New research has identified #albumin — the most abundant protein in human blood — as a powerful natural defense against #mucormycosis, a rare but often deadly fungal infection. 🧫
Read more below to learn how this discovery opens promising pathways for targeted immunotherapies: bit.ly/4r9Ckcl
#Albumin acts as a shield against deadly #fungal #infections ...
| #fungi | #blood | #protein | #mucormycosis | Via @sciencex.bsky.social
Common #blood #protein protects #patients from black #fungus #infection ...
| #fungi | #Albumin | #mucormycosis | #pathogen | Via @sciencex.bsky.social
A fungal infection is aided by low levels of albumin protein in the blood. Pikoulas et al.2 report that albumin levels affect the risk of developing a fungal infection called mucormycosis. a, Mucorales fungi can infect human nasal passages and lungs. The spores of these fungi can germinate, form long filaments and bind to the epithelial cells lining the surface of the organs13. If lipid molecules called free fatty acids (FFAs) that have not undergone the process of oxidation are taken up by Mucorales fungi, this hinders the ability of the fungi to express genes that are needed for virulence and to synthesize toxin proteins. The protein albumin, which is found in the bloodstream, binds and transports FFAs, protecting FFAs from oxidation. b, If a person has lower-than-normal levels of albumin, the unbound FFAs in their bloodstream are susceptible to oxidation, which decreases their uptake by Mucorales fungi. The fungi can then make and release a toxin protein called mucoricin, which can kill immune cells and epithelial cells, aiding fungal germination and invasion of human tissues and the bloodstream.
#Medsky🧪 #IDSky #Microsky #publichealth Low levels of #albumin, a protein found in blood, are associated with poor clinical outcomes for people with the #fungaldisease #mucormycosis
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ubiquitous: decaying organic matter, soil, wood, cotton, bread, fruits, vegetables, animal excreta. cutaneous #mucormycosis by direct inoculation, contaminated dressings, surgery, burns, accident, insulin injection site, adhesive tape, wooden tongue depressors, ostomy bags
#mucormycosis most common cultured confirmed cases: #Rhizopus(47%), Mucor species(18%), #cunninghamella(7%), #apophysomyces 5%), #saksenaea (5%) #rhizomucor (4%) with other species (8%). Tx amphotericin f/b oral posa or isavuconazole if feasible
#Mucormycosis aggressive, angioinvasive fungal infection that afflicts immunocompromised pts. Its acquired primarily via inhalation of environmental sporangiospores or via direct inoculation during trauma.
🧫 Clinical insights into #mucormycosis in immunosuppressed patients:
A multicentre study from Northern Argentina shows that timely care and targeted antifungals-especially liposomal amphotericin B-significantly improve survival.
#FungalInfections #InfectiousDiseases @salmantongarcia.bsky.social
Recognizing the Early Risk-Based Clinical Manifestations of Mucormycosis: Cornerstones for Improved Survival and Therapeutic Outcomes
#Mucormycosis
www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11...
Endotracheal #Actinomycosis Combined With #Mucormycosis: A Case Report and Literature Review
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
New on the Lister Institute blog: an interview with #ListerFellow @balloulab.bsky.social featuring some visually gorgeous microscopy data of fungal pathogens. #medicalmycology #mucormycosis @exeter.ac.uk lister-institute.org.uk/in-conversat...
On @contagionlive.bsky.social, TLI Investigator Ashraf Ibrahim, PhD delves deeper into how VX-01, a humanized monoclonal antibody, prevents fungal invasion of blood vessels and enhances the immune response of immunocompromised patients. #mucormycosis
Tune in: www.contagionlive.com/view/vx-01-m...
#Antibody-based therapy is several steps closer to treat lethal #mucormycosis ...
| #fungi | #infection | #fungal | #fungus | #pathogen | By @thelundquist.bsky.social via EurekAlert
📢 New study on #Mucormycosis diagnosis costs in Germany! 🏥💰 Guideline-based diagnosis costs €499.40 per case, with yearly costs of ~€96K. Imaging & biopsies are key cost drivers, but early diagnosis improves outcomes & may lower overall expenses: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10..... 🔬📊 #Healthcare
Finally, Dora Corzo-León @forestcita showed that the TG11 antibody can be used to differentiate #mucormycosis from #aspergillosis in a murine model of invasive tissue infection. 11/
Second, Alyssa showed that the TG11 antibody binds similarly to a wide range of important clinical isolates of #mucormycosis including #Rhizopus, #Lichtheimia, #Cunninghamella, and #Mucor species 10/
Together with the talented biophysicist Iana Kalinina, Alyssa also captured binding of the TG11 antibody to growing #Rhizopus arrhizus spores live in a #microfluidics chamber. #mucormycosis 9/
First, Alyssa observed the localisation of the TG11 antibody on germiating spores of Rhizopus arrhizus, one of the most common causes of #mucormycosis. The antibody did not bind inert spores, but did bind strongly to growing hyphae. 8/
So, Alyssa and @forestcita.bsky.social set out to address two remaining challenges to accurate diagnosis of #mucormycosis: 1) simplifying differentiation of mucorales from other invasive fungi in histology and 2) differentiating contaminating spores from actively growing fungi. 7/
Diagnosis of #mucormycosis is frequently based on radiography, CT, biopsy and histology, as in this 2023 clinical report from Choudhary et al., (https://rdcu.be/dWYmW showing Periodic Acid Schiff staining of aseptate hyphae that can be challenging to accurately identify. 5/
#Mucormycosis must be differentiated from other invasive fungi for accurate and agressive treatment: high-dose liposomal amphotericin B with isavuconazole and posaconazole as well as surgical removal of the affected tissue https://bit.ly/3Zo9k5A 4/
#Mucormycosis is caused by a large group of Mucoralean basal fungi. They diverged from the better studied Dikaryotic fungal pathogens more than 800 million years ago and have unique properties, but are widely present as spores in the environment. https://bit.ly/3CVvOCa 3/
#Mucormycosis is a devastating #invasive #fungal disease affecting immunocompromised people and is acquired from the environment. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential, as untreated this fungus rapily invades and destroys tissue. Infection is life altering and deadly. 2/
Today I'm delighted to share #mucormycosis #bioimaging work from Doctors Alyssa Hudson and Dora Corzo León (aka @forestcita.bsky.social), published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases and funded by Noah's Pink Balloon Leukaemia Fund https://bit.ly/4eG3lyz
#COVID19 had been reported to be associated with increasing occurrence of invasive fungal coinfection ( #aspergillosis, #candidaemia & #mucormycosis) As more cases of the occurrence of #COVID19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis had been Reported…
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
