Application and evaluation of topical amphotericin B for the treatment of respiratory fungal infections.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the prevalence of respiratory fungal diseases has increased. Polyene antifungal drugs play a pivotal role in the treatment of these conditions, with amphotericin B (AmB) being the most representative drug. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical administration of AmB in the treatment of respiratory fungal infections. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on hospitalized patients treated with topical administered AmB for respiratory fungal infections from January 2014 to June 2023. RESULTS: Data from 36 patients with invasive pulmonary fungal infections treated with topical administration of AmB were collected and analyzed. Nebulization was administered to 27 patients. After the treatment, 17 patients evidenced improved conditions, whereas 10 patients did not respond and died in the hospital. One patient experienced an irritating cough as an adverse reaction. Seven patients underwent tracheoscopic instillation, and two received intrapleural irrigation; they achieved good clinical therapeutic efficacy without adverse effects. CONCLUSION: The combined application of systemic antifungal treatment and topical administration of AmB yielded good therapeutic efficacy and was well-tolerated by the patients. Close monitoring of routine blood tests, liver and kidney function, and levels of electrolytes, troponin, and B-type natriuretic peptide supported this conclusion.

Ampliação de uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para pessoas diagnosticadas com mucormicose rino-órbitocerebral / Expanded use of liposomal amphotericin B for people diagnosed with rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis

