Candida species: current epidemiology, pathogenicity, biofilm formation, natural antifungal products and new therapeutic options
TL;DR: A brief review of the literature regarding the epidemiology of Candida species, as well as their pathogenicity and ability to form biofilms, the antifungal activity of natural products and other therapeutic options is presented.
Abstract: The incidence of fungal infections has increased significantly, so contributing to morbidity and mortality. This is caused by an increase in antimicrobial resistance and the restricted number of antifungal drugs, which retain many side effects. Candida species are major human fungal pathogens that cause both mucosal and deep tissue infections. Recent evidence suggests that the majority of infections produced by this pathogen are associated with biofilm growth. Biofilms are biological communities with a high degree of organization, in which micro-organisms form structured, coordinated and functional communities. These biological communities are embedded in a self-created extracellular matrix. Biofilm production is also associated with a high level of antimicrobial resistance of the associated organisms. The ability of Candida species to form drug-resistant biofilms is an important factor in their contribution to human disease. The study of plants as an alternative to other forms of drug discovery has attracted great attention because, according to the World Health Organization, these would be the best sources for obtaining a wide variety of drugs and could benefit a large population. Furthermore, silver nanoparticles, antibodies and photodynamic inactivation have also been used with good results. This article presents a brief review of the literature regarding the epidemiology of Candida species, as well as their pathogenicity and ability to form biofilms, the antifungal activity of natural products and other therapeutic options.
Citations
More filters
Journal Article•
3,097 citations
01 Jan 2009
1,064 citations
TL;DR: A review of the bio-active properties of essential oils and their medicinal potential is presented in this article. But, the review is limited to essential oils extracted from plants by steam distillation and various solvents.
838 citations
Cites background from "Candida species: current epidemiolo..."
...Therefore, invasive fungal infections are associated with very high morbidity and mortality rates (Sardi et al., 2013)....
[...]
TL;DR: Current knowledge of biofilms formed by C. albicans and closely related fungal species are reviewed, finding that these biofilm-based infections are intrinsically resistant to conventional antifungal therapeutics, the host immune system, and other environmental perturbations.
Abstract: In humans, microbial cells (including bacteria, archaea, and fungi) greatly outnumber host cells. Candida albicans is the most prevalent fungal species of the human microbiota; this species asymptomatically colonizes many areas of the body, particularly the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of healthy individuals. Alterations in host immunity, stress, resident microbiota, and other factors can lead to C. albicans overgrowth, causing a wide range of infections, from superficial mucosal to hematogenously disseminated candidiasis. To date, most studies of C. albicans have been carried out in suspension cultures; however, the medical impact of C. albicans (like that of many other microorganisms) depends on its ability to thrive as a biofilm, a closely packed community of cells. Biofilms are notorious for forming on implanted medical devices, including catheters, pacemakers, dentures, and prosthetic joints, which provide a surface and sanctuary for biofilm growth. C. albicans biofilms are intrinsically resistant to conventional antifungal therapeutics, the host immune system, and other environmental perturbations, making biofilm-based infections a significant clinical challenge. Here, we review our current knowledge of biofilms formed by C. albicans and closely related fungal species.
737 citations
TL;DR: The most recent applications of CMC derivatives with antimicrobial, anticancer, antitumor, antioxidant and antifungal biological activities in various areas like wound healing, tissue engineering, drug/enzyme delivery, bioimaging and cosmetics are highlighted.
373 citations
References
More filters
TL;DR: The results suggest that Ag nanoparticles can be used as effective growth inhibitors in various microorganisms, making them applicable to diverse medical devices and antimicrobial control systems.
4,319 citations
"Candida species: current epidemiolo..." refers background in this paper
...These studies show evidence for the molecular mechanism of AgNP activity, whereby AgNPs act on and inhibit a number of oxidative enzymes such as yeast alcohol dehydrogenase through the generation of reactive oxygen species (Kim et al., 2007)....
