Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Published on: February 9, 2011

Glucocorticoids and invasive fungal infections

Michail S Lionakis1, Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Lancet (London, England)
|December 5, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Patients with hypercortisolism, due to Cushing's syndrome or glucocorticoid therapy, face increased risk of invasive fungal infections. Understanding this link aids early detection and treatment, suggesting reduced glucocorticoid therapy may improve outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Opportunistic fungal infections are a major cause of death in immunocompromised individuals.
  • Hypercortisolism, from Cushing's syndrome or glucocorticoid use, significantly elevates infection risk.
  • Glucocorticoids disrupt immune regulation, increasing vulnerability to fungal pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the spectrum and presentation of invasive fungal infections in hypercortisolemic patients.
  • To elucidate the role of glucocorticoids in the pathogenesis of these infections.
  • To improve recognition and treatment strategies for these opportunistic infections.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of invasive fungal infections in hypercortisolemic states.
  • Analysis of the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids induce immunosuppression.
  • Synthesis of current knowledge on clinical presentation and pathogenesis.

Main Results:

  • Invasive fungal infections present uniquely in hypercortisolemic patients.
  • Glucocorticoids impair multiple arms of the immune system, facilitating fungal invasion.
  • Specific fungal species and their clinical manifestations are detailed.

Conclusions:

  • Enhanced understanding of glucocorticoid-induced immunosuppression is crucial for managing invasive fungal infections.
  • Earlier diagnosis and targeted treatment are essential for improving patient outcomes.
  • Modulating glucocorticoid therapy intensity may mitigate the risk and severity of these infections.

More Related Videos

Deep Dermal Injection As a Model of Candida albicans Skin Infection for Histological Analyses10:45

Deep Dermal Injection As a Model of Candida albicans Skin Infection for Histological Analyses

Published on: June 13, 2018

Examination of Oral Candida Infection in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Patients05:26

Examination of Oral Candida Infection in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome Patients

Published on: March 1, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Skin Diseases and Disorders01:23

Skin Diseases and Disorders

Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Drug toxicity: Drug–Drug Interaction01:30

Drug toxicity: Drug–Drug Interaction

Drug–drug interactions can precipitate toxicity through multiple mechanisms. Absorption interactions alter how drugs enter the body, exemplified when ranitidine increases the absorption of basic drugs, while cholestyramine decreases the levels of propranolol. Protein binding interactions occur when drugs share the same binding sites on plasma proteins. Drugs like aspirin and warfarin, when bound in excess, can lead to increased free drug concentrations, enhancing the potential for...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors01:19

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors

α-glucosidase inhibitors, including acarbose (Precose), miglitol (Glyset), and voglibose (Voglib) (primarily available in Asia), are drugs that control blood sugar levels by delaying the digestion of starch and disaccharides. They achieve this by inhibiting α-glucosidase enzymes in the intestine, which slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which in turn leads to a prolonged release of the glucoregulatory hormone GLP-1 from intestinal L-cells.
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...
The Skin Microbiota01:27

The Skin Microbiota

The human skin serves as a complex ecosystem inhabited by a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining skin health and defending against pathogenic invaders. The composition of microbial communities varies significantly across different regions of the body, influenced primarily by the local levels of moisture and sebum.Regional Variation in Skin MicrobiotaCutibacterium acnes predominantly colonizes sebaceous...
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...