strategies to make multidrug-resistant (MDR) C. albicans to resensitize to existing antifungal drugs. In this work, a series of 4-arm polypeptoids (FAPs) were synthesized through grafting linear ε-l-lysine or δ-ornithine-based oligopeptides to a trimeric lysine core. The most potent 4R-O7 exhibited excellent activities toward three sensitive and two MDR C. albicans strains with MIC values as low as 24-48 µg/mL (vs 375 µg/mL for ε-polylysine, ε-PL). The mechanism studies revealed that 4R-O7 penetrated the cell membrane and generated ROS to kill cells. 4R-O7 exhibited a synergistic effect (FICI < 0.5) with voriconazole (VOR) and also assisted VOR to restore its efficacy to MDR C. albicans. In addition, the combined use of 4R-O7 and VOR significantly improved the elimination efficacy of mature C. albicans biofilms and enhanced the potency in a mouse subcutaneous C. albicans infection model.

Impression Cytologic Evaluation of the Conjunctiva in Patients Treated with Topical 1% Voriconazole

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate any conjunctival metaplastic changes by impression cytology in patients who underwent topical 1% voriconazole treatment for severe fungal keratitis. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Departments of Ophthalmology and Medical Pathology. Patients who were treated with 1% topical voriconazole for fungal keratitis for at least 3 months were included. The used topical voriconazole treatment was initiated as one drop every hour and was tapered according to clinical improvement in all patients. Treatment was continued 4 times a day for at least 3 months. Impression cytology samples were collected at least 3 months after cessation of topical voriconazole from the affected eyes and from the fellow eyes as a control group. Collected specimens were transferred to the pathology department for evaluation and grading (Nelson's grading system). Results: The mean age of the patients was 57.68±17.32 years (range, 22-87 years). The impression cytology grade of the inferior bulbar conjunctiva was 1.73±0.77 (range, 0-3) in the study group and 1.19±0.98 (range, 0-3) in the control group (p=0.03). The impression cytology grade of the temporal bulbar conjunctiva was 1.69±0.73 (range, 0-3) in the study group and 1.15±0.88 (range, 0-3) in the control group (p=0.02). The impression cytology grades of the nasal and superior bulbar conjunctiva did not differ statistically (p values 0.13 and 0.17, respectively). Conclusion: Topical voriconazole is an effective broad-spectrum antifungal drug, but it induces conjunctival squamous metaplasia. Clinicians should be aware of this possible side effect of topical voriconazole and should carefully evaluate the conjunctiva of treated patients at each visit to detect possible metaplastic changes.

Analysis of the relationship between drug susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans isolates and mortality in HIV-negative cryptococcal meningitis.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between antifungal susceptibility and mortality of cryptococcal meningitis (CM) in HIV-negative patients is poorly understood. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 1-year follow-up of 200 HIV-negative CM patients with an initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture for Cryptococcus neoformans. According to the cut-off values of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), two groups of five antifungal agents were classified: amphotericin B (AmB), ≤0.5 µg/mL, >0.5 µg/mL; 5-flucytosine (5-FC), ≤4 µg/mL, >4 µg/mL; fluconazole (FLU), ≤4 µg/mL, >4 µg/mL; itraconazole (ITR), ≤0.125 µg/mL, >0.125 µg/mL; and voriconazole (VOR), <0.25 µg/mL, ≥0.25 µg/mL. Comparisons were performed to analyse clinical features, laboratory, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores, and CSF findings under different prognosis outcomes in 1-year. RESULTS: All of Cryptococcus neoformans isolates were sensitive to AmB and VOR, most of them were sensitive to 5-FC and FLU (95.5% and 90.5%, respectively) while only 55.0% of them were susceptible to ITR. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of ITR and VOR were significantly related to baseline mRS scores. All-cause mortality was not significantly related to MICs in Cryptococcus neoformans strains. The combination of actual antifungal agents and two groups of the MICs values for antifungal agents had no significant effects on all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION: Most Cryptococcus neoformans isolates were sensitive to AmB, VOR, 5-FC, and FLU. Because of the small number of deaths, we are not able to comment on whether MIC is associated with mortality of CM in HIV-negative patients.

