Invasive fungal pathogens from the tropical and temperate areas - a challenge in pathology and diagnosis
Anca Cighir1, Anca Delia Mare1, Răzvan Lucian Coșeriu1
1Department of Microbiology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 38 Gheorghe Marinescu Street, 540139 Târgu Mureș, Romania.
Abstract:
Fungi play a vital role in ensuring a physiological balance in the surrounding environments, interacting closely with humans, plants, and animals. While most of the time their contribution is beneficial, occasionally, they can become harmful, especially in patients with weakened immune systems. The work at hand aims to present the most common fungal pathogens involved in invasive infections, focusing on fungi that are present in the tropical and temperate areas of the world. While in the former, due to the humid climate, most fungal infections are caused by dimorphic fungi such as Coccidioides spp., Blastomyces spp., Histoplasma spp., Emergomyces spp. and Paracoccidioides spp., in the latter, after Candida spp., the most frequent fungi that are involved in disseminated mycosis are Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp. and species from the order Mucorales. Nowadays, the etiology, severity, and number of cases of fungal diseases are starting to rise significantly. There are no exact reasons reported for this increase, but several factors are thought to be incriminated: the expansion of the range of medical conditions that constitute risk factors for developing the disease, an improvement in the available diagnostic methods, the commodity offered by modern traveling services associated with the lack of an available vaccine against fungal infections, as well as climatic influences. All the above-mentioned aspects consequently caused infections that used to be endemic to be spread worldwide. Therefore, it is of critical importance to understand the epidemiology, clinical manifestations of fungi induced diseases, virulence factors, and diagnosis for each of those pathogens.
Insights
Fungal pathogens cause invasive infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. This review details common tropical and temperate fungi, their epidemiology, and diagnosis due to rising global cases.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Fungi are essential for ecosystem balance but can cause opportunistic infections, especially in immunocompromised hosts.
- Invasive fungal infections are increasing globally due to various factors, including climate change and increased travel.
- Geographic distribution of fungal pathogens varies, with dimorphic fungi prevalent in tropical regions and Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp., and Mucorales in temperate zones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review common fungal pathogens causing invasive infections in tropical and temperate regions.
- To highlight the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, virulence factors, and diagnostic approaches for these fungi.
- To underscore the importance of understanding these pathogens due to their rising global prevalence.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of common fungal pathogens involved in invasive infections.
- Focus on fungi prevalent in tropical and temperate climates.
- Discussion of etiological factors, risk factors, and diagnostic advancements.
Main Results:
- Identified key fungal genera in tropical regions (e.g., Coccidioides, Histoplasma, Paracoccidioides) and temperate regions (e.g., Candida, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Mucorales).
- Highlighted the increasing incidence and global spread of fungal diseases.
- Discussed contributing factors including medical advancements, travel, and climate change.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the epidemiology, clinical features, virulence, and diagnosis of invasive fungal pathogens is critical.
- The global rise in fungal infections necessitates enhanced surveillance and diagnostic capabilities.
- Further research into antifungal strategies and preventative measures is crucial.
