Awareness is ‘vital’: A review of the top fungal infection stories in 2024
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Candida auris remained a serious public health threat in the United States, and a cat-transmitted fungal infection made its way to the U.S. for the first time.
These are the top fungal infection stories we published this year.
Fungal infections can turn deadly — improving awareness is ‘vital’
We spoke with experts to survey the landscape of fungal diseases in the U.S. and get an update on the antifungal pipeline. Read more.
Cat-transmitted sporotrichosis: A looming threat?
The CDC issued a warning about the potential threat of cat-transmitted sporotrichosis in the U.S. Cases were reported only in Brazil and other areas of South America, but had not been reported in the U.S. Read more.
Officials identify a cluster of feline sporotrichosis, transmission to a vet tech
That is, until a cluster of feline sporotrichosis cases were reported at a veterinary clinic in Kansas. A technician was also infected after one of the claws on an infected paw punctured her glove. Read more.
Novel fungal skin infection in US prompts vigilance from dermatologists
Researchers from NYU Langone Health documented the first reported case of a sexually transmitted fungal infection presenting as a rare manifestation of dermatophytosis in the U.S. The infection is found mostly in the genitalia of men who have sex with men. Read more.
CDC: Confirm fungal diagnosis before prescribing antifungals
The CDC warned physicians to be cautious when prescribing topical antifungals after the detection of antimicrobial-resistant superficial fungal infections in the U.S. Data also suggested vigilance is necessary after a review of topical antifungal prescriptions filled by Medicare Part D beneficiaries in 2021, which found that nearly half of the more than 6 million prescriptions were written by just 10% of prescribers. Read more.
Histoplasmosis more common in rural areas of US
The geographic range of histoplasmosis is expanding in the U.S., with the infection being more common in rural areas and places with limited health care infrastructure. Read more.
Incidence of invasive aspergillosis varies among children with leukemia
Researchers determined that invasive aspergillosis occurred in 3.2% of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 5.2% with acute myeloid leukemia, while the case fatality rate for invasive aspergillosis ranged from 7.8% to 13.3%. Read more.
Study identifies factors associated with death in C. auris bloodstream infections
Researchers identified baseline Pitt bacteremia score and being on hemodialysis as factors that raise a patient’s risk for death if they have a C. auris bloodstream infection, whereas hemodialysis also lowered a patient’s odds of clearing their infection. Read more.
Hospital-onset bacteremia, fungemia common among patients with UTI
Non-catheter-associated hospital-onset bacteria were a common source for hospital-onset bacteremia and fungemia and associated with longer hospital stays and higher hospital costs. Read more.
Less than half of surveyed facilities report performing C. auris screening
Of more than 250 survey respondents from around the U.S., only 37% reported conducting C. auris screening, among whom 75% reported at least one C. auris case in the last year. Read more.
Study shows risk for invasive fungal infection after lung transplant is ‘very complex’
Risk factors of invasive fungal infections for lung transplant recipients receiving universal antifungal prophylaxis varied in terms of early and late infection and invasive mold- and candidiasis-type infections. Read more.
Collapse
Healio Coverage
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts