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Jones CR, Neill C, Borman AM, Budd EL, Cummins M, Fry C, Guy RL, Jeffery K, Johnson EM, Manuel R, Mirfenderesky M, Moore G, Patel B, Schelenz S, Staniforth K, Taori SK, Brown CS. The laboratory investigation, management, and infection prevention and control of Candida auris: a narrative review to inform the 2024 national guidance update in England. J Med Microbiol 2024; 73:001820. [PMID: 38771623 PMCID: PMC11165919 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergent fungal pathogen Candida auris is increasingly recognised as an important cause of healthcare-associated infections globally. It is highly transmissible, adaptable, and persistent, resulting in an organism with significant outbreak potential that risks devastating consequences. Progress in the ability to identify C. auris in clinical specimens is encouraging, but laboratory diagnostic capacity and surveillance systems are lacking in many countries. Intrinsic resistance to commonly used antifungals, combined with the ability to rapidly acquire resistance to therapy, substantially restricts treatment options and novel agents are desperately needed. Despite this, outbreaks can be interrupted, and mortality avoided or minimised, through the application of rigorous infection prevention and control measures with an increasing evidence base. This review provides an update on epidemiology, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, risk factors, identification and typing, resistance profiles, treatment, detection of colonisation, and infection prevention and control measures for C. auris. This review has informed a planned 2024 update to the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance on the laboratory investigation, management, and infection prevention and control of Candida auris. A multidisciplinary response is needed to control C. auris transmission in a healthcare setting and should emphasise outbreak preparedness and response, rapid contact tracing and isolation or cohorting of patients and staff, strict hand hygiene and other infection prevention and control measures, dedicated or single-use equipment, appropriate disinfection, and effective communication concerning patient transfers and discharge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R. Jones
- HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU, and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Claire Neill
- HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU, and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Andrew M. Borman
- UKHSA Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Infection Services, UKHSA South West Laboratory, Science Quarter, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, UK
| | - Emma L. Budd
- HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU, and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Martina Cummins
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Carole Fry
- HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU, and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Rebecca L. Guy
- HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU, and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Katie Jeffery
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Elizabeth M. Johnson
- UKHSA Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Infection Services, UKHSA South West Laboratory, Science Quarter, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK
- MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, UK
| | - Rohini Manuel
- Public Health Laboratory London, Science Group, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | | | - Ginny Moore
- Research and Evaluation, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
| | - Bharat Patel
- Public Health Laboratory London, Science Group, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Silke Schelenz
- Department of Microbiology, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Karren Staniforth
- HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU, and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | | | - Colin S. Brown
- HCAI, Fungal, AMR, AMU, and Sepsis Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Beredaki MI, Sanidopoulos I, Pournaras S, Meletiadis J. Defining Optimal Doses of Liposomal Amphotericin B Against Candida auris: Data From an In Vitro Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Model. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:599-607. [PMID: 38109276 PMCID: PMC10873176 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Candida auris isolates exhibit elevated amphotericin B (AMB) minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). As liposomal AMB (L-AMB) can be safely administered at high doses, we explored L-AMB pharmacodynamics against C. auris isolates in an in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) dilution model. METHODS Four C. auris isolates with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) AMB MICs = 0.5-2 mg/L were tested in an in vitro PK/PD model simulating L-AMB pharmacokinetics. The in vitro model was validated using a Candida albicans isolate tested in animals. The peak concentration (Cmax)/MIC versus log10 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL reduction from the initial inoculum was analyzed with the sigmoidal model with variable slope (Emax model). Monte Carlo analysis was performed for the standard (3 mg/kg) and higher (5 mg/kg) L-AMB doses. RESULTS The in vitro PK/PD relationship Cmax/MIC versus log10 CFU/mL reduction followed a sigmoidal pattern (R2 = 0.91 for C. albicans, R2 = 0.86 for C. auris). The Cmax/MIC associated with stasis was 2.1 for C. albicans and 9 for C. auris. The probability of target attainment was >95% with 3 mg/kg for wild-type C. albicans isolates with MIC ≤2 mg/L and C. auris isolates with MIC ≤1 mg/L whereas 5 mg/kg L-AMB is needed for C. auris isolates with MIC 2 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS L-AMB was 4-fold less active against C. auris than C. albicans. Candida auris isolates with CLSI MIC 2 mg/L would require a higher L-AMB dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Ioanna Beredaki
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Sanidopoulos
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Spyros Pournaras
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Joseph Meletiadis
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Attikon University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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3
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Hernando-Ortiz A, Eraso E, Jauregizar N, de Groot PW, Quindós G, Mateo E. Efficacy of the combination of amphotericin B and echinocandins against Candida auris in vitro and in the Caenorhabditis elegans host model. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0208623. [PMID: 38018978 PMCID: PMC10783041 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02086-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Multidrug resistance is a rising problem among non-Candida albicans species, such as Candida auris. This therapeutic problem has been very important during the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization has included C. auris in its global priority list of health-threatening fungi, to study this emerging multidrug-resistant species and to develop effective alternative therapies. In the present study, the synergistic effect of the combination of amphotericin B and echinocandins has been demonstrated against blood isolates of C. auris. Different susceptibility responses were also observed between aggregative and non-aggregative phenotypes. The antifungal activity of these drug combinations against C. auris was also demonstrated in the Caenorhabditis elegans host model of candidiasis, confirming the suitability and usefulness of this model in the search for solutions to antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainara Hernando-Ortiz
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Elena Eraso
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Nerea Jauregizar
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Piet W.J. de Groot
- Regional Center for Biomedical Research, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Guillermo Quindós
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
| | - Estibaliz Mateo
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
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Sasoni N, Caracciolo B, Cabeza MS, Gamarra S, Carnovale S, Garcia-Effron G. Antifungal susceptibility testing following the CLSI M27 document, along with the measurement of MFC/MIC ratio, could be the optimal approach to detect amphotericin B resistance in Clavispora ( Candida) lusitaniae. Susceptibility patterns of contemporary isolates of this species. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0096823. [PMID: 38084953 PMCID: PMC10777849 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00968-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Antifungal susceptibility testing (AST) is crucial in clinical settings to guide appropriate therapy. Nevertheless, discrepancies between treatment response and some results still persist, particularly in detecting resistance to amphotericin B (AMB) in Clavispora (Candida) lusitaniae. This study aimed to assess the susceptibility patterns of 48 recent isolates of C. lusitaniae to 9 antifungal agents and explore the feasibility of using a CLSI reference-based method to identify AMB resistance. Microdilution techniques revealed a wide range of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for azole antifungals, while echinocandins and AMB exhibited a narrow range of MIC values, with all strains considered wild-type for the tested polyene and echinocandins. However, when agar diffusion (ellipsometry) was employed for AST, certain strains displayed colonies within the inhibition ellipse, indicating potential resistance. Interestingly, these strains did not respond to AMB treatment and were isolated during AMB treatment (breakthrough). Moreover, the evaluation of AMB minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) indicated that only the strains with colonies inside the ellipse had MFC/MIC ratios ≥ 4, suggesting reduced fungicidal activity. In conclusion, this study confirms the effectiveness of ellipsometry with RPMI-1640 2% glucose agar for detecting AMB resistance in C. lusitaniae. Additionally, the proposed approach of culturing "clear" wells in the microdilution method can aid in uncovering resistant strains. The findings highlight the importance of appropriate AST methods to guide effective treatment strategies for deep-seated candidiasis caused by C. lusitaniae. Further collaborative studies are warranted to validate these findings and improve the detection of AMB clinical resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Sasoni
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular – Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología – Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas – Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Beatriz Caracciolo
