OBJECTIVES: Emerging invasive fungal infections (IFI) have become a notable challenge. Apart from the more frequently described fusariosis, lomentosporiosis, mucormycosis, scedosporiosis, and certain dematiaceae or yeasts, little is known about extremely rare IFI. METHODS: Extremely rare IFI collected in the FungiScopeⓇ registry were grouped as Dematiaceae, Hypocreales, Saccharomycetales, Eurotiales, Dermatomycetes, Agaricales, and Mucorales. RESULTS: Between 2003 and June 2019, 186 extremely rare IFI were documented in FungiScopeⓇ. Dematiaceae (35.5%), Hypocreales (23.1%), Mucorales (11.8%), and Saccharomycetales (11.3%) caused most IFI. Most patients had an underlying malignancy (38.7%) with acute leukemia accounting for 50% of cancers. Dissemination was observed in 26.9% of the patients. Complete or partial clinical response rate was 68.3%, being highest in Eurotiales (82.4%) and in Agaricales (80.0%). Overall mortality rate was 29.3%, ranging from 11.8% in Eurotiales to 50.0% in Mucorales. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians are confronted with a complex variety of fungal pathogens, for which treatment recommendations are lacking and successful outcome might be incidental. Through an international consortium of physicians and scientists, these cases of extremely rare IFI can be collected to further investigate their epidemiology and eventually identify effective treatment regimens.

• MeSH
• antifungální látky terapeutické užití   MeSH
• invazivní mykotické infekce * farmakoterapie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mykózy * farmakoterapie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• registrace MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are nucleotide sequences that are known to assume regulatory roles previously thought to be reserved for proteins. Their functions include the regulation of protein activity and localization and the organization of subcellular structures. Sequencing studies have now identified thousands of ncRNAs encoded within the prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes, leading to advances in several fields including parasitology. ncRNAs play major roles in several aspects of vector-host-pathogen interactions. Arthropod vector ncRNAs are secreted through extracellular vesicles into vertebrate hosts to counteract host defense systems and ensure arthropod survival. Conversely, hosts can use specific ncRNAs as one of several strategies to overcome arthropod vector invasion. In addition, pathogens transmitted through vector saliva into vertebrate hosts also possess ncRNAs thought to contribute to their pathogenicity. Recent studies have addressed ncRNAs in vectors or vertebrate hosts, with relatively few studies investigating the role of ncRNAs derived from pathogens and their involvement in establishing infections, especially in the context of vector-borne diseases. This Review summarizes recent data focusing on pathogen-derived ncRNAs and their role in modulating the cellular responses that favor pathogen survival in the vertebrate host and the arthropod vector, as well as host ncRNAs that interact with vector-borne pathogens.

• MeSH
• členovci - vektory MeSH
• eukaryotické buňky MeSH
• infekce přenášené vektorem * MeSH
• interakce hostitele a patogenu genetika   MeSH
• nekódující RNA * genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Routine notification of invasive meningococcal disease has a long tradition in the Czech Republic: mortality data are available from 1921 and morbidity data from 1943. The collection of Neisseria meningitidis strains kept in the NRL for Meningococcal Infections in Prague dates from 1970 onwards, and represents more than 3500 strains isolated from invasive disease and their contacts, from healthy carriers and from respiratory infection. Analysis of these strains showed that the Czech meningococcal population is different from that seen in western Europe. In 1993, the incidence serogroup C meningococcal disease increased and was associated with the emergence of the hypervirulent complex Neisseria meningitidis C, ST-11, ET-15/37, and caused an increase in the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease which peaked in 1995 (2.2/100,000). A vaccination strategy targeting the part of the population at highest risk of invasive meningococcal disease was adopted in the country.

• MeSH
• epidemický výskyt choroby MeSH
• financování organizované MeSH
• hlášení nemocí MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• meningokokové infekce epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   prevence a kontrola   MeSH
• meningokokové vakcíny aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• Neisseria meningitidis izolace a purifikace   klasifikace   patogenita   MeSH
• sérotypizace metody   MeSH
• surveillance populace metody   MeSH
• virulence MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

