Researchers identify specific pathways involved in the development of mucormycosis -
Research published today in the journal, Nature Communications , provides new perspectives on the evolution of Mucorales fungi, which cause a fatal infection in ever increasing segments of the patient population, and several molecular pathways that could be exploited as potential therapeutic and diagnostic targets.
Mucorales invades cells of people whose immune system is weakened and causes lethal infection, mucormycosis. The study, conducted by LA BioMed and the University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers identified several pathways that are necessary to develop mucormycosis in a patient.
"Our research opens the door to identify and target specific pathways that are required for the development of mucormycosis," said Ashraf S. Ibrahim, PhD, principal investigator lA BioMed and a contributing writer for the study. "The data generated can then be exploited to design new strategies to continue the treatment, prevention and / or early diagnosis of mucormycosis."
The researchers reported the sequencing of 30 isolates of Mucorales and study of transcriptomes of three most common causes of mucormycosis in response to lung epithelial cells. They identified several pathways that are required for pathogenesis mucormycosis.
The most at risk are people mucormycosis patients uncontrolled diabetic ketoacidosis, other forms of metabolic acidosis, treatment with corticosteroids, solid organ or bone marrow transplant, neutropenia, trauma and burns, such as those suffered by soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, malignant haematological disorders and treated with deferoxamine in patients on hemodialysis.
skin soft mucormycosis outbreaks of tissue in healthy individuals necrotizing have also been known to monitor natural disasters, as evidenced by Apophysomyces infections, usually associated with trauma following the tsunami devastated Indonesia in 04 and tornadoes that occurred in Joplin, MO in June 2011.
"There are no vaccines or effective treatments available today to stop the infection from mucormycosis highly fatal, "said Dr. Ibrahim. "There is an urgent need for further research to develop strategies to protect patients whose immune system is weakened."
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