Post by Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM)

Colonies of the mould Aspergillus fumigatus grown on agar. The green mould is the ‘wild type’, which is how the fungus appears in the environment, and the white mould is a mutant form with the gene pksP removed. A fumigatus is the leading cause of invasive mould infections in people. It is found in the environment, and we breathe it in daily. Once it reaches our lungs, the immune system destroys the fungus and stops it causing an infection. However, in people with weakened immune systems, underlying diseases, or have had transplants, it can cause an infection called aspergillosis. Antifungal drugs called azoles are used to treat Aspergillosis, but the fungus is beginning to develop resistance to these medicines. Azole-resistant A. fumigatus infections are difficult to treat, and these patients are more like to die than patients with infections that can be treated with azoles. By removing different genes, scientists can understand its role and how it affects antifungal drug resistance or infection, to improve diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for patients. 📸 Mark Stappers, Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM) #ImageOfTheWeek #Aspergillus #Aspergillosis #Fungi #Mycology #AMR