- Servicio de Microbiología Laboratorio de Micología Hospital Juan P Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Matías S. Cabeza
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular – Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología – Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas – Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Soledad Gamarra
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular – Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología – Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas – Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Susana Carnovale
- Servicio de Microbiología Laboratorio de Micología Hospital Juan P Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermo Garcia-Effron
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular – Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología – Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas – Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Franconi I, Lupetti A. In Vitro Susceptibility Tests in the Context of Antifungal Resistance: Beyond Minimum Inhibitory Concentration in Candida spp. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1188. [PMID: 38132789 PMCID: PMC10744879 DOI: 10.3390/jof9121188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a matter of rising concern, especially in fungal diseases. Multiple reports all over the world are highlighting a worrisome increase in azole- and echinocandin-resistance among fungal pathogens, especially in Candida species, as reported in the recently published fungal pathogens priority list made by WHO. Despite continuous efforts and advances in infection control, development of new antifungal molecules, and research on molecular mechanisms of antifungal resistance made by the scientific community, trends in invasive fungal diseases and associated antifungal resistance are on the rise, hindering therapeutic options and clinical cures. In this context, in vitro susceptibility testing aimed at evaluating minimum inhibitory concentrations, is still a milestone in the management of fungal diseases. However, such testing is not the only type at a microbiologist's disposal. There are other adjunctive in vitro tests aimed at evaluating fungicidal activity of antifungal molecules and also exploring tolerance to antifungals. This plethora of in vitro tests are still left behind and performed only for research purposes, but their role in the context of invasive fungal diseases associated with antifungal resistance might add resourceful information to the clinical management of patients. The aim of this review was therefore to revise and explore all other in vitro tests that could be potentially implemented in current clinical practice in resistant and difficult-to-treat cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iacopo Franconi
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
- Mycology Unit, Pisa University Hospital, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonella Lupetti
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
- Mycology Unit, Pisa University Hospital, 56126 Pisa, Italy
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Sasarom M, Wanachantararak P, Chaijareenont P, Okonogi S. Biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles using Caesalpinia sappan extract: In vitro evaluation of antifungal and antibiofilm activities against Candida albicans. Drug Discov Ther 2023; 17:238-247. [PMID: 37612046 DOI: 10.5582/ddt.2023.01032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Synthesis of nanoparticles using natural organic substances has attracted more attention due to avoiding inorganic toxicity. This work aimed to synthesize copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) using Caesalpinia sappan heartwood extract as a reducing agent. The effects of pH of synthesis reaction were investigated. The obtained CuONPs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Their particle size, size distribution, and zeta potential were determined using photon correlation spectrophotometry. Candida albicans is a major cause of chronic fungal infections due to its biofilms leading to severe drug resistance problems. In this study, in vitro antifungal and antibiofilm activities as well as killing kinetics of the synthesized CuONPs against C. albicans were investigated. Additionally, fungal biofilm was observed by using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results showed that the pH of the synthesis reaction played an important role in the physicochemical properties and antifungal activities of the obtained CuONPs. CuONPs synthesized at pH 10 and 12 showed the relatively small and narrow size distribution with high negative zeta potential and time-dependent killing kinetics. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirms obvious fungal biofilm reduction and increased fungal cell death after exposure to CuONPs. These findings suggest the optimal pH of CuONPs synthesis using C. sappan extract as a reducing agent. The results on antifungal and antibiofilm activities indicate that the obtained CuONPs can be a promising agent for treating fungal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pisaisit Chaijareenont
- Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellent inPharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Siriporn Okonogi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellent inPharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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John LL, Thomson DD, Bicanic T, Hoenigl M, Brown AJ, Harrison TS, Bignell EM. Heightened Efficacy of Anidulafungin When Used in Combination with Manogepix or 5-Flucytosine against Candida auris In Vitro. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0164522. [PMID: 37162367 PMCID: PMC10269148 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01645-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging, multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen that causes refractory colonization and life-threatening, invasive nosocomial infections. The high proportion of C. auris isolates that display antifungal resistance severely limits treatment options. Combination therapies provide a possible strategy by which to enhance antifungal efficacy and prevent the emergence of further resistance. Therefore, we examined drug combinations using antifungals that are already in clinical use or are undergoing clinical trials. Using checkerboard assays, we screened combinations of 5-flucytosine and manogepix (the active form of the novel antifungal drug fosmanogepix) with anidulafungin, amphotericin B, or voriconazole against drug resistant and susceptible C. auris isolates from clades I and III. Fractional inhibitory concentration indices (FICI values) of 0.28 to 0.75 and 0.36 to 1.02 were observed for combinations of anidulafungin with manogepix or 5-flucytosine, respectively, indicating synergistic activity. The high potency of these anidulafungin combinations was confirmed using live-cell microfluidics-assisted imaging of the fungal growth. In summary, combinations of anidulafungin with manogepix or 5-flucytosine show great potential against both resistant and susceptible C. auris isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa L.H. John
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Darren D. Thomson
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Tihana Bicanic
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, United Kingdom
- Clinical Academic Group in Infection and Immunity, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cranmer Terrace, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Hoenigl
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
- Translational Medical Mycology Research Unit, ECMM Excellence Center for Medical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Alistair J.P. Brown
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas S. Harrison
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George’s University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, United Kingdom
- Clinical Academic Group in Infection and Immunity, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cranmer Terrace, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elaine M. Bignell
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, United Kingdom
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de-la-Fuente I, Guridi A, Jauregizar N, Eraso E, Quindós G, Sevillano E. In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of Citral in Combination with Amphotericin B, Anidulafungin and Fluconazole against Candida auris Isolates. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:648. [PMID: 37367584 DOI: 10.3390/jof9060648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging fungal pathogen responsible for hospital outbreaks of invasive candidiasis associated with high mortality. The treatment of these mycoses is a clinical challenge due to the high resistance levels of this species to current antifungal drugs, and alternative therapeutic strategies are needed. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo activities of combinations of citral with anidulafungin, amphotericin B or fluconazole against 19 C. auris isolates. The antifungal effect of citral was in most cases similar to the effect of the antifungal drugs in monotherapy. The best combination results were obtained with anidulafungin, with synergistic and additive interactions against 7 and 11 of the 19 isolates, respectively. The combination of 0.06 μg/mL anidulafungin and 64 μg/mL citral showed the best results, with a survival rate of 63.2% in Caenorhabditis elegans infected with C. auris UPV 17-279. The combination of fluconazole with citral reduced the MIC of fluconazole from > 64 to 1-4 μg/mL against 12 isolates, and a combination of 2 μg/mL fluconazole and 64 μg/mL citral was also effective in reducing mortality in C. elegans. Amphotericin B combined with citral, although effective in vitro, did not improve the activity of each compound in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo de-la-Fuente
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Andrea Guridi
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Nerea Jauregizar
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Elena Eraso
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Guillermo Quindós
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Elena Sevillano
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
