Welcome
Fungi are everywhere around us; they are the most abundant form of life on the planet, counting about 12 million species worldwide. Only a small fraction of them cause disease in humans, but they are responsible for about a billion infections each year. At the same time, new fungi pathogenic to humans are emerging (such as Candida auris, the azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus, etc.) due to climate change and new environmental conditions.
Fungal infections are responsible for more than 1.5 million deaths each year, mostly in immunocompromised patients, while affecting the lives of many millions more. However, they remain a neglected topic by public health authorities, even though most deaths from fungal infections are preventable. It was not until October 2022 that the World Health Organization published the first list of priority fungal pathogens, to increase global interest in the infections they cause and their resistance to antifungal drugs.
The aims of the HSoMM are:
- The promotion of Medical Mycology in Greece and abroad.
- The encouragement and reinforcement of all research efforts and studies in Greece regarding prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of fungal infections.
- The collaboration with public and private institutions and organizations in Greece and abroad, for the progress of Medical Mycology.
Case of the month
A 66-year-old man presented to the Otolaryngology outpatient clinic due to nasal discharge. Clinical examination revealed destruction of the nasal chamber cartilage, and an incision was performed with drainage of pus, for which the patient received empirical treatment with ciprofloxacin and clindamycin. However, there was no clinical improvement. From the patient's medical history, a recent hospitalization was noted, during which he received high doses of dexamethasone as treatment for hemophagocytic syndrome. From the pus culture, a hyphomycete was isolated with the above morphology: a) Colonies on Sabouraud dextrose agar (4-day culture), b) Direct wet mount microscopy (x400).
The patient was hospitalized for 8 days and received antifungal treatment with isavuconazole, showing gradual improvement in nasal discharge. He was discharged with instructions to continue oral treatment and undergo re-evaluation in 7 days.
[Case Editor: Anastasia Spiliopoulou, Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Medical School, University of Patras]
Based on the patient’s clinical presentation, the macroscopic appearance of the colonies, and direct microscopy, can you hypothesize the responsible filamentous fungus?
1. Aspergillus fumigatus
2. Aspergillus flavus
3. Talaromyces spp.
4. Mucor spp.