INTRODUÇÃO: A mucormicose é uma infecção fúngica que, em geral, causa doença grave em indivíduos imunossuprimidos, especialmente aqueles com significativas desordens metabólicas tal como o diabete descontrolado. Sua incidência tem sido crescente pelo aumento da população suscetível, tal como diabéticos, portadores de neoplasias submetidos a quimioterapia, transplantados de medula óssea e de órgãos sólidos e terapia com corticosteróides. Nos dois últimos anos, a mucormicose teve marcada relação com a Covid-19, em vista do grande número de diabéticos que desenvolveram a forma grave da infecção pelo SARS-Cov-2 e necessitaram de uso de corticoterapia para melhor manejo clínico. Assim, durante a pandemia da Covid-19, observou-se elevação da incidência da mucormicose. Apresenta elevada mortalidade, que varia entre 40% e 80% a depender do local de comprometimento e das condições clínicas do paciente. O tratamento de escolha para a mucormicose é a anfotericina B, que pode ser usada tanto na terapia de indução como na de consolidação. Existe também a possibilidade do descalonamento na fase de consolição para posaconazol ou isavuconazol. As recomendações internacionais trazem o uso das formulações lipídicas como fármacos de primeira linha, especialmente a anfotericina B lipossomal, pela maior evidência do uso deste antifúngico nesta fase, em especial nos pacientes com a forma rino-óbrito-cerebral, pelo seu efeito em sistema nervoso central. TECNOLOGIA: Anfotericina B lipossomal. PERGUNTA: O uso da anfotericina B lipossomal é eficaz, seguro e custo-efetivo em pacientes diagnosticadas com mucormicose rino-órbito-cerebral, quando comparado à anfotericina B complexo lipídico ou à anfotericina B convencional? EVIDÊNCIAS CLÍNICAS: Foi realizada uma busca nas plataformas de busca Medline (PUBMED), EMBASE e Cochrane Library, não sendo identificadas revisões sistemáticas (RS), ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR) ou estudos observacionais que comparassem tratamentos. Desta forma, optou-se por realizar uma RS de relatos de casos e relatos de série de casos. A partir da busca das evidências disponíveis na literatura, 106 estudos foram selecionados, sendo 92 relatos de caso e 14 séries de casos. Do total de estudos incluídos foram considerados para extração de dados um total de 165 casos. O resultado da avaliação da qualidade metodológica dos estudos incluídos mostrou que todos preencheram mais de 80% dos critérios considerados necessários para a apresentação adequada dos desenhos de estudo e para 100% foi aplicada "yes" para as questões consideradas essenciais para a inclusão na revisão. Com relação aos estudos de relatos de caso e relato de séries de casos, a confiança na evidência analisada foi classificada como o ponto mais baixo de evidência, de acordo com a ferramenta Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Foi considerado como desfecho primário desejável o sucesso terapêutico do tratamento da mucormicose, utilizando-se monoterapia com anfotericina B lipossomal (intervenção) ou anfotericina B complexo lipídico ou anfotericina B desoxicolato (comparadores). Pacientes tratados com anfotericina B lipossomal tiveram maior taxa de sucesso terapêutico comparados àqueles tratados com anfotericina B desoxicolato (51,3% vs 31,5%; p=0,01). Como os grupos de pacientes que receberam cada uma dessas formulações de anfotericina B não foram homogêneos, foi realizada uma análise dos fatores associados ao sucesso terapêutico em etapas de análise uni e multivariadas. Ajustados para estas diferenças, a análise multivariada identificou que idade [OR=1,02 (1,01 - 1,04); p=0,03] e presença de lesão em órbita [OR=2,51 (1,11 - 5,66); p=0,03) foram fatores independentes para falha terapêutica, enquanto que o uso de monoterapia da anfotericina B lipossomal na terapia de indução [OR=0,42 (0,19 - 0,91); p=0,03] e realização de cirurgia para desbridamento das lesões [OR=0,18 (0,05 - 0,63); p=0,007] foram fatores independentes para se obter o sucesso terapêutico. AVALIAÇÃO ECONÔMICA: Considerou-se a perspectiva do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e um horizonte temporal de um ano. Portanto, não se aplicou taxa de desconto. Como comparador da anfotericina B lipossomal, utilizou-se a anfotericina B complexo lipídico, fármaco já distribuído pelo Ministério da Saúde a pacientes com mucormicose. O desfecho considerado também foi o sucesso terapêutico do tratamento da mucormicose. O tratamento com monoterapia de anfotericina B lipossomal na dose de 5 mg/kg/dia mostrou um custo incremental de R$ 228.923,40 (70.604,29 - 450.744,22), enquanto que na dose de 10 mg/kg/dia o valor foi de R$ 453.794,48 (138.797,81 - 902.013,30). A razão de custo-efetividade incremental foi de R$ 1.156.178,78/sucesso terapêutico (401.160,74 - 2.177.508,31) para tratamento na dose de 5 mg/kg/dia e de R$ 2.291.891,31/sucesso terapêutico (788.623,92 - 4.357.552,17) para a dose de 10 mg/kg/dia. ANÁLISE DE IMPACTO ORÇAMENTÁRIO: Estimou-se um impacto orçamentário incremental de R$ 11.446.170,00 para o cenário da dose de 5 mg/kg/dia e de R$ 22.689.724,00 para o cenário da dose de 10 mg/kg/dia para o ano de 2022. O impacto incremental acumulado dos próximos cinco anos seria de R$ 71.195.174,40 para o cenário da dose de 5 mg/kg/dia e de R$ 141.130.093,28 para o cenário da dose de 10 mg/kg/dia. MONITORAMENTO DO HORIZONTE TECNOLÓGICO: No horizonte considerado, não foram detectadas tecnologias para compor o esquema terapêutico da mucormicose rino-órbito-cerebral. RECOMENDAÇÕES INTERNACIONAIS: Não foram encontradas recomendações de outras agências internacionais de ATS sobre o uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para tratamento da mucormicose rino-órbito-cerebral. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: As recomendações internacionais baseiam-se em série de casos e algumas revisões sistemáticas de série de casos para considerar a anfotericina B lipossomal como droga de primeira linha de tratamento. As evidências presentes apontam este medicamento como primeira linha no tratamento da forma rino-órbito-cerebral da mucormicose, especialmente em pacientes com comprometimento do sistema nervoso central, condição prevalente nesta forma clínica, devido a sua difusão em tecido nervoso e pela possibilidade de uso de doses elevadas para se alcançar penetração tecidual adequada. Atualmente, o programa de micoses sistêmicas do Ministério da Saúde oferece a anfotericina B complexo lipídico, outra formulação da anfotericina B, cuja evidência para tratamento desta forma clínica é muito escassa. Os resultados da revisão sistemática de casos e série de casos realizada, comparando a anfotericina B lipossomal com a anfotericina B desoxicolato, apontaram a superioridade de eficácia da lipossomal sobre a desoxicolato (51,3 vs 31,5%; p=0,01) e corroborados na análise multivariada que identificou o uso da lipossomal como preditor independente de melhor prognóstico [OR=0,42 (0,19 - 0,91); p=0,03]. Estes dados fortalecem sobremaneira as recomendações que já têm sido preconizadas por guidelines internacionais e endossadas pelo Ministério da Saúde. PERSPECTIVA DO PACIENTE: A chamada pública de número 59/202 para participar da Perspectiva do Paciente sobre o tema da anfotericina B lipossomal para tratamento de pessoas com diagnóstico de mucormicose na sua forma rino-órbitocerebral foi aberta de 10/11/2021 a 17/11/2022 e não houve inscritos. RECOMENDAÇÃO PRELIMINAR DA CONITEC: O Plenário da Conitec, em sua 107ª Reunião Ordinária, no dia 06 de abril de 2022, deliberou que a matéria fosse disponibilizada em Consulta Pública com recomendação preliminar favorável à ampliação de uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para pessoas diagnosticadas com mucormicose na forma rino-órbito-cerebral, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Os membros da Conitec consideraram que o uso da anfotericina B lipossomal apresentou efetividade e segurança superiores ao comparador, potencialmente diminuindo o risco de mortalidade dos pacientes. CONSULTA PÚBLICA: Foram recebidas 12 contribuições, sendo oito técnico-científicas e quatro sobre experiência ou opinião. Todas as contribuições recebidas foram favoráveis à recomendação inicial da Conitec. Incluindo a Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia, as pessoas reforçaram a utilização da anfotericina B lipossomal para o tratamento da mucormicose. Assim, os membros do Plenário concordaram em manter a recomendação deliberada na apreciação preliminar do tema. RECOMENDAÇÃO FINAL DA CONITEC: O Plenário da Conitec, em sua 109ª Reunião Ordinária, no dia 09 de junho de 2022, deliberou por unanimidade recomendar a ampliação de uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para pessoas diagnosticadas com mucormicose na forma rino-órbito-cerebral, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Por fim, foi assinado o Registro de Deliberação nº 743/2022. DECISÃO: Ampliar o uso da anfotericina B lipossomal para pessoas diagnosticadas com mucormicose na forma rino-órbitocerebral, no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS conforme a Portaria nº 67, publicada no Diário Oficial da União nº 132, seção 1, página 135, em 14 de julho de 2022.