Bacterial and fungal isolates from 107 cases of ulcerative keratitis in Japanese Thoroughbred racehorses (2017-2021).

Infectious ulcerative keratitis is a common disease in racehorses. To improve treatment outcomes, this study aimed to assess the antimicrobial susceptibilities of bacterial and fungal isolates obtained from the cornea of Japanese Thoroughbred racehorses with equine infectious ulcerative keratitis. Bacterial and fungal cultures were performed for 166 corneal swabs from 107 cases. A disc diffusion test and minimum inhibitory concentration test were also performed to assess antimicrobial susceptibility of the bacterial and fungal isolates, respectively. Bacterial and/or fungal isolates were obtained from 85.0% (91/107) of the cases. Staphylococcus was primarily isolated from bacterial isolates, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Aerococcus, Streptococcus, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas. Aspergillus was primarily isolated from filamentous fungi, and Debaryomyces species was primarily identified in yeast-like fungi. Ofloxacin resistance was observed in 100% (12/12), 15.9% (7/44), and 25.0% (3/12) of MRSA, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus isolates, respectively. The prevalence of quinolone-resistant Staphylococci and Streptococci has increased in the past two decades. All Aspergillus isolates were susceptible to voriconazole, whereas other filamentous fungi, including Fusarium, were less susceptible to voriconazole. Further studies are required to determine effective treatments for antimicrobial-resistant isolates.

The variability in CYP3A4 activity determines the metabolic kinetic characteristics of ketamine.

Ketamine is a psychotropic drug that can cause significant neurological symptoms and is closely linked to the activity of the CYP3A4 enzyme. This study aimed to examine the diversity of CYP3A4 activity affects the metabolism of ketamine, focusing on genetic variation and drug-induced inhibition. We used a baculovirus-insect cell expression system to prepare recombinant human CYP3A4 microsomes. Then, in vitro enzyme incubation systems were established and used UPLC-MS/MS to detect ketamine metabolite. In rats, we investigated the metabolism of ketamine and its metabolite in the presence of the CYP3A4 inhibitor voriconazole. Molecular docking was used to explore the molecular mechanism of inhibition. The results showed that the catalytic activity of CYP3A4.5, .17, .23, .28, and .29 significantly decreased compared to CYP3A4.1, with a minimum decrease of 3.13%. Meanwhile, the clearance rate of CYP3A4.2, .32, and .34 enhanced remarkably, ranging from 40.63% to 87.50%. Additionally, hepatic microsome incubation experiments revealed that the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of voriconazole for ketamine in rat and human liver microsomes were 18.01 ± 1.20 µM and 14.34 ± 1.70 µM, respectively. When voriconazole and ketamine were co-administered, the blood exposure of ketamine and norketamine significantly increased in rats, as indicated by the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and maximum concentration (Cmax). The elimination half-life (t1/2Z) of these substances was also prolonged. Moreover, the clearance (CLz/F) of ketamine decreased, while the apparent volume of distribution (Vz/F) increased significantly. This might be attributed to the competition between voriconazole and ketamine for binding sites on the CYP3A4 enzyme. In conclusion, variations in CYP3A4 activity would result in the stratification of ketamine blood exposure.

Development and validation of a colorimetric antifungal susceptibility testing method for the dimorphic fungus Talaromyces marneffei.

Antifungal drug resistance is an emerging cause of treatment failure in invasive fungal infections, and antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) may inform treatment decisions. Currently, there are no established AFST guidelines for Talaromyces marneffei (Tm) or other dimorphic fungi. We developed a colorimetric AFST method using a fluorescent redox indicator alamarBlue, which changes from blue to pink in proportion to cellular metabolic activity. We determined the optimal time for alamarBlue addition to be 24 h post-inoculation and for MIC reading to be 72 h post-inoculation. Our method allows three ways to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): visual inspection of color change, optical density, and fluorescence intensity. We validated the assay by determining the MICs for seven antifungals against 32 Tm clinical isolates and assessed the essential agreement (EA) and inter-rater reliability between our alamarBlue and the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) broth microdilution methods. The MIC ranges (from low to high) were: 0.008-0.025 µg/ml for itraconazole, 0.004-0.13 µg/ml for voriconazole, 0.03-0.13 µg/ml for posaconazole, 0.06-0.5 µg/ml for flucytosine, 0.5-1 µg/ml for amphotericin B, 0.5-4 µg/ml for caspofungin, and 0.5-16 µg/ml for fluconazole. The EAs were 100% between all three MIC readouts of the alamarBlue method, and 94%-100% between the alamarBlue and CLSI methods. Our alamarBlue method had substantially higher inter-rater agreement and offers a more reliable method that can be standardized across laboratories in both high- and low-resource settings compared to the established CLSI methodology.