[...]
...AgNPs have also frequently been shown to inhibit yeast growth (Kim et al., 2007; Mastrolorenzo et al., 2000), and their antifungal activity against certain species such as Trichophyton species and Candida species (Kim et al....
[...]
...AgNPs have also frequently been shown to inhibit yeast growth (Kim et al., 2007; Mastrolorenzo et al., 2000), and their antifungal activity against certain species such as Trichophyton species and Candida species (Kim et al., 2008) is well documented....
[...]
Journal Article•
3,097 citations
TL;DR: The recent explosion in the field of biofilm research has led to exciting progress in the development of new technologies for studying these communities, advanced the authors' understanding of the ecological significance of surface-attached bacteria, and provided new insights into the molecular genetic basis ofBiofilm development.
Abstract: Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms attached to surfaces or associated with interfaces. Despite the focus of modern microbiology research on pure culture, planktonic (free-swimming) bacteria, it is now widely recognized that most bacteria found in natural, clinical, and industrial settings persist in association with surfaces. Furthermore, these microbial communities are often composed of multiple species that interact with each other and their environment. The determination of biofilm architecture, particularly the spatial arrangement of microcolonies (clusters of cells) relative to one another, has profound implications for the function of these complex communities. Numerous new experimental approaches and methodologies have been developed in order to explore metabolic interactions, phylogenetic groupings, and competition among members of the biofilm. To complement this broad view of biofilm ecology, individual organisms have been studied using molecular genetics in order to identify the genes required for biofilm development and to dissect the regulatory pathways that control the plankton-to-biofilm transition. These molecular genetic studies have led to the emergence of the concept of biofilm formation as a novel system for the study of bacterial development. The recent explosion in the field of biofilm research has led to exciting progress in the development of new technologies for studying these communities, advanced our understanding of the ecological significance of surface-attached bacteria, and provided new insights into the molecular genetic basis of biofilm development.
2,910 citations
"Candida species: current epidemiolo..." refers background in this paper
...The association of organisms in biofilms is a form of protection for their development, encouraging symbiotic relationships and allowing survival in hostile environments (Davey & O’toole, 2000)....
[...]
TL;DR: In this large cohort, infection was independently associated with an increased risk of hospital death and risk of infection increases with duration of ICU stay.
Abstract: Context Infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. However, relatively little information is available about the global epidemiology of such infections. Objective To provide an up-to-date, international picture of the extent and patterns of infection in ICUs. Design, Setting, and Patients The Extended Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care (EPIC II) study, a 1-day, prospective, point prevalence study with follow-up conducted on May 8, 2007. Demographic, physiological, bacteriological, therapeutic, and outcome data were collected for 14 414 patients in 1265 participating ICUs from 75 countries on the study day. Analyses focused on the data from the 13 796 adult (>18 years) patients. Results On the day of the study, 7087 of 13 796 patients (51%) were considered infected; 9084 (71%) were receiving antibiotics. The infection was of respiratory origin in 4503 (64%), and microbiological culture results were positive in 4947 (70%) of the infected patients; 62% of the positive isolates were gram-negative organisms, 47% were gram-positive, and 19% were fungi. Patients who had longer ICU stays prior to the study day had higher rates of infection, especially infections due to resistant staphylococci, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas species, and Candida species. The ICU mortality rate of infected patients was more than twice that of noninfected patients (25% [1688/6659] vs 11% [ 682/6352], respectively; P Conclusions Infections are common in patients in contemporary ICUs, and risk of infection increases with duration of ICU stay. In this large cohort, infection was independently associated with an increased risk of hospital death.
2,710 citations
"Candida species: current epidemiolo..." refers background in this paper
...Although this commensal organism normally colonizes mucosal surfaces in an asymptomatic manner, it can become one of the most significant causes of a disabling and lethal infection (Wisplinghoff et al., 2006; Vincent et al., 2009)....
[...]
2,584 citations