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Adnan A, Borman AM, Tóth Z, Forgács L, Kovács R, Balázsi D, Balázs B, Udvarhelyi G, Kardos G, Majoros L. In Vitro Killing Activities of Anidulafungin and Micafungin with and without Nikkomycin Z against Four Candida auris Clades. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051365. [PMID: 37242607 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant pathogen against which echinocandins are the drug of choice. However, information on how the chitin synthase inhibitor nikkomycin Z influences the killing activities of echinocandins against C. auris is currently lacking. We determined the killing activities of anidulafungin and micafungin (0.25, 1, 8, 16 and 32 mg/L each) with and without nikkomycin Z (8 mg/L) against 15 isolates representing four C. auris clades (South Asian n = 5; East Asian n = 3; South African n = 3; South American n = 4, two of which were of environmental origin). Two and one isolates from the South Asian clade harbored mutations in the hot-spot 1 (S639Y and S639P) and 2 (R1354H) regions of the FKS1 gene, respectively. The anidulafungin, micafungin and nikkomycin Z MIC ranges were 0.015-4, 0.03-4 and 2->16 mg/L, respectively. Anidulafungin and micafungin alone exerted weak fungistatic activity against wild-type isolates and the isolate with a mutation in the hot-spot 2 region of FKS1 but was ineffective against the isolates with a mutation in the hot-spot 1 region. The nikkomycin Z killing curves were always similar to their respective controls. Twenty-two of sixty (36.7%) anidulafungin plus nikkomycin Z and twenty-four of sixty (40%) micafungin plus nikkomycin Z combinations produced at least 100-fold decreases in the CFUs (synergy), with a 41.7% and 20% fungicidal effect, respectively, against wild-type isolates. Antagonism was never observed. Similar results were found with the isolate with a mutation in hot-spot 2 of FKS1, but the combinations were ineffective against the two isolates with prominent mutations in hot-spot 1 of FKS1. The simultaneous inhibition of β-1,3 glucan and chitin synthases in wild-type C. auris isolates produced significantly greater killing rates than either drug alone. Further studies are warranted to verify the clinical efficacy of echinocandin plus nikkomycin Z combinations against echinocandin susceptible C. auris isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Awid Adnan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew M Borman
- UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory, UK Health Security Agency, Science Quarter, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM), University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Zoltán Tóth
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Lajos Forgács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Dávid Balázsi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Bence Balázs
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gergely Udvarhelyi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gábor Kardos
- Department of Metagenomics, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - László Majoros
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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10
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Maione A, Pietra AL, Salvatore MM, Guida M, Galdiero E, de Alteriis E. Undesired Effect of Vancomycin Prolonged Treatment: Enhanced Biofilm Production of the Nosocomial Pathogen Candida auris. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11121771. [PMID: 36551428 PMCID: PMC9774269 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11121771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections are often consequent to prolonged antibiotic treatments. Vancomycin (Van) is the first-choice antibiotic in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections associated with colonization of catheter surfaces. We demonstrate the direct effect of Van in promoting the formation of the biofilm of the emergent yeast pathogen Candida auris, developed in the conventional polystyrene microwell plate model, as well as on silicone surfaces (22 and 28% increase in total biomass, respectively) and on an S. aures biofilm, residual after vancomycin treatment, where C. auris achieved 99% of the mixed biofilm population. The effect of Van was assessed also in vivo, in the Galleria mellonella infection model, which showed higher mortality when infected with the yeast pathogen in the presence of the antibiotic. This evidence enhances awareness of the potential risk associated with prolonged antibiotic use in promoting fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Maione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | | | - Maria Michela Salvatore
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Marco Guida
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
- BAT Center-Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Emilia Galdiero
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081-679182
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11
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Sasoni N, Maidana M, Latorre-Rapela MG, Morales-Lopez S, Berrio I, Gamarra S, Garcia-Effron G. Candida auris and some Candida parapsilosis strains exhibit similar characteristics on CHROMagarTMCandida Plus. Med Mycol 2022; 60:myac062. [PMID: 36208938 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myac062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is considered a public health problem due to its resistance and its tendency to cause nosocomial outbreaks. CHROMagarTMCandida Plus has recently been marketed as capable of presumptively identifying C. auris. The objective of this work was to analyze the ability of this new chromogenic medium to differentiate C. auris from other members of the C. haemulonii complex and from other yeasts commonly isolated in clinical practice. A collection of 220 strains including species of the C. haemulonii (n = 83) and C. parapsilosis (n = 80) complexes was studied. The strains were identified by molecular methods and cultured as individual or as mixed aqueous inoculum on CHROMagarTMCandida Plus plates. Colony morphotypes were evaluated at 5 time points. CHROMagarTMCandida Plus was a helpful tool for presumptive identification for C. auris. Better reading results were obtained after 48 hours of incubation at 35°C. It is able to easily differentiate C. auris from other closely related species of the C. haemulonii complex and other yeasts. This chromogenic medium would be also useful as screening and surveillance tool for C. auris colonization. However, we demonstrated that it would be a possible misidentification of C. parapsilosis as C. auris (44.3% showed similar morphotypes). To reduce false positives when it is used in a context of a C. auris outbreak, we propose to supplement the chromogenic medium with 8 μg/ml fluconazole. This modified medium was tested and it clearly differentiate C. parapsilosis from C. auris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Sasoni
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular - Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología - Facultad de Bioquímica - Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Ciudad Universitaria - Santa Fe (CP 3000) - Argentina
| | - Melani Maidana
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular - Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología - Facultad de Bioquímica - Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Ciudad Universitaria - Santa Fe (CP 3000) - Argentina
| | - María Gabriela Latorre-Rapela
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular - Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología - Facultad de Bioquímica - Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Ciudad Universitaria - Santa Fe (CP 3000) - Argentina
| | - Soraya Morales-Lopez
- Grupo CINBIOS, Programa de Microbiología - Universidad Popular del Cesar - Valledupar (200002), Colombia
| | - Indira Berrio
- Hospital general de Medellin 'Luz Castro de Gutiérrez' ESE - Medellín (050015) - Colombia
| | - Soledad Gamarra
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular - Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología - Facultad de Bioquímica - Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Ciudad Universitaria - Santa Fe (CP 3000) - Argentina
| | - Guillermo Garcia-Effron
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular - Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología - Facultad de Bioquímica - Universidad Nacional del Litoral - Ciudad Universitaria - Santa Fe (CP 3000) - Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET). Santa Fe (CP 3000). Argentina
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12
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Forgács L, Borman AM, Kovács R, Balázsi D, Tóth Z, Balázs B, Chun-Ju C, Kardos G, Kovacs I, Majoros L. In Vivo Efficacy of Amphotericin B against Four Candida auris Clades. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8050499. [PMID: 35628754 PMCID: PMC9144575 DOI: 10.3390/jof8050499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant fungus against which in some clinical situations amphotericin B (AMB) remains the alternative or first line drug. We compared daily 1 mg/kg of AMB efficacy in a neutropenic murine bloodstream infection model against 10 isolates representing four C. auris clades (South Asian n = 2; East Asian n = 2; South African n = 2; South American n = 4; two of which were of environmental origin). Five days of AMB treatment significantly increased the survival rates in mice infected with isolates of the East Asian clade, and 1 isolate each from the South African and South American clades (originated from bloodstream), but not in mice infected with the South Asian and 2 environmental isolates from the South American clades. AMB treatment decreased the fungal burden in mice infected with the 2 isolates each from East Asian and South African, and 1 out of 2 bloodstream isolates from South American clades in the hearts (p < 0.01), kidneys (p < 0.01) and brain (p < 0.05). AMB treatment, regardless of clades, significantly decreased colony forming units in the urine at day 3. However, histopathological examination in AMB-treated mice revealed large aggregates of yeast cells in the kidneys and hearts, and focal lesions in the cerebra and cerebelli, regardless of precise C. auris clade. Our clade-specific data confirm that the efficacy of AMB against C. auris is weak, explaining the therapeutic failures in clinical situations. Our results draw attention to the necessity to maximize the killing at the start of treatment to avoid later complications in the heart and central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lajos Forgács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (D.B.); (Z.T.); (B.B.); (C.C.-J.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew M. Borman
- UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory, UK Health Security Agency, Science Quarter, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK;
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM), University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (D.B.); (Z.T.); (B.B.); (C.C.-J.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Dávid Balázsi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (D.B.); (Z.T.); (B.B.); (C.C.-J.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Tóth
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (D.B.); (Z.T.); (B.B.); (C.C.-J.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Bence Balázs
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (D.B.); (Z.T.); (B.B.); (C.C.-J.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Chiu Chun-Ju
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (D.B.); (Z.T.); (B.B.); (C.C.-J.)