Objectives: Invasive mold infections associated with Aspergillus species are a significant cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients. The most frequently occurring aetiological pathogens are members of the Aspergillus section Fumigati followed by members of the section Terrei. The frequency of Aspergillus terreus and related (cryptic) species in clinical specimens, as well as the percentage of azole-resistant strains remains to be studied. Methods: A global set (n = 498) of A. terreus and phenotypically related isolates was molecularly identified (beta-tubulin), tested for antifungal susceptibility against posaconazole, voriconazole, and itraconazole, and resistant phenotypes were correlated with point mutations in the cyp51A gene. Results: The majority of isolates was identified as A. terreus (86.8%), followed by A. citrinoterreus (8.4%), A. hortai (2.6%), A. alabamensis (1.6%), A. neoafricanus (0.2%), and A. floccosus (0.2%). One isolate failed to match a known Aspergillus sp., but was found most closely related to A. alabamensis. According to EUCAST clinical breakpoints azole resistance was detected in 5.4% of all tested isolates, 6.2% of A. terreus sensu stricto (s.s.) were posaconazole-resistant. Posaconazole resistance differed geographically and ranged from 0% in the Czech Republic, Greece, and Turkey to 13.7% in Germany. In contrast, azole resistance among cryptic species was rare 2 out of 66 isolates and was observed only in one A. citrinoterreus and one A. alabamensis isolate. The most affected amino acid position of the Cyp51A gene correlating with the posaconazole resistant phenotype was M217, which was found in the variation M217T and M217V. Conclusions:Aspergillus terreus was most prevalent, followed by A. citrinoterreus. Posaconazole was the most potent drug against A. terreus, but 5.4% of A. terreus sensu stricto showed resistance against this azole. In Austria, Germany, and the United Kingdom posaconazole-resistance in all A. terreus isolates was higher than 10%, resistance against voriconazole was rare and absent for itraconazole.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

While Pseudogymnoascus destructans has been responsible for mass bat mortalities from white-nose syndrome (WNS) in North America, its virulence in Europe has been questioned. To shed the light on the issue of host-pathogen interaction between European bats and P. destructans, we examined seventeen bats emerging from the fungus-positive underground hibernacula in the Czech Republic during early spring 2013. Dual wing-membrane biopsies were taken from Barbastella barbastellus (1), Myotis daubentonii (1), Myotis emarginatus (1), Myotis myotis (11), Myotis nattereri (1) and Plecotus auritus (2) for standard histopathology and transmission electron microscopy. Non-lethal collection of suspected WNS lesions was guided by trans-illumination of the wing membranes with ultraviolet light. All bats selected for the present study were PCR-positive for P. destructans and showed microscopic findings consistent with the histopathological criteria for WNS diagnosis. Ultramicroscopy revealed oedema of the connective tissue and derangement of the fibroblasts and elastic fibres associated with skin invasion by P. destructans. Extensive fungal infection induced a marked inflammatory infiltration by neutrophils at the interface between the damaged part of the wing membrane replaced by the fungus and membrane tissue not yet invaded by the pathogen. There was no sign of keratinolytic activity in the stratum corneum. Here, we show that lesions pathognomonic for WNS are common in European bats and may also include overwhelming full-thickness fungal growth through the wing membrane equal in severity to reports from North America. Inter-continental differences in the outcome of WNS in bats in terms of morbidity/mortality may therefore not be due to differences in the pathogen itself.

• MeSH
• Ascomycota patogenita   MeSH
• Chiroptera mikrobiologie   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• interakce hostitele a patogenu fyziologie   MeSH
• kůže mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mykózy epidemiologie   patologie   veterinární   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce veterinární   MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• transmisní elektronová mikroskopie veterinární   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

During recent years, a new disease of Siberian fir (A. sibirica) emerged in Central Siberia, exhibiting symptoms of stem/branch deformation, cambium necrosis, and dieback of branches and twigs, the causal agent remaining unknown. The aim was to identify agent of the disease and to investigate its pathogenicity to A. sibirica and Norway spruce (Picea abies). Symptomatic tissues of fir were subjected to pure culture isolation of anticipated pathogen(s). Obtained isolates were subjected to molecular identification, phylogenetic analyses, and pathogenicity tests with A. sibirica saplings, and seeds and seedlings of A. sibirica and P. abies. The study demonstrated that, (i) most commonly isolated fungus from canker wounds of A. sibirica exhibited Acremonium-like anamorphs; (ii) phylogeny demonstrated that investigated fungi belong to genus Corinectria, but are genetically well separated from other worldwide known Corinectria spp.; (iii) one species of isolated fungi has the capacity to cause the disease and kill A. sibirica saplings and seedlings, but also seedlings of P. abies. Guidelines for future research were defined in order to generate needed information on species description, its origin and ecology, and estimation of potential risks upon the eventual invasion of the pathogen to new geographic areas, in particular of Europe.

• MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• jedle mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mikroskopie elektronová rastrovací MeSH
• Nectria genetika   patogenita   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• nemoci rostlin mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Sibiř MeSH

• MeSH
• antifungální látky MeSH
• farmakoterapie MeSH
• flukonazol terapeutické užití   MeSH
• kandidóza diagnóza   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• sborníky MeSH

• Konspekt
• Patologie. Klinická medicína
• NLK Obory
• infekční lékařství
• farmacie a farmakologie

• MeSH
• Evropská unie MeSH
• výzkum MeSH
• Publikační typ
• abstrakty MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

• Konspekt
• Veřejné zdraví a hygiena
• NLK Obory
• veřejné zdravotnictví
• politologie, politika, zdravotní politika