We developed a colorimetric alamarBlue method to determine the susceptibility of antifungal drugs against Talaromyces marneffei. We observed excellent agreement between the alamarBlue method and the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute broth microdilution method, and the alamarBlue method had substantially higher inter-rater agreement.

[Clinical problems in Medical Mycology: Problem number 56]. / Problemas clínicos en Micología Médica: problema número 56.

We present the case of a twenty six year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis, treated with certolizumab. She sought medical attention due to cough, fever and night sweats. X-ray exam showed a miliary pneumonia. She was treated for tuberculosis and 50days later she presented with aphasia. Magnetic nuclear resonance revealed brain lesions. Histoplasma capsulatum PCR test and urinary antigen were positive, so an antifungal treatment with voriconazole was started. Visual adverse effects forced to change the antifungal schedule in both the length of treatment and the antifungal drug. With this measure the patient progressed favorably. The test of urinary Histoplasma capsulatum antigen and PCR amplification were key to make a diagnosis and also for a follow-up.

[Antifungal susceptibility of clinically isolated invasive Candida tropicalis in East China from 2017 to 2021].

Objective: To explore the epidemiological characteristics of sample distribution and antifungal susceptibilities of clinically invasive C. tropicalis isolates from 2017 to 2021 in East China. Methods: Using a retrospective analysis, the East China Invasive Fungal Infection Group (ECIFIG) collected C. tropicalis clinically isolated from 32 hospitals in East China between January 2017 and December 2021. The identification results of the strains were reviewed using mass spectrometry by the central laboratory of the Shanghai East Hospital. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the strains against fluconazole (FLU), voriconazole (VOR), itraconazole (ITR), Posaconazole (POS), isavuconazole (ISA), anidulafungin (ANI), caspofungin (CAS), micafungin (MICA) and 5-fluorocytosine (FCT) were tested by the ThermoFisher CMC1JHY colorimetric microdilution method. The MIC of amphotericin B (AMB) was tested by the broth microdilution method. The MIC results were analyzed based on the clinical breakpoints and epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M27 Ed3 and M57 Ed4 documents. Data analysis was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis test and paired t-test. Results: In total, 305 C. tropicalis isolates were collected. There were 38.0% (116/305) strains isolated from blood, 11.5% (35/305) ascites, 8.9% (27/305) catheter and 8.9% (27/305) drainage fluid. The resistance rate of C. tropicalis to FLU was 32.5%, to VOR was 28.5%, and the cross-resistance rate to FLU and VOR was 28.5%. The wild-type proportions for ITR and POS were 79.3% and 29.2% respectively. There was no significant difference in resistance rates, MIC50, and MIC90 of FLU and VOR, or in the wild-type rates of ITR and POS over five years. More than 95.0% of the isolates were susceptible to echinocandins. However, one strain was identified as being multi-drug resistant. In azole antifungals, voriconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole have similar GM MIC values. The GM MIC of fluconazole is significantly higher than that of itraconazole (t=9.95, P<0.05), posaconazole (t=9.99, P<0.05), and voriconazole (t=10.01, P<0.05), Meanwhile, among echinocandins, the GM MIC of ANI was comparable to that of CAS (t=1.17, P>0.05), both of which were significantly higher than MICA (t=11.56, P<0.05; t=4.15, P<0.05). Conclusion: The clinical isolates of C. tropicalis in East China from 2017 to 2021 were relatively susceptible to echinocandins. However, there was consistently high resistance to fluconazole and voriconazole. More intensive efforts should be made on the monitoring of drug resistance in C. tropicalis.

Hotspot mutations and genomic expansion of ERG11 are major mechanisms of azole resistance in environmental and human commensal isolates of Candida tropicalis.

