A team of researchers led by Amy G. Hise, MD, MPH, assistant professor at the Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, is the first to discover how the body fights off oral yeast infections caused by the most common human fungal pathogen, Candida.
As fungal infections become more resistant to current drugs, this groundbreaking research may directly lead to the development of new drugs and therapies that will help limit and/or prevent Candida infections in the future for millions of sufferers.
Candida albicans is the most common species of the Candida fungus and is the leading cause of vaginal and oral yeast infections, including thrush and denture stomatitis. It is the fourth most common hospital-acquired bloodborne pathogen in the United States and surprisingly, it is present in the mouths of 30 percent to 50 percent of healthy adults.
Because of the widespread nature of Candida, the potential for overgrowth and infection is common in the young, elderly, immuno-compromised and people receiving corticosteroid or chemotherapy treatments.
The findings, published in Cell, Host and Microbe, identified the critical role of a protein, interleukin-1β or IL-1β, secreted by a variety of cells in the human immune system to protect the body from oral colonization by Candida albicans and preventing it from spreading to infect host tissue and blood. The study defines the precise mechanism by which the body's immune cells produce IL-1β following contact with Candida albicans. Further, it shows that a complex of proteins, collectively termed the NLRP3 inflammasome, function to produce IL-1β from an inactive, precursor form into a form that can be secreted by cells and subsequently function to modulate the immune system and its responses.
This research clarifies a number of mechanisms and pathways that may be therapeutic targets to help alleviate and/or eliminate Candida overgrowth and its accompanying symptoms, such as pain and discomfort, swelling, burning sensation of affected area, difficulty swallowing, in individuals suffering from infections.
The findings of Hise's laboratory will open many new avenues of research in fungal infections. One direction they are pursuing is to identify the way that the fungus activates the inflammasome. This might provide new targets for drug development. Another area of interest is the investigation of how small differences between individuals in immune related genes, called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs, affect susceptibility to fungal and other infections.
"If we can identify patterns of SNPs that make people more likely to develop life-threatening fungal infections, it may be possible in the future to use these as markers to screen patients. For example, patients admitted to intensive care units or needing long-term invasive catheters could be genetically screened to identify who would benefit from preventive anti-fungal treatment," says Hise.
Dear Helpdesk: Working in a Toxic Health Care Environment
March 28th 2024Dear Helpdesk is your steadfast companion, offering life coaching and workplace advice from 2 seasoned IPs for some of your most challenging real-life situations. Let us help you navigate the intersection between work and life, guiding you to navigate the dynamic world of infection prevention with confidence and grace. This article is on handling a toxic health care environment.
Product Locator: Spring and Early Mother's Day Gift Guide for Infection Prevention Personnel
March 27th 2024Whether it's a spring holiday, birthdays, or no reason at all, infection prevention personnel love to give and receive gifts that help at the end of a stressful day. Infection Control Today® offers some gift ideas for infection prevention personnel and their families.
Catching Up With Vangie Dennis, AORN 2022-2023 President at AORN 2024
March 26th 2024Infection Control Today (ICT) had the privilege of catching up with Vangie Dennis, MSN, RN, CNOR, CMLSO, at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses' (AORN’s) International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024. As the former president of AORN and an esteemed figure in perioperative services, Vangie Dennis shared insights into her recent endeavors and the exciting new chapter she's embarked upon.
How To Optimize Your Time Management Strategies for the Busy Infection Preventionist
March 25th 2024Is your calendar resembling a chaotic masterpiece of overlapping tasks? Join the club of infection preventionists striving to balance responsibilities. Dive into proven strategies from a fellow infection preventionist to reclaim control of your time, streamline tasks, and boost productivity effectively. This is an IP Lifeline article.