Single-Dose Liposomal Amphotericin B Treatment for Cryptococcal Meningitis.

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcal meningitis is a leading cause of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related death in sub-Saharan Africa. Whether a treatment regimen that includes a single high dose of liposomal amphotericin B would be efficacious is not known. METHODS: In this phase 3 randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial conducted in five African countries, we assigned HIV-positive adults with cryptococcal meningitis in a 1:1 ratio to receive either a single high dose of liposomal amphotericin B (10 mg per kilogram of body weight) on day 1 plus 14 days of flucytosine (100 mg per kilogram per day) and fluconazole (1200 mg per day) or the current World Health Organization-recommended treatment, which includes amphotericin B deoxycholate (1 mg per kilogram per day) plus flucytosine (100 mg per kilogram per day) for 7 days, followed by fluconazole (1200 mg per day) for 7 days (control). The primary end point was death from any cause at 10 weeks; the trial was powered to show noninferiority at a 10-percentage-point margin. RESULTS: A total of 844 participants underwent randomization; 814 were included in the intention-to-treat population. At 10 weeks, deaths were reported in 101 participants (24.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 20.7 to 29.3) in the liposomal amphotericin B group and 117 (28.7%; 95% CI, 24.4 to 33.4) in the control group (difference, -3.9 percentage points); the upper boundary of the one-sided 95% confidence interval was 1.2 percentage points (within the noninferiority margin; P<0.001 for noninferiority). Fungal clearance from cerebrospinal fluid was -0.40 log10 colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter per day in the liposomal amphotericin B group and -0.42 log10 CFU per milliliter per day in the control group. Fewer participants had grade 3 or 4 adverse events in the liposomal amphotericin B group than in the control group (50.0% vs. 62.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Single-dose liposomal amphotericin B combined with flucytosine and fluconazole was noninferior to the WHO-recommended treatment for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis and was associated with fewer adverse events. (Funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership and others; Ambition ISRCTN number, ISRCTN72509687.).

