Acute respiratory distress caused by Neosartorya udagawae

Neosartorya udagawae pulmonary infection requiring a surgical treatment in a paediatric haematopoietic progenitor cell recipient

Neosartorya udagawae is a known cause of fungal infection in humans and animals. It is found to be more refractory to antifungal treatment in comparison to other Aspergillus species. With this report we present a case of proven invasive infection with Neosartorya udagawae in a child with chronic myeloid leukaemia after haematopoietic stem cell transplant. The patient received several lines of antifungal therapy including dual therapy appropriate to the antifungal susceptibility profile with progression of the invasive fungal disease requiring left lung upper lobe lobectomy. The case emphasizes the importance of early biopsy with antifungal susceptibility testing for targeted therapy and demonstrates the potential requirement for surgical management in addition to appropriate antifungal treatment.

Soil-Borne Neosartorya spp.: A Heat-Resistant Fungal Threat to Horticulture and Food Production-An Important Component of the Root-Associated Microbial Community

Soil-borne Neosartorya spp. are the highly resilient sexual reproductive stage (teleomorph) of Aspergillus spp. Fungi of this genus are relevant components of root-associated microbial community, but they can also excrete mycotoxins and exhibit great resistance to high temperatures. Their ascospores easily transfer between soil and crops; thus, Neosartorya poses a danger to horticulture and food production, especially to the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables. The spores are known to cause spoilage, mainly in raw fruit produce, juices, and pulps, despite undergoing pasteurization. However, these fungi can also participate in carbon transformation and sequestration, as well as plant protection in drought conditions. Many species have been identified and included in the genus, and yet some of them create taxonomical controversy due to their high similarity. This also contributes to Neosartorya spp. being easily mistaken for its anamorph, resulting in uncertain data within many studies. The review discusses also the factors shaping Neosartorya spp.'s resistance to temperature, preservatives, chemicals, and natural plant extracts, as well as presenting novel solutions to problems created by its resilient nature.

Ubiquitous Distribution of Azole-Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus- Related Species in Outdoor Environments in Japan

Aspergillus fumigatus-related species are responsible for causing aspergillosis, which is a fatal infectious disease. Recently, there has been a series of reports of A. fumigatus-related species that are resistant to azole drugs used in clinical practice for the treatment of fungal infections. Some of these species have been isolated from outdoor environments. Testing the drug susceptibility of the strains from outdoor environments, therefore, is important. In this study, we isolated and cultured 72 strains of A. fumigatus-related species from the outdoor environment in Japan. The isolates identified via morphological observation and molecular phylogenetic analysis were Aspergillus felis, Aspergillus lentulus, Aspergillus pseudoviridinutans, Aspergillus udagawae, and Aspergillus wyomingensis. The results of the drug susceptibility testing revealed that A. felis (6 of 14 strains) and A. pseudoviridinutans (13 of 17 strains) were resistant to itraconazole (ITCZ), with 4 mg/L or higher minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The voriconazole (VRCZ)-resistant strains with 4 mg/L or higher MICs were A. felis (14 of 14), A. lentulus (4 of 4), A. pseudoviridinutans (15 of 17), A. udagawae (23 of 34), A. wyomingensis (1 of 3), and A. pseudoviridinutans (1 of 3). Among them, A. felis (1 of 14) and A. pseudoviridinutans (7 of 17) demonstrated 8 mg/L or higher MICs for ITCZ and VRCZ. These results indicate that A. fumigatus-related species resistant to ITCZ and VRCZ are widely distributed in outdoor environments in Japan.

Galactofuranose antigens, a target for diagnosis of fungal infections in humans

The use of biomarkers for the detection of fungal infections is of interest to complement histopathological and culture methods. Since the production of antibodies in immunocompromised patients is scarce, detection of a specific antigen could be effective for early diagnosis. D-Galactofuranose (Galf) is the antigenic epitope in glycoconjugates of several pathogenic fungi. Since Galf is not biosynthesized by mammals, it is an attractive candidate for diagnosis of infection. A monoclonal antibody that recognizes Galf is commercialized for detection of aspergillosis. The linkage of Galf in the natural glycans and the chemical structures of the synthesized Galf-containing oligosaccharides are described in this paper. The oligosaccharides could be used for the synthesis of artificial carbohydrate-based antigens, not enough exploited for diagnosis.

D-Galactofuranose (Galf) is the unit in polysaccharides and glycoconjugates of several pathogenic fungi that is recognized by the immune system. Since Galf is not synthesized by mammals, it is an attractive candidate for diagnosis of infection. Since the production of antibodies in immunocompromised patients is scarce, detection of a specific antigen could be effective for early diagnosis. An antibody that recognizes Galf is commercialized for the detection of aspergillosis. Chemically synthesized Galf-containing oligosaccharides, reviewed in this paper, could therefore be used for the synthesis of artificial carbohydrate-based antigens and in diagnosis.

Fatal fungal endocarditis by Aspergillus udagawae: an emerging cause of invasive aspergillosis

Aspergillus udagawae has morphological similarities to Aspergillusfumigatus; however, it shows a low susceptibility to common antifungal drugs and poor in vitro sporulation. We present the first reported case of infectious endocarditis caused by A. udagawae. An awareness of this newly described Aspergillus species is vital for further clarification.