| | - Gábor Kardos
- Department of Metagenomics, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Ilona Kovacs
- Department of Pathology, Kenézy Gyula Hospital, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - László Majoros
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (D.B.); (Z.T.); (B.B.); (C.C.-J.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-52-255-425; Fax: +36-52-255-424
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13
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Memariani M, Memariani H, Poursafavi Z, Baseri Z. Anti-fungal Effects and Mechanisms of Action of Wasp Venom-Derived Peptide Mastoparan-VT1 Against Candida albicans. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10401-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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14
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Frías-De-León MG, García-Salazar E, Reyes-Montes MDR, Duarte-Escalante E, Acosta-Altamirano G. Opportunistic Yeast Infections and Climate Change: The Emergence of Candida auris. Fungal Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-89664-5_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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15
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Activity of Free and Liposome-Encapsulated Essential Oil from Lavandula angustifolia against Persister-Derived Biofilm of Candida auris. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 11:antibiotics11010026. [PMID: 35052903 PMCID: PMC8772840 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The high virulence of Candida auris, a pathogen fungus considered as a global threat for public health, is due to its peculiar traits such as its intrinsic resistance to conventional antifungals. Its biofilm lifestyle certainly promotes the prolonged survival of C. auris after disinfection or antifungal treatments. In this work, for the first time, we detected persister cells in a biofilm of C. auris in a microwell plate model, following caspofungin treatment. Furthermore, we showed how persisters can progressively develop a new biofilm in situ, mimicking the re-colonization of a surface which may be responsible for recalcitrant infections. Plant-derived compounds, such as essential oils, may represent a valid alternative to combat fungal infections. Here, Lavandula angustifolia essential oil, as free or encapsulated in liposomes, was used to eradicate primary and persister-derived biofilms of C. auris, confirming the great potential of alternative compounds against emergent fungal pathogens. As in other Candida species, the action of essential oils against C. auris involves ROS production and affects the expression of some biofilm-related genes.
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16
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Li D, Wang Y, Hu W, Chen F, Zhao J, Chen X, Han L. Application of Machine Learning Classifier to Candida auris Drug Resistance Analysis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:742062. [PMID: 34722336 PMCID: PMC8554202 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.742062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris (C. auris) is an emerging fungus associated with high morbidity. It has a unique transmission ability and is often resistant to multiple drugs. In this study, we evaluated the ability of different machine learning models to classify the drug resistance and predicted and ranked the drug resistance mutations of C. auris. Two C. auris strains were obtained. Combined with other 356 strains collected from the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) databases, the whole genome sequencing (WGS) data were analyzed by bioinformatics. Machine learning classifiers were used to build drug resistance models, which were evaluated and compared by various evaluation methods based on AUC value. Briefly, two strains were assigned to Clade III in the phylogenetic tree, which was consistent with previous studies; nevertheless, the phylogenetic tree was not completely consistent with the conclusion of clustering according to the geographical location discovered earlier. The clustering results of C. auris were related to its drug resistance. The resistance genes of C. auris were not under additional strong selection pressure, and the performance of different models varied greatly for different drugs. For drugs such as azoles and echinocandins, the models performed relatively well. In addition, two machine learning algorithms, based on the balanced test and imbalanced test, were designed and evaluated; for most drugs, the evaluation results on the balanced test set were better than on the imbalanced test set. The mutations strongly be associated with drug resistance of C. auris were predicted and ranked by Recursive Feature Elimination with Cross-Validation (RFECV) combined with a machine learning classifier. In addition to known drug resistance mutations, some new resistance mutations were predicted, such as Y501H and I466M mutation in the ERG11 gene and R278H mutation in the ERG10 gene, which may be associated with fluconazole (FCZ), micafungin (MCF), and amphotericin B (AmB) resistance, respectively; these mutations were in the “hot spot” regions of the ergosterol pathway. To sum up, this study suggested that machine learning classifiers are a useful and cost-effective method to identify fungal drug resistance-related mutations, which is of great significance for the research on the resistance mechanism of C. auris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingchen Li
- Department of Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yaru Wang
- Department of Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.,School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenjuan Hu
- Department of Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.,School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fangyan Chen
- Department of Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jingya Zhao
- Department of Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xia Chen
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Li Han
- Department of Disinfection and Infection Control, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
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17
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Caballero U, Eraso E, Pemán J, Quindós G, Vozmediano V, Schmidt S, Jauregizar N. In Vitro Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Modelling and Simulation of Amphotericin B against Candida auris. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13111767. [PMID: 34834182 PMCID: PMC8624019 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13111767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The aims of this study were to characterize the antifungal activity of amphotericin B against Candida auris in a static in vitro system and to evaluate different dosing schedules and MIC scenarios by means of semi-mechanistic pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modelling and simulation. A two-compartment model consisting of a drug-susceptible and a drug-resistant subpopulation successfully characterized the time-kill data and a modified Emax sigmoidal model best described the effect of the drug. The model incorporated growth rate constants for both subpopulations, a death rate constant and a transfer constant between both compartments. Additionally, the model included a parameter to account for the delay in growth in the absence or presence of the drug. Amphotericin B displayed a concentration-dependent fungicidal activity. The developed PK/PD model was able to characterize properly the antifungal activity of amphotericin B against C. auris. Finally, simulation analysis revealed that none of the simulated standard dosing scenarios of 0.6, 1 and 1.5 mg/kg/day over a week treatment showed successful activity against C. auris infection. Simulations also pointed out that an MIC of 1 mg/L would be linked to treatment failure for C. auris invasive infections and therefore, the resistance rate to amphotericin B may be higher than previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Unai Caballero
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain;
| | - Elena Eraso
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (E.E.); (G.Q.)
