TY  - JOUR
A1  - Walther, Grit
A1  - Zimmermann, Anna
A1  - Theuersbacher, Johanna
A1  - Kaerger, Kerstin
A1  - Lilienfeld-Toal, Marie von
A1  - Roth, Mathias
A1  - Kampik, Daniel
A1  - Geerling, Gerd
A1  - Kurzai, Oliver
T1  - Eye infections caused by filamentous fungi: spectrum and antifungal susceptibility of the prevailing agents in Germany
JF  - Journal of Fungi
N2  - Fungal eye infections can lead to loss of vision and blindness. The disease is most prevalent in the tropics, although case numbers in moderate climates are increasing as well. This study aimed to determine the dominating filamentous fungi causing eye infections in Germany and their antifungal susceptibility profiles in order to improve treatment, including cases with unidentified pathogenic fungi. As such, we studied all filamentous fungi isolated from the eye or associated materials that were sent to the NRZMyk between 2014 and 2020. All strains were molecularly identified and antifungal susceptibility testing according to the EUCAST protocol was performed for common species. In total, 242 strains of 66 species were received. Fusarium was the dominating genus, followed by Aspergillus, Purpureocillium, Alternaria, and Scedosporium. The most prevalent species in eye samples were Fusarium petroliphilum, F. keratoplasticum, and F. solani of the Fusarium solani species complex. The spectrum of species comprises less susceptible taxa for amphotericin B, natamycin, and azoles, including voriconazole. Natamycin is effective for most species but not for Aspergillus flavus or Purpureocillium spp. Some strains of F. solani show MICs higher than 16 mg/L. Our data underline the importance of species identification for correct treatment.
KW  - eye infection
KW  - fungal infection
KW  - keratitis
KW  - antifungal susceptibility
KW  - natamycin
KW  - Fusarium
KW  - Purpureocillium
KW  - Aspergillus
KW  - Alternaria
KW  - Scedosporium
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-241810
SN  - 2309-608X
VL  - 7
IS  - 7
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Springer, Jan
A1  - Walther, Grit
A1  - Rickerts, Volker
A1  - Hamprecht, Axel
A1  - Willinger, Birgit
A1  - Teschner, Daniel
A1  - Einsele, Hermann
A1  - Kurzai, Oliver
A1  - Loeffler, Juergen
T1  - Detection of Fusarium Species in Clinical Specimens by Probe-Based Real-Time PCR
JF  - Journal of Fungi
N2  - The mold Fusarium is a ubiquitous fungus causing plant, animal and human infections. In humans, Fusarium spp. are the major cause of eye infections in patients wearing contact lenses or after local trauma. Systemic infections by Fusarium spp. mainly occur in immunosuppressed patients and can disseminate throughout the human body. Due to high levels of resistance to antifungals a fast identification of the causative agent is an urgent need. By using a probe-based real-time PCR assay specific for the genus Fusarium we analysed several different clinical specimens detecting Fusarium spp. commonly found in clinical samples in Germany. Also, a large collection of lung fluid samples of haematological patients was analysed (n = 243). In these, two samples (0.8%) were reproducibly positive, but only one could be confirmed by sequencing. For this case of probable invasive fungal disease (IFD) culture was positive for Fusarium species. Here we describe a rapid, probe-based real-time PCR assay to specifically detect DNA from a broad range of Fusarium species and its application to clinically relevant specimens.
KW  - probe-based real-time PCR
KW  - Fusarium
KW  - bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
KW  - fungal molecular diagnostics
Y1  - 2019
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-193111
SN  - 2309-608X
VL  - 5
IS  - 4
ER  -