OBJECTIVES: Infections caused by azole-resistant Candida tropicalis strains are increasing in clinical settings. The reason for this epidemical change and the mechanisms of C. tropicalis azole resistance are not fully understood. METHODS: In this study, we performed biological and genomic analyses of 239 C. tropicalis strains, including 115 environmental and 124 human commensal isolates. RESULTS: Most (99.2%) of the isolates had a baseline diploid genome. The strains from both environmental and human niches exhibit similar abilities to survive under stressful conditions and produce secreted aspartic proteases. However, the human commensal isolates exhibited a stronger ability to filament than the environmental strains. We found that 19 environmental isolates (16.5%) and 24 human commensal isolates (19.4%) were resistant to fluconazole. Of the fluconazole-resistant strains, 37 isolates (86.0%) also exhibited cross-resistance to voriconazole. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed that both environmental and commensal isolates were widely distributed in a number of genetic clusters, but the two populations exhibited a close genetic association. The majority of fluconazole-resistant isolates were clustered within a single clade (X). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of hotspot mutations (Y132F and S154F) and genomic expansion of ERG11, which encodes the azole target lanosterol 14-α-demethylase and represents a major target of azole drugs, was a major mechanism for the development of azole resistance. The isolates carrying both hotspot mutations and genomic expansion of ERG11 exhibited cross-resistance to fluconazole and voriconazole. Moreover, the azole-resistant isolates from both the environmental and human commensal niches showed similar genotypes.

Exploring synergy between azole antifungal drugs and statins for Candida auris.

BACKGROUND: Global emergence of rapidly developing resistance to multiple antifungal drugs and high mortality pose challenges to the treatment of invasive Candida auris infections. New therapeutic approaches are needed, such as repurposing drugs including combination with antifungals. Statins have been reported to exert antifungal effects against various Candida species. OBJECTIVES: Our study investigated potential synergy between the statins (rosuvastatin and fluvastatin) and azoles (voriconazole, posaconazole and isavuconazole) on clinical isolates of C. auris. METHODS: Twenty-one clinical isolates of C. auris were obtained. Chequerboard assays based on the CLSI broth microdilution method were used to assess synergy based on FIC index (FICI) calculations of MICs of individual drugs and in combinations. RESULTS: Single drug geometric mean (GM) MICs of fluvastatin and rosuvastatin were ≥128 mg/L in all 21 isolates. GM (range) MICs of posaconazole, voriconazole and isavuconazole were 0.259 (0.016-1 mg/L), 0.469 (0.016-2 mg/L) and 0.085 (0.004-1 mg/L), respectively. Combination of azoles with fluvastatin showed synergy in 70%-90% of C. auris isolates. In particular, voriconazole/fluvastatin resulted in 16-fold reduction in voriconazole MIC and synergy in 14/21 (67%) isolates. Posaconazole/fluvastatin resulted in 8-fold reduction in posaconazole MIC and synergy in 19/21 (90%) isolates.Combining rosuvastatin with the azoles also showed synergy against C. auris in 40%-60% of the isolates and additive effect in 40%-50%. None of the combinations was antagonistic. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide a rationale for pursuing in vivo synergy tests as well as clinical studies to explore tolerability, treatment outcomes, optimal dose and exposure targets.

Alarming Increase of Azole-Resistant Candida Causing Blood Stream Infections in Oncology Patients in Egypt.

Candidemia is a life-threatening invasive fungal infection in immunocompromised patients. The widespread use of azoles and the shift toward non-albicans Candida (NAC) species remarkably increase azole resistance in developing countries. We aimed to study candidemia trends and associated risk factors in oncology patients since they vary geographically, and rapid and appropriate treatment improves outcomes. Vitek 2 was used to identify the Candida species, and the E-test determined their susceptibility to azoles. Candida was the cause of 3.1% (n = 53/1701) of bloodstream infections (BSIs) during a 1-year study. Candida tropicalis was the most predominant species among the 30 candidemia episodes studied (36.7%), followed by C. albicans (33.3%). However, C. krusei, C. guilliermondii, C. pelliculosa, C. parapsilosis, C. famata, and C. inconspicua accounted for 30.0% of the isolates. An increased risk of NAC BSI was significantly associated with chemotherapy and leucopenia (P = 0.036 and 0.016, respectively). However, the multivariable analysis revealed that leucopenia was the only independent risk factor (P = 0.048). Fluconazole and voriconazole resistance were 58.3% and 16.7%, with NAC species showing higher resistance rates than C. albicans. Both fluconazole and voriconazole minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) median values were higher in NAC than in C. albicans, but only voriconazole was significantly higher (0.220 versus 0.048 µg/ml, P = 0.047). In conclusion, the increased prevalence of NAC BSIs and incredibly high fluconazole resistance rates in cancer patients emphasize the necessity of antifungal stewardship to preserve voriconazole effectiveness, continued surveillance of candidemia, and future studies into azole resistance molecular mechanisms.