| | - Javier Pemán
- Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico de La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain;
- Severe Infection Research Group, Health Research Institute Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Guillermo Quindós
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (E.E.); (G.Q.)
| | - Valvanera Vozmediano
- Center for Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA; (V.V.); (S.S.)
| | - Stephan Schmidt
- Center for Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA; (V.V.); (S.S.)
| | - Nerea Jauregizar
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain;
- Correspondence:
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18
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Caballero U, Eraso E, Quindós G, Jauregizar N. In Vitro Interaction and Killing-Kinetics of Amphotericin B Combined with Anidulafungin or Caspofungin against Candida auris. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13091333. [PMID: 34575409 PMCID: PMC8468219 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of invasive infections caused by Candida auris is challenging due to the limited therapeutic options. The combination of antifungal drugs may be an interesting and feasible approach to be investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro activity of amphotericin B in combination with anidulafungin or caspofungin against C. auris. In vitro static time–kill curve experiments were conducted for 48 h with different combinations of amphotericin B with anidulafungin or caspofungin against six blood isolates of C. auris. The antifungal activity of 0.5 mg/L of amphotericin B was limited against the six isolates of C. auris. Similarly, echinocandins alone had a negligible effect, even at the highest tested concentrations. By contrast, 1 mg/L of amphotericin B showed fungistatic activity. Synergy was rapidly achieved (8 h) with 0.5 mg/L of amphotericin B plus 2 mg/L of anidulafungin or caspofungin. These combinations lead to a sustained fungistatic effect, and the fungicidal endpoint was reached against some C. auris isolates. Additionally, ≥0.5 mg/L of either of the two echinocandins with 1 mg/L of amphotericin B resulted in fungicidal effect against all C. auris isolates. In conclusion, combinations of amphotericin B with anidulafungin or caspofungin provided greater killing with a lower dose requirement for amphotericin B compared to monotherapy, with synergistic and/or fungicidal outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Unai Caballero
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain;
| | - Elena Eraso
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (E.E.); (G.Q.)
| | - Guillermo Quindós
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (E.E.); (G.Q.)
| | - Nerea Jauregizar
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain;
- Correspondence:
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19
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Papp Z, Borman AM, Forgács L, Kovács R, Tóth Z, Chun-Ju C, Kardos G, Juhász B, Szilvássy J, Majoros L. Unpredictable In Vitro Killing Activity of Amphotericin B against Four Candida auris Clades. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10080990. [PMID: 34451454 PMCID: PMC8398933 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10080990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging multiresistant yeast against which amphotericin B (AMB) is still the first therapeutic choice in certain clinical situations (i.e., meningitis, endophthalmitis, and urinary tract infections). As data about the in vitro killing activity of AMB against C. auris clades are lacking, we determined MICs, minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs), and killing activity of AMB against 22 isolates representing the 4 major C. auris clades (South Asian n = 6; East Asian n = 4; South African n = 6, and South American n = 6). MIC values were ≤1 mg/L regardless of clades; MFC ranges were, 1–4 mg/L, 2–4 mg/L, 2 mg/L, and 2–8 mg/L for South Asian, East Asian, South African, and South American clades, respectively. AMB showed concentration-, clade-, and isolate-dependent killing activity. AMB was fungicidal at 1 mg/L against two of six, two of four, three of six, and one of six isolates from the South Asian, East Asian, South African, and South American clades, respectively. Widefield fluorescence microscopy showed cell number decreases at 1 mg/L AMB in cases of the South Asian, East Asian, and South African clades. These data draw attention to the weak killing activity of AMB against C. auris regardless of clades, even when MICs are low (≤1 mg/L). Thus, AMB efficacy is unpredictable in treatment of invasive C. auris infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Papp
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.P.); (J.S.)
| | - Andrew M. Borman
- UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory, Public Health England, Science Quarter, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK;
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM), University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Lajos Forgács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (Z.T.); (C.C.-J.); (G.K.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (Z.T.); (C.C.-J.); (G.K.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Tóth
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (Z.T.); (C.C.-J.); (G.K.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Chiu Chun-Ju
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (Z.T.); (C.C.-J.); (G.K.)
| | - Gábor Kardos
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (Z.T.); (C.C.-J.); (G.K.)
- Department of Metagenomics, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Béla Juhász
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Judit Szilvássy
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.P.); (J.S.)
| | - László Majoros
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.F.); (R.K.); (Z.T.); (C.C.-J.); (G.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-52-255-425; Fax: +36-52-255-424
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20
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Giacobbe DR, Magnasco L, Sepulcri C, Mikulska M, Koehler P, Cornely OA, Bassetti M. Recent advances and future perspectives in the pharmacological treatment of Candida auris infections. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2021; 14:1205-1220. [PMID: 34176393 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2021.1949285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Candida auris is responsible for hospital outbreaks worldwide. Some C. auris isolates may show concomitant resistance to azoles, echinocandins, and polyenes, thereby possibly leaving clinicians with few therapeutic options. AREAS COVERED Antifungal agents both in early and in late phases of clinical development showing anti-C. auris activity. EXPERT OPINION The research on antifungal agents active against C. auris has made important steps forward in recent years: (i) the development of drugs with novel mechanisms of action, such as ibrexafungerp and fosmanogepix, could provide a valid option against C. auris strains resistant to one or more older antifungals, including pan-resistant strains; (ii) rezafungin could allow once weekly administration of an active drug in the case of echinocandin-susceptible isolates, providing an effective outpatient treatment, while at the same time relieving selective pressure on novel classes; (iii) the development of oral formulations could allow step-down therapy and/or early discharge, or even to avoid hospitalization in mild or noninvasive diseases; (iv) according to available data, these novel agents show a good safety profile and a low potential for drug-drug interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele R Giacobbe
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Clinica Malattie Infettive, San Martino Policlinico Hospital - IRCCS, Genoa, Italy
| | - Laura Magnasco
- Clinica Malattie Infettive, San Martino Policlinico Hospital - IRCCS, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Sepulcri
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Clinica Malattie Infettive, San Martino Policlinico Hospital - IRCCS, Genoa, Italy
| | - Malgorzata Mikulska
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Clinica Malattie Infettive, San Martino Policlinico Hospital - IRCCS, Genoa, Italy
| | - Philipp Koehler
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany.,University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Chair Translational Research, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
| | - Oliver A Cornely
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, Excellence Center for Medical Mycology (ECMM), Cologne, Germany.,University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Chair Translational Research, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany.,University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Clinical Trials Centre Cologne (ZKS Köln), Cologne, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matteo Bassetti
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Clinica Malattie Infettive, San Martino Policlinico Hospital - IRCCS, Genoa, Italy
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Evaluation of the Synergistic Activity of Antibacterial and Antifungal Drugs against Candida auris using an Inkjet Printer-Assisted Method. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0026821. [PMID: 34252295 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00268-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen that spreads readily in healthcare settings and has caused numerous hospital outbreaks. Very few treatment options exist for C. auris infections. We evaluated the activity of all two-drug combinations of three antifungal agents (amphotericin B, caspofungin, and voriconazole) and two antibacterial agents (minocycline and rifampin) against a collection of 10 C. auris isolates using an automated, inkjet printer-assisted checkerboard array method. Three antibacterial-antifungal combinations (amphotericin B plus rifampin, amphotericin B plus minocycline, and caspofungin plus minocycline) demonstrated synergistic activity by checkerboard array against ≥90% of strains with fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) values of 0.094 to 0.5. The two amphotericin B-containing combinations were also synergistic using the time-kill synergy testing method, with up to a 4.99 log10 decrease in surviving yeast compared to either agent alone. Our results suggest that combinations of antifungal and antibacterial agents may provide a promising avenue for treatment of this multidrug-resistant pathogen.
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22
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Kovács R, Tóth Z, Locke JB, Forgács L, Kardos G, Nagy F, Borman AM, Majoros L. Comparison of In Vitro Killing Activity of Rezafungin, Anidulafungin, Caspofungin, and Micafungin against Four Candida auris Clades in RPMI-1640 in the Absence and Presence of Human Serum. Microorganisms 2021; 9:863. [PMID: 33923783 PMCID: PMC8073555 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emerging and frequently multidrug-resistant pathogen against which the echinocandins are the preferred therapeutic option. We compared killing activities of anidulafungin, caspofungin, micafungin, and rezafungin against 13 isolates representing four C. auris clades (South Asian n = 3; East Asian n = 3; South African n = 3; South American n = 4, of which two were of environmental origin). Minimum inhibitory concentration MICs and killing kinetics in RPMI-1640 and RPMI-1640 plus 50% serum (50% serum) were determined. The four echinocandins were never fungicidal and induced large aggregates in RPMI-1640 and, less markedly, in 50% serum. Colony forming unit CFU decreases were found more consistently in 50% serum than in RPMI-1640. Isolates from the East Asian clade were killed at ≥1-≥ 4 mg/L with all echinocandins regardless of media. Anidulafungin and micafungin produced killing at peak drug serum concentration (8 mg/L) against environmental but not clinical isolates from the South American and the South African clades. Micafungin at ≥8 mg/L but not anidulafungin produced CFU decreases against the South Asian clade as well. In 50% serum, rezafungin at ≥1-≥ 8 mg/L produced killing against all four clades. The next generation echinocandin, rezafungin, showed the same or better activity at clinically attainable trough concentration regardless of media, compared with anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin against all four tested C. auris clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (R.K.); (Z.T.); (L.F.); (G.K.); (F.N.)
| | - Zoltán Tóth
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (R.K.); (Z.T.); (L.F.); (G.K.); (F.N.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Jeffrey B. Locke
- Cidara Therapeutics, Inc., 6310 Nancy Ridge Dr., Suite 101, San Diego, CA 92121, USA;
| | - Lajos Forgács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (R.K.); (Z.T.); (L.F.); (G.K.); (F.N.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Gábor Kardos
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (R.K.); (Z.T.); (L.F.); (G.K.); (F.N.)
| | - Fruzsina Nagy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (R.K.); (Z.T.); (L.F.); (G.K.); (F.N.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew M. Borman
- UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory, Public Health England, Science Quarter, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK;
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM), University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - László Majoros
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (R.K.); (Z.T.); (L.F.); (G.K.); (F.N.)
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In Vitro Synergistic Interactions of Isavuconazole and Echinocandins against Candida auris. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10040355. [PMID: 33800601 PMCID: PMC8066733 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10040355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an emergent fungal pathogen that causes severe infectious outbreaks globally. The public health concern when dealing with this pathogen is mainly due to reduced susceptibility to current antifungal drugs. A valuable alternative to overcome this problem is to investigate the efficacy of combination therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro interactions of isavuconazole with echinocandins against C. auris. Interactions were determined using a checkerboard method, and absorbance data were analyzed with different approaches: the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI), Greco universal response surface approach, and Bliss interaction model. All models were in accordance and showed that combinations of isavuconazole with echinocandins resulted in an overall synergistic interaction. A wide range of concentrations within the therapeutic range were selected to perform time-kill curves. These confirmed that isavuconazole–echinocandin combinations were more effective than monotherapy regimens. Synergism and fungistatic activity were achieved with combinations that included isavuconazole in low concentrations (≥0.125 mg/L) and ≥1 mg/L of echinocandin. Time-kill curves revealed that once synergy was achieved, combinations of higher drug concentrations did not improve the antifungal activity. This work launches promising results regarding the combination of isavuconazole with echinocandins for the treatment of C. auris infections.
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Romera D, Aguilera-Correa JJ, García-Coca M, Mahillo-Fernández I, Viñuela-Sandoval L, García-Rodríguez J, Esteban J. The Galleria mellonella infection model as a system to investigate the virulence of Candida auris strains. Pathog Dis 2020; 78:5937422. [PMID: 33098293 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftaa067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is a multiresistant pathogenic yeast commonly isolated from bloodstream infections in immunocompromised patients. In this work, we infected Galleria mellonella larvae with 105 CFU of a reference strains and two clinical isolates of C. albicans and C. auris and we compared the outcomes of infection between both species. Larvae were evaluated every 24 h for a total of 120 h following the G. mellonella Health Index Scoring System, and survival, activity, melanization and cocoon formation were monitored. Our results showed that clinical isolates were significantly more pathogenic than reference strains independently of the tested species, producing lower survival and activity scores and higher melanization scores and being C. albicans strains more virulent than C. auris strains. We did not find differences in mortality between aggregative and non-aggregative C. auris strains, although non-aggregative strains produced significantly lower activity scores and higher melanization scores than aggregative ones. Survival assays using Galleria mellonella have been previously employed to examine and classify strains of this and other microbial species based on their virulence before scaling the experiments to a mammal model. Taken together, these results show how a more complete evaluation of the model can improve the study of C. auris isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Romera
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, UAM. Avda. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - John-Jairo Aguilera-Correa
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, UAM. Avda. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta García-Coca
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, UAM. Avda. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Mahillo-Fernández
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Service, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Av. Reyes Católicos, 2. 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Julio García-Rodríguez
- Department of Microbiology, La Paz University Hospital, Paseo de la Castellana, 261, 28046 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Esteban
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, UAM. Avda. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Garcia-Effron G. Rezafungin-Mechanisms of Action, Susceptibility and Resistance: Similarities and Differences with the Other Echinocandins. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:E262. [PMID: 33139650 PMCID: PMC7711656 DOI: 10.3390/jof6040262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Rezafungin (formerly CD101) is a new β-glucan synthase inhibitor that is chemically related with anidulafungin. It is considered the first molecule of the new generation of long-acting echinocandins. It has several advantages over the already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) echinocandins as it has better tissue penetration, better pharmacokinetic/phamacodynamic (PK/PD) pharmacometrics, and a good safety profile. It is much more stable in solution than the older echinocandins, making it more flexible in terms of dosing, storage, and manufacturing. These properties would allow rezafungin to be administered once-weekly (intravenous) and to be potentially administered topically and subcutaneously. In addition, higher dose regimens were tested with no evidence of toxic effect. This will eventually prevent (or reduce) the selection of resistant strains. Rezafungin also has several similarities with older echinocandins as they share the same in vitro behavior (very similar Minimum Inhibitory Concentration required to inhibit the growth of 50% of the isolates (MIC50) and half enzyme maximal inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50)) and spectrum, the same target, and the same mechanisms of resistance. The selection of FKS mutants occurred at similar frequency for rezafungin than for anidulafungin and caspofungin. In this review, rezafungin mechanism of action, target, mechanism of resistance, and in vitro data are described in a comparative manner with the already approved echinocandins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Garcia-Effron
- Laboratorio de Micología y Diagnóstico Molecular, Cátedra de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, C.P. 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina; or ; Tel.: +54-9342-4575209 (ext. 135)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, C.P. 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
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Abstract
In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Caplan et al. (2020) describe a series of studies in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans to identify a new target for antimicrobial drug development. Beginning with an unbiased compound screen, they identify new mechanisms to address rising resistance to currently used anti-infective agents.