Treating pediatric cutaneous Leishmania tropica with systemic liposomal amphotericin B: A retrospective, single-center study.

Leishmania tropica (L. tropica) cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is associated with high morbidity and low response rate to therapy, especially in pediatric patients. Intravenous (IV) liposomal amphotericin B (LAmB) has been used off-label as a treatment for L. tropica CL for many years. However, data regarding its efficacy and safety in children is lacking. In order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IV LAmB for treating pediatric patients with L. tropica, we retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of 24 children who were diagnosed with L. tropica CL and treated with IV LAmB during 2014-2020, at a tertiary medical center in Israel. Fourteen (58%) completed the treatment protocol and 10 (42%) experienced an infusion-related adverse event (IRAE) leading to treatment termination. Complete response was noted in 6/14 (43%) patients, while 8/14 (57%) failed to respond. Lower response rate was noted in lesions involving the mid-facial area. The relatively low response rate is speculated to result from a low dose of LAmB, short follow-up period, and difficult to treat anatomic locations. The observation of a lower response rate for mid-facial lesions should be validated in larger cohorts. The highrisk of IRAE should be considered in physician decisions regarding this treatment.

IgG3 and IL10 are effective biomarkers for monitoring therapeutic effectiveness in Post Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of chemotherapeutic responses in Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL), especially its macular form is challenging, emphasizing the necessity for 'test of cure' tools. This study explored the diagnostic and prognostic potential of IgG subclasses and associated cytokines for monitoring the effectiveness of chemotherapy in PKDL. METHODS: Participants included PKDL cases at (a) disease presentation, (b) immediately at the end of treatment (12 weeks for Miltefosine or 3 weeks for Liposomal Amphotericin B, LAmB and (c) at any time point 6 months later, for estimating anti-leishmanial immunoglobulin (Ig, IgG, IgM, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3) and cytokines (IL-10, IL-6). RESULTS: In PKDL, Ig levels were elevated, with IgG3 and IL-10 being the major contributors. Miltefosine decreased both markers substantially and this decrease was sustained for at least six months. In contrast, LAmB failed to decrease IgG3 and IL-10, as even after six months, their levels remained unchanged or even increased. CONCLUSIONS: In PKDL, IgG3 and IL-10 proved to be effective predictors of responsiveness to chemotherapy and may be considered as a non invasive alternative for longitudinal monitoring.

Efficacy of Intravenous Itraconazole Versus Liposomal Amphotericin B as Empirical Antifungal Therapy in Hematological Malignancy with Persistent Fever and Neutropenia: Study Protocol for a Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Non-inferiority Trial.