• O autorovi
• Commission of the European Communities. Biomedical and Health Research Programme Autorita

Neisseria meningitis is a human commensal bacterium that occasionally causes life-threatening disease. As with a number of other bacterial pathogens, meningococcal populations comprise distinct lineages, which persist over many decades and during global spread in the face of high rates of recombination. In addition, the propensity to cause invasive disease is associated with particular "hyperinvasive" lineages that coexist with less invasive lineages despite the fact that disease does not contribute to host-to-host transmission. Here, by combining a modeling approach with molecular epidemiological data from 1,108 meningococci isolated in the Czech Republic over 27 years, we show that interstrain competition, mediated by immune selection, can explain both the persistence of multiple discrete meningococcal lineages and the association of a subset of these with invasive disease. The model indicates that the combinations of allelic variants of housekeeping genes that define these lineages are associated with very small differences in transmission efficiency among hosts. These findings have general implications for the emergence of lineage structure and virulence in recombining bacterial populations.

• MeSH
• alely MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• molekulární epidemiologie MeSH
• molekulární evoluce * MeSH
• Neisseria meningitidis klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   patogenita   MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• selekce (genetika) * MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• virulence genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

Nedílnou součástí péče o pacienty s plicním postižením u cystické fibrózy (CF) je i diagnostika a léčba mykotických komplikací. Mezi patogeny, které u CF také nacházíme, patří také aspergily – především druh Aspergillus fumigatus (AF). Nejčastější klinickou formou onemocnění vyvolaného aspergily v dýchacích cestách u pacientů s cystickou fibrózou je alergická bronchopulmonální aspergilóza (CF-ABPA). Zde se ale nejedná o infekci v pravém slova smyslu – jde o alergickou reakci na plísňové antigeny. Od první práce publikované v roce 2006, která popsala kolonizaci dýchacích cest kmenem Aspergillus fumigatus u pacientů s cystickou fibrózou jako možnou infekci, tzv. aspergilovou bronchitidu, byla nyní publikována doporučení k diagnostice a léčbě těchto klinických stavů. Zároveň bylo poukázáno, že aspergilová infekce u pacienta s CF má negativní vliv na hodnoty plicních funkcí a byly pozorovány častější exacerbace plicního postižení. Následné práce zatím toto pozorování jednoznačně nepotvrdily, ale také ani nevyvrátily. Vlastní léčba této infekce u pacientů s cystickou fibrózou je stále přísně individuální, nezahrnuje kortikoidní terapii jako u CF-ABPA a mimo systémově působící antimykotika se nově využívá inhalační podání antimykotik nebulizací. Cílem dalších studií je potvrdit, zda jsou opravdu plísňové organismy hrozbou jako tzv. „emergency pathogens“, nebo jen nepatogenní kolonizací dýchacích cest v rámci chronických změn u pacientů s cystickou fibrózou.

Diagnostics and treatment of mycotic complications is an integral part of care for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with lung disease. Aspergillus fumigatus is one of the mycotic pathogens we can find in CF patients' airways. The most common manifestation of Aspergillus associated disease is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). It is not an infection in the true sense of the word but a hypersensitive reaction to mycotic antigens. Colonization of the airways with Aspergillus fumigatus causing infection was documented in 2006 for the first time. It was also pointed out that Aspergillus infection has negative influence on lung functions and causes more frequent exacerbations of lung disease. Since then subsequent studies haven't confirmed this observation completely, however they haven't excluded it either and some recommendations for the diagnostics and treatment of this clinical conditions have been published. The treatment of Aspergillus infections in CF patients remains strictly individual, it doesn't involve corticoid therapy like CF-ABPA. Besides systemic antimycotic treatment, inhalation therapy is used as well. The task of further studies is to confirm whether the mycotic pathogens present a real threat to CF patients as “emergency pathogens” or whether they are only a non-pathogenic colonization of CF patients' airways as a part of the chronic processes.

• Klíčová slova
• aspergilová bronchitida,
• MeSH
• amfotericin B aplikace a dávkování   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• antifungální látky aplikace a dávkování   škodlivé účinky   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• Aspergillus fumigatus * patogenita   MeSH
• aspergilóza alergická bronchopulmonální * diagnóza   farmakoterapie   komplikace   patofyziologie   MeSH
• bronchitida diagnóza   etiologie   komplikace   MeSH
• chronická nemoc MeSH
• cystická fibróza * komplikace   MeSH
• diferenciální diagnóza MeSH
• imunitní systém - jevy MeSH
• invazivní plicní aspergilóza diagnóza   farmakoterapie   komplikace   patofyziologie   MeSH
• itrakonazol aplikace a dávkování   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• kultivační techniky metody   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• plicní aspergilóza diagnóza   farmakoterapie   klasifikace   patofyziologie   MeSH
• vorikonazol aplikace a dávkování   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• přehledy MeSH