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Echinocandins as Biotechnological Tools for Treating Candida auris Infections. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6030185. [PMID: 32971857 PMCID: PMC7558506 DOI: 10.3390/jof6030185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris has been reported in the past few years as an invasive fungal pathogen of high interest. Its recent emergence in healthcare-associated infections triggered the efforts of researchers worldwide, seeking additional alternatives to the use of traditional antifungals such as azoles. Lipopeptides, specially the echinocandins, have been reported as an effective approach to control pathogenic fungi. However, despite its efficiency against C. auris, some isolates presented echinocandin resistance. Thus, therapies focused on echinocandins’ synergism with other antifungal drugs were widely explored, representing a novel possibility for the treatment of C. auris infections.
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Management of Candida auris outbreak in a tertiary-care setting in Saudi Arabia. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2020; 42:149-155. [PMID: 32880247 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe local experience in managing an outbreak of Candida auris in a tertiary-care setting. METHODS In response to emerging Candida auris, an outbreak investigation was conducted at our hospital between March 2018 and June 2019. Once a patient was confirmed to have Candida auris, screening of exposed patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) was conducted. Postexposure screening included those who had had direct contact with or shared the same unit or ward with a laboratory-confirmed case. In response to the increasing number of cases, new infection control measures were implemented. RESULTS In total, 23 primary patients were detected over 15 months. Postexposure screening identified 11 more cases, and all were patients. Furthermore, ~28.6% of patients probably caught infection in another hospital or in the community. Infection control measures were strictly implemented including hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, patient hygiene, environmental cleaning, cohorting of patients and HCWs, and avoiding the sharing of equipment. The wave reached a peak in April 2019, followed by a sharp decrease in May 2019 and complete clearance in June 2019. The case patients were equally distributed between intensive care units (51.4%) and wards (48.6%). More infections (62.9%) occurred than colonizations (37.1%). Urinary tract infection (42.9%) and candidemia (17.1%) were the main infections. In total, 7 patients (20.0%) died during hospitalization; among them, 6 (17.1%) died within 30 days of diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Active screening of exposed patients followed by strict infection control measures, including environmental cleaning, was successful in ending the outbreak. Preventing future outbreaks is challenging due to outside sources of infection and environmental resistance.
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Tóth Z, Forgács L, Kardos T, Kovács R, Locke JB, Kardos G, Nagy F, Borman AM, Adnan A, Majoros L. Relative Frequency of Paradoxical Growth and Trailing Effect with Caspofungin, Micafungin, Anidulafungin, and the Novel Echinocandin Rezafungin against Candida Species. J Fungi (Basel) 2020; 6:jof6030136. [PMID: 32824464 PMCID: PMC7560028 DOI: 10.3390/jof6030136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Rezafungin is a next-generation echinocandin that has favorable pharmacokinetic properties. We compared the occurrence of paradoxical growth (PG) and trailing effect (TE) characteristics to echinocadins with rezafungin, caspofungin, micafungin and anidulafungin using 365 clinical Candida isolates belonging to 13 species. MICs were determined by BMD method according to CLSI (M27 Ed4). Disconnected growth (PG plus TE) was most frequent with caspofungin (49.6%), followed by anidulafungin (33.7%), micafungin (25.7%), while it was least frequent with rezafungin (16.9%). PG was relatively common in the case of caspofungin (30.1%) but was rare in the case of rezafungin (3.0%). C. tropicalis, C. albicans, C. orthopsilosis and C. inconspicua exhibited PG most frequently with caspofungin, micafungin or anidulafungin. PG never occurred in the case of C. krusei isolates. Against C. tropicalis and C. albicans, echinocandins frequently showed PG after 24 h followed by TE after 48 h. All four echinocandins exhibited TE for the majority of C. auris and C. dubliniensis isolates. Disconnected growth was common among Candida species and was echinocandin- and species-dependent. In contrast to earlier echinocandins, PG was infrequently found with rezafungin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Tóth
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.T.); (L.F.); (R.K.); (G.K.); (F.N.); (A.A.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Lajos Forgács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.T.); (L.F.); (R.K.); (G.K.); (F.N.); (A.A.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tamás Kardos
- Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.T.); (L.F.); (R.K.); (G.K.); (F.N.); (A.A.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Jeffrey B. Locke
- Cidara Therapeutics, Inc., 6310 Nancy Ridge Dr., Suite 101, San Diego, CA 92121, USA;
| | - Gábor Kardos
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.T.); (L.F.); (R.K.); (G.K.); (F.N.); (A.A.)
| | - Fruzsina Nagy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.T.); (L.F.); (R.K.); (G.K.); (F.N.); (A.A.)
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew M. Borman
- UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory, Public Health England, Science Quarter, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK;
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM), University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Awid Adnan
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.T.); (L.F.); (R.K.); (G.K.); (F.N.); (A.A.)