Febrile neutropenia, a serious complication that can occur during the treatment of hematological malignancies, can sometimes be fatal owing to fungal infection. Prospective randomized trials indicated the utility of liposomal amphotericin B or caspofungin as an empirical antifungal therapy. Itraconazole, a broad-spectrum tri azole antifungal agent, is poorly absorbed in the intestines after oral absorption and makes it difficult to achieve a stable serum drug concentration. Therefore, an intravenous formulation might offer a potentially safer and more effective alternative. To compare the efficacy and safety of empirical antifungal therapy, patients will be randomly assigned to either the liposomal amphotericin B 3.0 mg/kg once daily group or the intravenous itraconazole 200 mg dose group with five stratification factors (disease risk, previous antifungal prophylaxis, age, sex, and institute). The primary endpoint will be overall favorable response, comprising five secondary endpoints: successful treatment of baseline infection by the end of the treatment; absence of breakthrough infection; no discontinuation of the antifungal treatment due to drug-related toxicity; fever resolution during neutropenia; and 7-day survival after termination of the antifungal treatment. The target sample size of 850 subjects is sufficient to prove the non inferiority of itraconazole compared with liposomal amphotericin B, with a non-inferiority margin of 10%, one sided significance level of 5%, and power of 90%.

Concomitant BK virus infection and visceral Leishmaniasis in a pediatric liver transplant recipient.

BACKGROUND: Solid organ transplant recipients are vulnerable to various unusual infections. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a protozoal opportunistic infection, which may affect the immune-suppressed hosts and solid organ transplant recipients. The BK virus infection is an evolving challenge in kidney transplant recipients. However, there are very few reports of BK virus (BKV) nephropathy involving the native kidney in liver transplant recipients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the simultaneous occurrence of these rare infections in a liver transplant recipient. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 9-year-old girl, a case of liver transplantation who presented with the incidental finding of proteinuria, azotemia, and cytopenia. Investigations revealed that she had concomitant BKV nephropathy and visceral leishmaniasis. Both infections were successfully treated. CONCLUSION: BK virus should be considered as a cause of nephropathy in liver transplant recipients. The presenting features of fever, cytopenia, and splenomegaly in a post-transplant patient should remind of unusual infections such as VL other than the common post-transplant conditions.

Disseminated coccidioidomycosis in a patient with juvenile idiopathic arthritis receiving infliximab.

BACKGROUND: Coccidioides immitis is a dimorphic fungus endemic to the arid climates of the Southwest United States, Mexico and parts of Central and South America. Human infection occurs through inhalation of spores with less than half of exposures progressing to a symptomatic state that primarily consists of pulmonary manifestations. Disseminated coccidioidomycosis is exceedingly rare, occurring in fewer than 1 % of symptomatic infections. Through hematogenous spread, the fungus can infect most organ systems and may be fatal without systemic antifungal treatment. Individuals with impaired cell-mediated immunity either from primary immunodeficiency disorders or secondary to immunosuppression with medications such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors have increased risk of disseminated coccidioidomycosis and previous cases of coccidioidomycosis have been reported with biologic therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of disseminated coccidioidomycosis in a 16-year-old female with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) being treated with prednisone, methotrexate, and infliximab. The patient presented with symptoms of meningeal irritation, bilateral choroidal lesions, and necrotizing peripheral pneumonia. Her infection was thought to be a reactivation of coccidioidomycosis given her history of resolved pneumonia that occurred after traveling to Arizona, New Mexico, and El Paso one year prior to presentation. Following diagnosis, she improved with discontinuation of her immunosuppressive medications and two weeks of intravenous amphotericin B and fluconazole with plans for lifetime treatment with fluconazole while immunosuppressed. Due to worsening arthritis, she will begin tofacitinib and continue close monitoring of chest x-rays and coccidioides antibody. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for rheumatological conditions are at increased risk of disseminated coccidioidomycosis and should be evaluated with high suspicion when presenting with atypical symptoms and history of travel to endemic regions.