Evaluation of the inhibitory effect of azoles on pharmacokinetics of lenvatinib in rats both in vivo and in vitro by UPLC-MS/MS.

BACKGROUND: Lenvatinib is a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of a variety of solid tumors. This study aims to investigate the potential pharmacokinetic interactions between lenvatinib and various azoles (ketoconazole, voriconazole, isavuconazole and posaconazole) when orally administered to rats. METHODS: A total of 30 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into five groups and administered 20 mg/kg of ketoconazole, voriconazole, isavuconazole and 30 mg/kg of posaconazole and 0.5% CMC-Na, through gavage for a duration of 7 days prior to the commencement of the experiment. On the final day, the rats were given 10 mg/kg of lenvatinib. The blood concentration of lenvatinib was determined using UPLC-MS-MS. In vitro lenvatinib were incubated with azoles and rat liver microsomes (RLMs) or human liver microsomes (HLMs). Molecular docking was lastly used to examine the binding strength of the enzymes and ligands with Autodock Vina. RESULTS: AUC and Cmax of lenvatinib significantly increased with each of the azoles (p < 0.05), whereas CLz/F decreased 0.83-flod, 0.41-fold (p < 0.05) and 0.72-fold (p < 0.01) in voriconazole, isavuconazole and ketoconazole in rats. The IC50 of lenvatinib with the azoles were 0.237, 1.300, 0.355 and 2.403 µM in RLMs and 0.160, 1.933, 3.622 and 1.831 µM in HLMs. Molecular docking analysis suggested that azoles exhibited a strong binding ability towards the target enzymes. CONCLUSION: It is imperative to acknowledge the potential drug-drug interactions mediated by CYP3A4 between azoles and lenvatinib, as these interactions hold significant implications for their clinical utilization.

Azole-Containing Agar Plates and Antifungal Susceptibility Testing for the Detection of Azole-Resistant Aspergillus Species in Hospital Environmental Samples.

The indoor environment of hospitals should be considered as an important reservoir of azole resistant Aspergillus species. In this study, we evaluated azole-containing agar plates (ACAPs) and antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) for the detection of azole-resistant Aspergillus species in hospital environmental samples. Between September 2021 and January 2022, environmental samples (108 instruments and 12 air) were collected from different wards of 4 educational hospitals in Mazandaran province, Iran. All samples were cultured using ACAPs. Recovered Aspergillus isolates were molecularly identified at species level using partial DNA sequencing of beta-tubulin gene. AFST of Aspergillus species was performed using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M38-A3 guideline. Screening for cyp51A mutations was also done. Overall, 18 (15.0%) isolates of Aspergillus species were recovered from ACAPs, of which Aspergillus tubingensis (50%) and Aspergillus fumigatus (38.9%) were the commonest species. No isolate of Aspergillus species grew on posaconazole (PCZ)-containing agar plates. Among the 18 Aspergillus isolated species from ACAPs, 83.3% were related to samples from instruments. Of the nine isolates of A. tubingensis, 22.2% and 44.4% isolates showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 2 µg/mL against voriconazole (VCZ) and itraconazole, respectively; and 44.4% isolates showed MIC = 1 µg/mL against PCZ. Of the seven isolates of A. fumigatus, one (14.3%) was resistant to VCZ. This isolate showed F46Y, G54E, G138C, M172V, M220I, D255E, T289F, G432C, and G448S mutation in cyp51A. Our finding showed the emergence of high MICs in cryptic and non-fumigatus species of Aspergillus such as A. tubingensis and VCZ resistance in A. fumigatus in indoor environment of hospitals.