Review article
Emerging and less common fungal pathogens

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Background

It is evident that nosocomial yeast infections have become a serious clinical entity with high morbidity and mortality among immunosuppressed patients. The increasing reports of Candida and non-Candida yeasts in this population are caused primarily by the improvement in the management of patients in the fields of oncology, critical care, and transplantation. In no small part, Candida species is responsible for approximately three quarters of these infections. The factors associated with the

Endemic mycoses

Unlike other fungal pathogens, such as Candida spp and C. neoformans, infections caused by H. capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and C. immitis are acquired in specific geographic regions. Although infections with these fungal pathogens are not emerging, the increase in the number of susceptible persons led to a rise in the incidence of these mycoses. With the spread of HIV infection to the Midwest where histoplasmosis and blastomycosis are endemic, and to the Southwest, where

Hyaline molds

Hyalohyphomycosis is the term used to represent infections caused by colorless septate fungal hyphae in affected tissue. Filamentous fungi are importantly recognized opportunistic pathogens in immunosuppressed patients. A growing number of non-Aspergillus hyaline fungal pathogens, such as species of Fusarium, Paecilomyces, Acremonium, Rhizopus, and Scedosporium, can cause tissue invasion in susceptible hosts and frequently are unresponsive to current antifungal agents. Definitive identification

Trichoderma longibrachiatum: a new emerging pathogen

Trichoderma is a filamentous fungus species, member of the class Hyphomycetes, which was previously regarded as nonpathogenic to humans, and has emerged as an important fungal pathogen in immunocompromised patients. This genus is the main component of the soil microflora, but is also isolated from air. Trichoderma species are rapid-growing organisms and colonies are initially smooth or translucent and later become floccose, forming concentric white and green rings. Microscopically it is

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