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Madsen AM, Rasmussen PU, Frederiksen MW. Fungal and bacterial species on biowaste workers' hands and inhalation zone, and potential airway deposition. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 183:290-301. [PMID: 38788497 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2024.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the microbiological working environment of biowaste workers, focusing on airborne fungal and bacterial species exposure, size distribution, and species on workers' hands. The research, conducted across six plants with 45 personal exposure assessments, revealed a total of 150 bacterial species and 47 fungal species on workers' hands, including 19 and 9 species classified in risk class 2 (RC2), respectively. Workers' exposure analysis identified 172 bacterial and 32 fungal species, with several in RC2. In work areas, 55 anaerobic bacterial species belonging to RC2 were found. Different species compositions were observed in various particle size fractions, with the highest species richness for anaerobic bacteria in the fraction potentially depositing in the secondary bronchi and for fungi in the pharynx fraction. The geometric mean aerodynamic diameter (DG) of RC2 anaerobic bacteria was 3.9 µm, <1.6 µm for Streptomyces, 3.4 µm for Aspergillus, and 2.0 µm for Penicillium. Overlapping species were identified on workers' hands, in their exposure, and in work areas, with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus casseliflavus, and Aspergillus niger consistently present. While the majority of RC2 bacterial species lacked documented associations with occupational health problems, certain bacteria and fungi, including Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter, Klebsiella pneumonia, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Lichtheimia corymbifera, Lichtheimia ramosa, and Paecilomyces variotii, have previously been linked to occupational health issues. In conclusion, biowaste workers were exposed to a wide range of microorganisms including RC2 species which would deposit in different parts of the airways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Mette Madsen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
| | - Pil Uthaug Rasmussen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Margit W Frederiksen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
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Neoh CF, Chen SCA, Lanternier F, Tio SY, Halliday CL, Kidd SE, Kong DCM, Meyer W, Hoenigl M, Slavin MA. Scedosporiosis and lomentosporiosis: modern perspectives on these difficult-to-treat rare mold infections. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0000423. [PMID: 38551323 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00004-23] [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: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYAlthough Scedosporium species and Lomentospora prolificans are uncommon causes of invasive fungal diseases (IFDs), these infections are associated with high mortality and are costly to treat with a limited armamentarium of antifungal drugs. In light of recent advances, including in the area of new antifungals, the present review provides a timely and updated overview of these IFDs, with a focus on the taxonomy, clinical epidemiology, pathogenesis and host immune response, disease manifestations, diagnosis, antifungal susceptibility, and treatment. An expansion of hosts at risk for these difficult-to-treat infections has emerged over the last two decades given the increased use of, and broader population treated with, immunomodulatory and targeted molecular agents as well as wider adoption of antifungal prophylaxis. Clinical presentations differ not only between genera but also across the different Scedosporium species. L. prolificans is intrinsically resistant to most currently available antifungal agents, and the prognosis of immunocompromised patients with lomentosporiosis is poor. Development of, and improved access to, diagnostic modalities for early detection of these rare mold infections is paramount for timely targeted antifungal therapy and surgery if indicated. New antifungal agents (e.g., olorofim, fosmanogepix) with novel mechanisms of action and less cross-resistance to existing classes, availability of formulations for oral administration, and fewer drug-drug interactions are now in late-stage clinical trials, and soon, could extend options to treat scedosporiosis/lomentosporiosis. Much work remains to increase our understanding of these infections, especially in the pediatric setting. Knowledge gaps for future research are highlighted in the review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin Fen Neoh
- National Centre for Infections in Cancer, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sharon C-A Chen
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, New South Wales Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fanny Lanternier
- Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hôpital universitaire Necker-Enfants malades, Paris, France
- National Reference Center for Invasive Mycoses and Antifungals, Translational Mycology research group, Mycology Department, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Shio Yen Tio
- National Centre for Infections in Cancer, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Catriona L Halliday
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, New South Wales Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sarah E Kidd
- National Mycology Reference Centre, SA Pathology, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - David C M Kong
- National Centre for Infections in Cancer, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- The National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infections and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, Australia
| | - Wieland Meyer
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Martin Hoenigl
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Translational Medical Mycology Research Group, ECMM Excellence Center for Clinical Mycology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Monica A Slavin
- National Centre for Infections in Cancer, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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Davies GE, Thornton CR. A Lateral-Flow Device for the Rapid Detection of Scedosporium Species. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:847. [PMID: 38667492 PMCID: PMC11048963 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14080847] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Scedosporium species are human pathogenic fungi, responsible for chronic, localised, and life-threatening disseminated infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. The diagnosis of Scedosporium infections currently relies on non-specific CT, lengthy and insensitive culture from invasive biopsy, and the time-consuming histopathology of tissue samples. At present, there are no rapid antigen tests that detect Scedosporium-specific biomarkers. Here, we report the development of a rapid (30 min) and sensitive (pmol/L sensitivity) lateral-flow device (LFD) test, incorporating a Scedosporium-specific IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb), HG12, which binds to extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) antigens between ~15 kDa and 250 kDa secreted during the hyphal growth of the pathogens. The test is compatible with human serum and allows for the detection of the Scedosporium species most frequently reported as agents of human disease (Scedosporium apiospermum, Scedosporium aurantiacum, and Scedosporium boydii), with limits of detection (LODs) of the EPS biomarkers in human serum of ~0.81 ng/mL (S. apiospermum), ~0.94 ng/mL (S. aurantiacum), and ~1.95 ng/mL (S. boydii). The Scedosporium-specific LFD (ScedLFD) test therefore provides a potential novel opportunity for the detection of infections caused by different Scedosporium species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genna E. Davies
- ISCA Diagnostics Ltd., B12A, Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK;
| | - Christopher R. Thornton
- ISCA Diagnostics Ltd., B12A, Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK;
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK
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Yan P, Chen J, Wang H, Jia Q, Xie J, Mo G. A systemic infection involved in lung, brain and spine caused by Scedosporium apiospermum species complex after near-drowning: a case report and literature review. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:342. [PMID: 38515075 PMCID: PMC10956195 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08279-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Scedosporium apiospermum species complex are widely distributed fungi that can be found in a variety of polluted environments, including soil, sewage, and decaying vegetation. Those opportunistic pathogens with strong potential of invasion commonly affect immunosuppressed populations However, few cases of scedosporiosis are reported in immunocompetent individuals, who might be misdiagnosed, leading to a high mortality rate. Here, we reported an immunocompetent case of systemtic infection involved in lung, brain and spine, caused by S. apiospermum species complex (S. apiospermum and S. boydii). The patient was an elderly male with persistent fever and systemtic infection after near-drowning. In the two tertiary hospitals he visited, definite diagnosis was extremely difficult. After being admitted to our hospital, he was misdiagnosed as tuberculosis infection, before diagnosis of S. apiospermum species complex infection by the metagenomic next-generation sequencing. His symptoms were alleviated after voriconazole treatment. In the present case, the details associated with its course were reported and published studies on Scedosporium spp. infection were also reviewed, for a better understanding of this disease and reducing the misdiagnosis rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Yan
- College of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, No. 17, Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
- China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation 731 Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Chen
- College of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, No. 17, Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China
- The Fifth People's Hospital of Zunyi City, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Haodi Wang
- Vision Medicals for Infection Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qi Jia
- Vision Medicals for Infection Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jungang Xie
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Ave., Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Guoxin Mo
- College of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, No. 17, Heishanhu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100091, China.
