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Infectious Diseases and Mycology
Research Guide
What is Infectious Diseases and Mycology?
Infectious Diseases and Mycology is a field studying emerging animal pathogens such as retroviruses like Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus, oomycetes including Pythium insidiosum, zygomycosis, basidiobolomycosis, and Rhinosporidium, alongside their pathology, diagnosis, treatment, epidemiology, and immunotherapy.
This field encompasses 32,771 papers on veterinary infectious diseases in small animals, focusing on pathogens like oomycetes, zygomycetes, and mesomycetozoea. Key areas include molecular biology, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases such as pythiosis, zygomycosis, and basidiobolomycosis. Research advances clinical definitions and outcomes for invasive fungal diseases in high-risk patients.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Zygomycosis Epidemiology and Diagnosis
This sub-topic covers incidence patterns, risk factors, and diagnostic criteria for zygomycosis in animals and humans. Researchers analyze case series and develop PCR-based identification methods.
Pythiosis in Animals
This sub-topic examines Pythium insidiosum infections in horses, dogs, and cattle, focusing on pathogenesis and serodiagnosis. Researchers study oomycete-host interactions and immunotherapy trials.
Basidiobolomycosis Pathology
This sub-topic investigates subcutaneous and gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis caused by Basidiobolus ranarum. Researchers characterize histopathology and antifungal susceptibility profiles.
Rhinosporidium seeberi Infections
This sub-topic explores the mesomycetozoean pathogen causing nasal and ocular rhinosporidiosis in animals. Researchers debate its phylogeny and develop molecular diagnostics.
Immunotherapy for Animal Mycoses
This sub-topic studies cytokine therapy and monoclonal antibodies against invasive fungal infections in veterinary patients. Researchers evaluate adjunctive immunotherapies with antifungals.
Why It Matters
Infectious Diseases and Mycology addresses life-threatening infections in immunocompromised veterinary patients, with applications in pathology and treatment of zygomycosis, where Roden et al. (2005) reviewed 929 cases showing outcomes depend on underlying condition, infection site, and antifungal use in "Epidemiology and Outcome of Zygomycosis: A Review of 929 Reported Cases". Definitions from de Pauw et al. (2008) in "Revised Definitions of Invasive Fungal Disease from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) Consensus Group" standardize research on invasive fungal diseases, aiding epidemiological studies. Guidelines by Walsh et al. (2008) in "Treatment of Aspergillosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Society of America" target Aspergillus infections in patients with neutropenia or HIV, improving survival in veterinary and human medicine parallels.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"Revised Definitions of Invasive Fungal Disease from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) Consensus Group" by de Pauw et al. (2008), as it provides foundational standardized definitions essential for understanding invasive fungal diseases in research.
Key Papers Explained
De Pauw et al. (2008) in "Revised Definitions of Invasive Fungal Disease..." established consensus definitions, updated by Donnelly et al. (2019) in "Revision and Update of the Consensus Definitions..." to reflect new evidence on IFDs. Roden et al. (2005) in "Epidemiology and Outcome of Zygomycosis..." applied similar frameworks to analyze 929 zygomycosis cases, while Walsh et al. (2008) in "Treatment of Aspergillosis..." built on these for specific guidelines. Brown et al. (2012) in "Hidden Killers..." contextualized global fungal threats, and Latgé (1999) in "Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillosis" detailed pathogenesis.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Consensus definitions continue evolving, as in Donnelly et al. (2019), but gaps remain in diagnostics and vaccines for veterinary pathogens like Pythium insidiosum and Rhinosporidium without recent preprints.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revised Definitions of Invasive Fungal Disease from the Europe... | 2008 | Clinical Infectious Di... | 4.9K | ✓ |
| 2 | Hidden Killers: Human Fungal Infections | 2012 | Science Translational ... | 4.2K | ✓ |
| 3 | Practical streptomyces genetics | 2000 | Medical Entomology and... | 3.9K | ✕ |
| 4 | Epidemiology and Outcome of Zygomycosis: A Review of 929 Repor... | 2005 | Clinical Infectious Di... | 3.0K | ✓ |
| 5 | J. Submicrosc. Cytol. Pathol. | 2000 | — | 2.8K | ✕ |
| 6 | Treatment of Aspergillosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines of th... | 2008 | Clinical Infectious Di... | 2.7K | ✓ |
| 7 | Revision and Update of the Consensus Definitions of Invasive F... | 2019 | Clinical Infectious Di... | 2.6K | ✓ |
| 8 | <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>and Aspergillosis | 1999 | Clinical Microbiology ... | 2.3K | ✓ |
| 9 | Confocal Imaging–Guided Laser Ablation of Basal Cell Carcinoma... | 2014 | Journal of Investigati... | 1.7K | ✓ |
| 10 | Rapid identification of mycobacteria to the species level by p... | 1993 | Journal of Clinical Mi... | 1.5K | ✓ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the consensus definitions for invasive fungal disease?
De Pauw et al. (2008) revised definitions in "Revised Definitions of Invasive Fungal Disease from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) Consensus Group" to advance clinical and epidemiological research in high-risk patients. These definitions serve as a model for other infections. They were updated by Donnelly et al. (2019) in "Revision and Update of the Consensus Definitions of Invasive Fungal Disease From the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium".
How does zygomycosis outcome vary?
Roden et al. (2005) analyzed 929 cases in "Epidemiology and Outcome of Zygomycosis: A Review of 929 Reported Cases" and found outcomes vary by underlying condition, infection site, and antifungal therapy use. This informs treatment strategies for this fungal infection.
What challenges exist in treating human fungal infections?
Brown et al. (2012) highlighted in "Hidden Killers: Human Fungal Infections" the lack of robust rapid diagnostic tests, safe drugs, and vaccines hampers invasive fungal infection treatment. These gaps parallel veterinary challenges with emerging pathogens like Pythium insidiosum.
What are EORTC/MSG guidelines for aspergillosis?
Walsh et al. (2008) provided guidelines in "Treatment of Aspergillosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Society of America" for immunocompromised patients with Aspergillus, including those with prolonged neutropenia or HIV. Aspergillus fumigatus causes life-threatening infections eliminated by innate immunity in healthy hosts, per Latgé (1999).
How is Aspergillus fumigatus relevant to mycology?
Latgé (1999) reviewed in "Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillosis" how this ubiquitous fungus causes aspergilloma and invasive disease when innate immunity fails. Conidia are inhaled constantly but cleared in immunocompetent hosts.
What methods identify mycobacteria species?
Telenti et al. (1993) developed PCR and restriction enzyme analysis of the 65-kDa protein gene for rapid mycobacteria identification to species level in "Rapid identification of mycobacteria to the species level by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme analysis".
Open Research Questions
- ? How can rapid diagnostic tests for oomycetes like Pythium insidiosum be improved beyond current methods?
- ? What immunotherapy approaches target retroviruses such as Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus and Enzootic Nasal Tumor Virus?
- ? Why do outcomes in zygomycosis persist in varying by site despite antifungal advances?
- ? How do molecular mechanisms of Rhinosporidium and mesomycetozoea differ across animal hosts?
- ? Which factors drive epidemiology of basidiobolomycosis in small animals?
Recent Trends
The field includes 32,771 works with no specified 5-year growth rate; updated definitions in Donnelly et al. "Revision and Update of the Consensus Definitions of Invasive Fungal Disease From the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium" reflect ongoing refinements since de Pauw et al. (2008), amid persistent challenges in fungal diagnostics noted by Brown et al. (2012).
2019No recent preprints or news in last 12 months indicate steady rather than accelerating activity.
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