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Candida auris
Background
- First identified 2009 Japan (ear discharge); spread rapidly globally
- WHO Critical Priority Pathogen 2022
- CDC Urgent Threat 2019
- Genome studies: 4 distinct clades (South Asia, S America, Africa, E Asia) â independent emergence
Microbiology
- Multi-drug resistant (60-90% fluconazole-R; some echinocandin-R; some pan-resistant)
- Difficult to identify by conventional methods (often misidentified as C. haemulonii or C. famata)
- MALDI-TOF with updated database identifies correctly
- PCR developed for surveillance
Risk + Settings
- Hospital / LTC outbreaks
- Catheter + ventilator + immunocompromise
- Healthcare worker hand colonization
- Prolonged contact precautions failure
- Environmental persistence (months on surfaces)
- 2024 + ongoing global increase
Clinical
- Bloodstream + line infections
- UTI
- Wound + soft tissue
- Mortality high (30-60%)
Treatment
- Echinocandin first-line (caspofungin, micafungin, anidulafungin)
- Liposomal AmB alternative
- Combination (echinocandin + AmB) for severe / refractory
- AST essential (resistance variable)
- Newer agents (ibrexafungerp, fosmanogepix, olorofim) under investigation
Infection Control
- Contact precautions (gloves + gowns)
- Cohorting infected patients
- Environmental cleaning (chlorhexidine, sporicidal â bleach 1:10 or specific products)
- Surveillance cultures
- Hand hygiene meticulously
- éå ± to public health
Fusarium
Background
- Filamentous mold; multiple species (F. oxysporum, F. solani, F. moniliforme)
- Plant pathogens + soil + decaying material
- Drinking water contamination (hospital water systems)
Risk
- Severe neutropenia (prolonged > 10-14 days)
- HSCT + leukemia
- Burns
- IV catheters
- Severe trauma
Clinical
- Disseminated infection common in neutropenic
- Fungemia + skin lesions (multiple painful nodules + ulcers + ecthyma gangrenosum-like)
- Pulmonary infiltrates + sinusitis
- Endophthalmitis
- Mortality 50-80%
Diagnosis
- Blood cultures POSITIVE (unique among molds; Fusarium often grows in blood)
- Skin biopsy + culture
- Galactomannan: variable (sometimes positive)
- β-D-glucan elevated
- PCR
Treatment
- Voriconazole + liposomal AmB combination often
- Posaconazole alternative
- Isavuconazole alternative
- Mortality high
- Immune recovery essential
Scedosporium / Lomentospora
Species
- Scedosporium apiospermum (Pseudallescheria boydii teleomorph)
- Scedosporium prolificans (now Lomentospora prolificans â separate genus)
- Worldwide soil + sewage + ponds
Risk
- Drowning + near-drowning (Pseudallescheria pneumonia after aspiration)
- CF (colonization + infection)
- Immunocompromise + neutropenia + transplant
- Trauma + IV exposure
Clinical
- Pulmonary infection
- Sinusitis
- Cutaneous + soft tissue
- CNS abscess
- Disseminated in severe immunocompromise
Treatment
- Voriconazole (Scedosporium apiospermum responsive)
- Lomentospora prolificans: VERY DRUG RESISTANT â often combinations + new agents (olorofim Phase 3)
- Surgery for localized
Trichosporon
Background
- Yeast (T. asahii, T. inkin, T. ovoides)
- Skin commensal + environmental
Clinical
- White piedra (superficial; hair shafts)
- Disseminated trichosporonosis (neutropenic; mimics candidiasis)
- Bloodstream + multiple organ
- Cross-reacts with cryptococcal antigen test
Treatment
- Voriconazole preferred (echinocandins NOT active)
- Posaconazole, isavuconazole, AmB alternatives
Dematiaceous (Black) Fungi
Background
- âPhaeohyphomycosisâ â disease caused by black molds
- Pigmented hyphae in tissue
- Multiple species: Cladophialophora, Bipolaris, Curvularia, Alternaria, Exophiala
Clinical
- Cutaneous (most common): trauma inoculation; nodules + ulcers
- Sinusitis (allergic + invasive)
- CNS abscess (rare but severe)
- Allergic bronchopulmonary fungal disease (different from ABPA but similar)
- Disseminated in immunocompromise (rare)
Diagnosis
- Histology: pigmented hyphae in tissue (Fontana-Masson stain enhances)
- Culture (slow-growing black mold)
Treatment
- Itraconazole + voriconazole + posaconazole for various species
- Surgical excision for localized cutaneous
- Long-term therapy often
Other Emerging Fungi
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae: probiotic-related fungemia
- Geotrichum candidum: opportunistic
- Rhodotorula: line-related; AmB
- Magnusiomyces capitatus (formerly Trichosporon capitatum)
- Saprochaete: outbreaks in HSCT
Newer Antifungals for Emerging
- Ibrexafungerp (Brexafemme, FDA 2021): oral triterpenoid; some activity against resistant Candida + emerging
- Fosmanogepix (Phase 3): broad-spectrum including C. auris
- Olorofim (Phase 3): orotomide; active against azole-resistant Aspergillus + Lomentospora + Scedosporium + Fusarium
- Newer formulations: encochleated AmB (oral)