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Thornton CR, Davies GE, Dougherty L. Development of a monoclonal antibody and a lateral-flow device for the rapid detection of a Mucorales-specific biomarker. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1305662. [PMID: 38145040 PMCID: PMC10739493 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1305662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucoromycosis is a highly aggressive angio-invasive disease of humans caused by fungi in the zygomycete order, Mucorales. While Rhizopus arrhizus is the principal agent of mucoromycosis, other Mucorales fungi including Apophysomyces, Cunninghamella, Lichtheimia, Mucor, Rhizomucor and Syncephalastrum are able to cause life-threatening rhino-orbital-cerebral, pulmonary, gastro-intestinal and necrotising cutaneous infections in humans. Diagnosis of the disease currently relies on non-specific CT, lengthy and insensitive culture from invasive biopsy, and time-consuming histopathology of tissue samples. At present, there are no rapid antigen tests that detect Mucorales-specific biomarkers of infection, and which allow point-of-care diagnosis of mucoromycosis. Here, we report the development of an IgG2b monoclonal antibody (mAb), TG11, which binds to extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) antigens of between 20 kDa and 250 kDa secreted during hyphal growth of Mucorales fungi. The mAb is Mucorales-specific and does not cross-react with other yeasts and molds of clinical importance including Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus, Fusarium, Lomentospora and Scedosporium species. Using the mAb, we have developed a Competitive lateral-flow device that allows rapid (30 min) detection of the EPS biomarker in human serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), with a limit of detection (LOD) in human serum of ~100 ng/mL serum (~224.7 pmol/L serum). The LFD therefore provides a potential novel opportunity for detection of mucoromycosis caused by different Mucorales species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R. Thornton
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- ISCA Diagnostics Ltd., Hatherly Laboratories, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Genna E. Davies
- ISCA Diagnostics Ltd., Hatherly Laboratories, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Dougherty
- Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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Muthu V, Gogineni RR, Agarwal R, Prasad KT, Sehgal IS, Dhooria S, Aggarwal AN, Rudramurthy SM, Singh H, Garg M, Chakrabarti A. Treatment of pulmonary mucormycosis with adjunctive nebulized amphotericin B (MUCONAB trial): Results of an open-label randomized controlled trial. Mycoses 2023. [PMID: 37095064 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of nebulized amphotericin B (NAB) in managing pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) is unknown. METHODS In this open-label trial, we randomized PM subjects to receive either intravenous liposomal amphotericin B (control arm, 3-5 mg/kg/day) alone or along with nebulized amphotericin B deoxycholate (NAB, 10 mg twice a day, every alternate day). The primary outcomes were: (1) overall response ('success' [complete or partial response] or 'failure' [stable disease, progressive disease, or death]) at 6 weeks; and (2) the proportion of subjects with adverse events (AE). The key secondary outcome was 90-day mortality. We performed a modified intention-to-treat (mITT) analysis where we included only subjects receiving at least a single dose of NAB. RESULTS Fifteen and 17 subjects were randomized to the control and NAB arms; two died before the first dose of NAB. Finally, we included 30 subjects (15 in each arm; mean age 49.8 years; 80% men) for the mITT analysis. Diabetes mellitus (n = 27; 16/27 were COVID-19-associated PM) was the most common predisposing factor. The overall treatment success was not significantly different between the control and the NAB arms (71.4% vs. 53.3%; p = .45). Twenty-nine subjects experienced any AE, but none discontinued treatment. The 90-day mortality was not significantly different between the control (28.6%) and NAB arm (53.3%; p = .26). CONCLUSION Adjunctive NAB was safe but did not improve overall response at 6 weeks. A different dosing schedule or nebulized liposomal amphotericin B may still need evaluation. More research is needed to explore other treatment options for PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valliappan Muthu
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Ratnakara Rao Gogineni
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Ritesh Agarwal
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Kuruswamy Thurai Prasad
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Inderpaul Singh Sehgal
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Sahajal Dhooria
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Ashutosh N Aggarwal
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Harkant Singh
- Department of Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Mandeep Garg
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
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