| | - László Majoros
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (Z.T.); (L.F.); (R.K.); (G.K.); (F.N.); (A.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-52-255-425; Fax: +36-52-255-424
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Nagy F, Vitális E, Jakab Á, Borman AM, Forgács L, Tóth Z, Majoros L, Kovács R. In vitro and in vivo Effect of Exogenous Farnesol Exposure Against Candida auris. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:957. [PMID: 32508780 PMCID: PMC7251031 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The spreading of multidrug-resistant Candida auris is considered as an emerging global health threat. The number of effective therapeutic regimens is strongly limited; therefore, development of novel strategies is needed. Farnesol is a quorum-sensing molecule with a potential antifungal and/or adjuvant effect; it may be a promising candidate in alternative treatment against Candida species including C. auris. To examine the effect of farnesol on C. auris, we performed experiments focusing on growth, biofilm production ability, production of enzymes related to oxidative stress, triazole susceptibility and virulence. Concentrations ranging from 100 to 300 μM farnesol caused a significant growth inhibition against C. auris planktonic cells for 24 h (p < 0.01-0.05). Farnesol treatment showed a concentration dependent inhibition in terms of biofilm forming ability of C. auris; however, it did not inhibit significantly the biofilm development at 24 h. Nevertheless, the metabolic activity of adhered farnesol pre-exposed cells (75 μM) was significantly diminished at 24 h depending on farnesol treatment during biofilm formation (p < 0.001-0.05). Moreover, 300 μM farnesol exerted a marked decrease in metabolic activity against one-day-old biofilms between 2 and 24 h (p < 0.001). Farnesol increased the production of reactive species remarkably, as revealed by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) assay {3.96 ± 0.89 [nmol DCF (OD640)-1] and 23.54 ± 4.51 [nmol DCF (OD640)-1] for untreated cells and farnesol exposed cells, respectively; p < 0.001}. This was in line with increased superoxide dismutase level {85.69 ± 5.42 [munit (mg protein)-1] and 170.11 ± 17.37 [munit (mg protein)-1] for untreated cells and farnesol exposed cells, respectively; p < 0.001}, but the catalase level remained statistically comparable between treated and untreated cells (p > 0.05). Concerning virulence-related enzymes, exposure to 75 μM farnesol did not influence phospholipase or aspartic proteinase activity (p > 0.05). The interaction between fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, isavuconazole and farnesol showed clear synergism (FICI ranges from 0.038 to 0.375) against one-day-old biofilms. Regarding in vivo experiments, daily 75 μM farnesol treatment decreased the fungal burden in an immunocompromised murine model of disseminated candidiasis, especially in case of inocula pre-exposed to farnesol (p < 0.01). In summary, farnesol shows a promising therapeutic or adjuvant potential in traditional or alternative therapies such as catheter lock therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fruzsina Nagy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Eszter Vitális
- Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Hospital Hygiene Ward, Clinical Centre, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Jakab
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Andrew M Borman
- UK National Mycology Reference Laboratory, Public Health England, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Lajos Forgács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Tóth
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - László Majoros
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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ElBaradei A. A decade after the emergence of Candida auris: what do we know? Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2020; 39:1617-1627. [PMID: 32297040 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-020-03886-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Candida auris is a remarkable emerging pathogen. It has emerged separately, yet simultaneously in different parts of the world, establishing four phylogenetic and geographic distinct clades with a potential fifth clade that was recently reported. C. auris is often perceived as a pathogen in disguise, due to its frequent misidentification and its immune evasion. On the other hand, many of the recovered isolates are multidrug-resistant. In fact, some of these isolates are resistant to the three main antifungal classes: echinocandins, azoles, and polyenes. Moreover, C. auris has the ability to persist and survive on different objects for a long time, aided by different adhering mechanisms including aggregation and biofilm formation, thereby causing outbreaks of invasive infections in hospital settings. However, C. auris ability to maintain its pathogenicity at high temperatures remains among its most unique properties. This is why C. auris represents a challenging threat, and more studies are needed to meet this challenge. This review highlights different characteristics of this emerging yeast with emphasis on its antifungal resistance, its ability to persistent on different surfaces, and its immune evasion capability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira ElBaradei
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University in Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt. .,Alexandria University Hospital, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
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de Barros PP, Rossoni RD, de Souza CM, Scorzoni L, Fenley JDC, Junqueira JC. Candida Biofilms: An Update on Developmental Mechanisms and Therapeutic Challenges. Mycopathologia 2020; 185:415-424. [PMID: 32277380 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-020-00445-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Fungi of the genus Candida are important etiological agents of superficial and life-threatening infections in individuals with a compromised immune system. One of the main characteristics of Candida is its ability to form highly drug tolerance biofilms in the human host. Biofilms are a dynamic community of multiple cell types whose formation over time is orchestrated by a network of transcription regulators. In this brief review, we provide an update of the processes involved in biofilm formation by Candida spp. (formation, treatment, and control), as well as the transcriptional circuitry that regulates its development and interactions with other microorganisms. Candida albicans is known to build mixed species biofilms with other Candida species and with various other bacterial species in different host niches. Taken together, these properties play a key role in Candida pathogenesis. In addition, this review gathers recent studies with new insights and perspectives for the treatment and control of Candida biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Pimentel de Barros
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Institute of Science and Technology, São José dos Campos, Avenida Engenheiro Francisco José Longo 777, São Dimas, São José dos Campos, SP, CEP 12245-000, Brazil.
| | - Rodnei Dennis Rossoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Institute of Science and Technology, São José dos Campos, Avenida Engenheiro Francisco José Longo 777, São Dimas, São José dos Campos, SP, CEP 12245-000, Brazil
| | - Cheyenne Marçal de Souza
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Institute of Science and Technology, São José dos Campos, Avenida Engenheiro Francisco José Longo 777, São Dimas, São José dos Campos, SP, CEP 12245-000, Brazil
| | - Liliana Scorzoni
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Institute of Science and Technology, São José dos Campos, Avenida Engenheiro Francisco José Longo 777, São Dimas, São José dos Campos, SP, CEP 12245-000, Brazil
| | - Juliana De Camargo Fenley
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Institute of Science and Technology, São José dos Campos, Avenida Engenheiro Francisco José Longo 777, São Dimas, São José dos Campos, SP, CEP 12245-000, Brazil
| | - Juliana Campos Junqueira
- Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Institute of Science and Technology, São José dos Campos, Avenida Engenheiro Francisco José Longo 777, São Dimas, São José dos Campos, SP, CEP 12245-000, Brazil
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Liu J, Li Q, Wang C, Shao J, Wang T, Wu D, Ma K, Yan G, Yin D. Antifungal evaluation of traditional herbal monomers and their potential for inducing cell wall remodeling in Candida albicans and Candida auris. BIOFOULING 2020; 36:319-331. [PMID: 32410461 DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2020.1759559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Traditional herbal monomers (THMs) are widely distributed in many traditional Chinese formulas (TCFs) and decoctions (TCDs) and are frequently used for the prevention and treatment of fungal infections. The antifungal activities of five common THMs, including sodium houttuyfonate (SH), berberine (BER), palmatine (PAL), jatrorrhizine (JAT) and cinnamaldehyde (CIN), and their potential for inducing cell wall remodeling (CWR), were evaluated against Candida albicans SC5314 and Candida auris 12372. SH/CIN plus BER/PAL/JAT showed synergistic antifungal activity against both Candida isolates. Furthermore, SH-associated combinations (SH plus BER/PAL/JAT) induced stronger exposure of β-glucan and chitin than their counterparts, while CIN triggered more marked exposure compared with CIN-associated combinations (CIN plus BER/PAL/JAT). Collectively, this study demonstrated the anti-Candida effect and the CWR induction potential of the five THMs and their associated combinations, providing a possibility of their in vivo application against fungal-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjuan Liu
- Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Qianqian Li
- Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Changzhong Wang
- Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Xin'An Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Compound, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Jing Shao
- Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Xin'An Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Compound, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Tianming Wang
- Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Xin'An Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Compound, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Daqiang Wu
- Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Xin'An Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Compound, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Kelong Ma
- Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Xin'An Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Compound, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Guiming Yan
- Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine (College of Life Science), Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Xin'An Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Compound, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Dengke Yin
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Compound, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
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Abstract
The enigmatic yeast Candida auris has emerged over the last decade and rapidly penetrated our consciousness. The global threat from this multidrug-resistant yeast has generated a call to arms from within the medical mycology community. Over the past decade, our understanding of how this yeast has spread globally, its clinical importance, and how it tolerates and resists antifungal agents has expanded. This review highlights the clinical importance of antifungal resistance in C. auris and explores our current understanding of the mechanisms associated with azole, polyene, and echinocandin resistance. We also discuss the impact of phenotypic tolerance, with particular emphasis on biofilm-mediated resistance, and present new pipelines of antifungal drugs that promise new hope in the management of C. auris infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Kean
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon Ramage
- Oral Sciences Research Group, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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