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
Two patients in the Adult Intensive Care Unit experienced a deterioration in their respiratory function, and new fibrotic-atelectatic lesions were described in their CT scans. The first patient was hospitalized due to epileptic seizures and had a history of immunotherapy for B-cell lymphoma, while the second had suffered a brain hemorrhage and was undergoing corticosteroid treatment. Bronchoalveolar lavage samples were taken, and in both cases, a filamentous fungus (fluffy colonies) was grown, as shown in the attached macroscopic (Sabouraud dextrose agar) and microscopic (after the addition of Lactophenol cotton blue) images. Antifungal susceptibility testing revealed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for amphotericin B of 3 mg/L.
Recently, construction work had been carried out in the hospital.
[Case Editor: Anastasia Spiliopoulou, Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Medical School, University of Patras].
What is the fungus that was isolated?
1. Aspergillus fumigatus
2. Aspergillus terreus
3. Aspergillus niger
4. Aspergillus flavus