An open-label non-inferiority randomised control trial comparing nebulised amphotericin B with oral itraconazole in patients with pulmonary aspergilloma.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary aspergilloma (PA) is a common complication seen in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis sequelae. Antifungal therapy, including oral azoles, is commonly used though only surgical resection offers curative benefit. Local administration of amphotericin B, like intracavitary instillation, has been effective in aspergilloma patients though nebulised amphotericin B (nAB) has never been formally assessed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective, non-inferior, open-label, randomised control trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nebulised amphotericin B compared to oral itraconazole therapy in the treatment of PA. PATIENTS/METHODS: Diagnosed cases of PA (n=33) were randomised into the control group receiving oral itraconazole (n=18) and intervention group receiving nebulised amphotericin B (n = 15). Response to treatment was assessed both clinically and radiologically at the end 6 months. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The number of patients showing overall improvement at the end of 6 months in the control arm(oral itraconazole) vs intervention arm(nebulised amphotericin B) was 65% (95% CI 38.3-85.8) and 67%(95% CI 38.4%-88.2%), respectively, in the intention-to-treat and 79% (95% CI 49.2%-95.3%), and 65% (95% CI 38.4%-88.2%), respectively, in the per-protocol analysis. While there was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control arm in both the analyses, non-inferiority was shown in the per-protocol but not in the intention-to-treat analysis. No major adverse events were noted in either group; however, a significant proportion of patients receiving nAB reported minor cough (40%), which, however, did not lead to discontinuation of therapy in any patients. Nebulised amphotericin B can be an effective therapeutic option for pulmonary aspergilloma patients.

Dissolvable carboxymethyl cellulose/polyvinylpyrrolidone microneedle arrays for transdermal delivery of Amphotericin B to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a significant public health problem caused by different species of Leishmania parasites. Due to low skin permeability, the development of an effective system for delivery of Amphotericin B (AMB), the common effective drug for leishmaniasis treatment, is required to replace the unpleasant and problematic injections. To overcome this problem, a dissolvable microneedle (MN) patch was developed, using biodegradable polymers (a mixture of polyvinylpyrrolidone and carboxymethyl cellulose) for AMB's transdermal delivery. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescent images showed successful fabrication of the MNs and homogeneous dispersion of the drug into the needles. MNs showed good mechanical properties with the ability to penetrate the rat skin and reach the lower layers. After insertion to the skin, the MNs were rapidly dissolved to release the encapsulated drug, and the resulted micropores in the skin were quickly resealed within 30 min. MN patches showed non-toxicity as exposed to HT-29 cell line. Flow cytometry results showed a potent in vitro leishmanicidal activity of AMB-loaded MN patches against the Leishmania parasites (up to 86% of the parasites' death). Taken together, MN patches might represent a new, efficient and clinically translational approach for transdermal AMB delivery to treat CL.

[Studies on Elastase and Elastase Inhibitor from Aspergillus flavus].

The biological properties of elastase and Aspergillus flavus elastase inhibitor (AFLEI) from A. flavus were examined. Pathogenicity of elastase was investigated in mice immunocompromised with cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, prednisolone and carrageenan. Compared to cyclophosphamide immunocompromised mice treated with the spores of elastase nonproducing strain, cyclophosphamide immunocompromised mice treated with the spores of elastase producing strain had a significantly shorter survival rate. Molecular mass of AFLEI was determined to be 7525.8 Da. The elastolytic activity of elastases from A. flavus, and human leukocytes were inhibited by AFLEI. The primary structure of AFLEI was determined by the Edman sequencing procedure. The search for amino acid homology with other proteins demonstrated that amino acid residues 1 to 68 of AFLEI are 100% identical to residues 20 to 87 of the hypothetical protein AFUA_3G14940 of A. fumigatus. When immunocompromised mice administered of cyclophosphamide were infected by inhalation of A. flavus then administered amphotericin B (AMPH) alone or in combination with AFLEI, survival rate tended to be higher with combination treatment than with AMPH alone. Moreover, although extensive bleeding was seen in pathology sections taken from rat lung resected 24 h after elastase was administered to the lung via the bronchus, this bleeding was inhibited by AFLEI. The X-ray analysis has revealed that the structure of this inhibitor was wedge shaped and composed of a binding loop and a scaffold protein core. As synthetic-inhibitor strongly inhibited cytotoxicity induced by elastase in human-derived cells, it could prove beneficial for the treatment of pulmonary aspergillosis.

Invasive cerebral phaeohyphomycosis in a Chinese boy with CARD9 deficiency and showing unique radiological features, managed with surgical excision and antifungal treatment.

We report this rare case of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis in a previously healthy Chinese boy, who was found to have caspase recruitment domain family member 9 (CARD9) deficiency. Initial radiological features suggested a neoplastic cerebral lesion, while histopathological examination supplemented by internal transcribed sequencing (ITS) of cerebral tissue confirmed the diagnosis of phaeohyphomycosis. He was treated with intravenous (IV) liposomal amphotericin B and voriconazole, guided by plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) level monitoring at drug initiation. At the 1 year follow-up, the patient demonstrated near complete neurological and radiological recovery.

Preclinical safety evaluation of amphotericin A21: A novel antifungal.

Safety studies are essential in drug development. This study evaluates the safety of Amphotericin A21 (AmB-A21), a derivative of amphotericin B with antifungal therapeutic potential. We performed a chronic toxicity study, a targeted organ study and a dermal irritation test. To evaluate chronic toxicity, 18 male adult rats were treated orally with AmB-21 (2 mg/kg) for 26 weeks. The effects on body-weight and animal health were measured, and haematological, clinical chemistry and histopathological tests were conducted on various organs. In the target organ toxicity study, male adult rats received a daily oral dose of AmB-21 (2 mg/kg) for 6 and 17 weeks; testicle histology and testosterone levels were then evaluated. For the dermal irritation study, AmB-21 (200 and 1000 mg/kg) was placed on the skin of adult male rabbits; macroscopic and microscopic studies, as well as haematological and clinical chemistry tests were then conducted. The chronic toxicity study revealed that AmB-21 caused testicle damage, and the testicle-targeted study showed structural alterations and changes in testosterone levels at 17 weeks. However, these alterations were no longer observed 8 weeks after discontinuation of treatment, and the testes showed very similar characteristics to those in the control group. The dermal irritation study showed skin thickening and reddening in rabbits treated with 2000 mg of AmB-A21 after 14 days of exposure. This same group also showed changes in liver enzymes, renal parameters and platelet levels. Based on our results, we consider AmB-21 to be a potential candidate for safe, long-term antifungal treatment given its reduced side effects.

Development of Novel Amphotericin B-Immobilized Nitric Oxide-Releasing Platform for the Prevention of Broad-Spectrum Infections and Thrombosis.

Indwelling medical devices currently used to diagnose, monitor, and treat patients invariably suffer from two common clinical complications: broad-spectrum infections and device-induced thrombosis. Currently, infections are managed through antibiotic or antifungal treatment, but the emergence of antibiotic resistance, the formation of recalcitrant biofilms, and difficulty identifying culprit pathogens have made treatment increasingly challenging. Additionally, systemic anticoagulation has been used to manage device-induced thrombosis, but subsequent life-threatening bleeding events associated with all available therapies necessitates alternative solutions. In this study, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, antithrombotic surface combining the incorporation of the nitric oxide (NO) donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) with the immobilization of the antifungal Amphotericin B (AmB) on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was developed in a two-step process. This novel strategy combines the key advantages of NO, a bactericidal agent and platelet inhibitor, with AmB, a potent antifungal agent. We demonstrated that SNAP-AmB surfaces significantly reduced the viability of adhered Staphylococcus aureus (99.0 ± 0.2%), Escherichia coli (89.7 ± 1.0%), and Candida albicans (93.5 ± 4.2%) compared to controls after 24 h of in vitro exposure. Moreover, SNAP-AmB surfaces reduced the number of platelets adhered by 74.6 ± 3.9% compared to controls after 2 h of in vitro porcine plasma exposure. Finally, a cytotoxicity assay validated that the materials did not present any cytotoxic side effects toward human fibroblast cells. This novel approach is the first to combine antifungal surface functionalization with NO-releasing technology, providing a promising step toward reducing the rate of broad-spectrum infection and thrombosis associated with indwelling medical devices.