Prof. Andy Borman

It’s not too revolutionary this year 😊

And another:

Name changes for fungi of medical importance, 2022–2024 | Journal of Clinical Microbiology journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

A new paper:

Here is the link to "An unwanted souvenir: Case report of delayed diagnosis of a coccidioidomycosis prosthetic joint infection": www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Our new paper in JEADV describing four cases of TMVII infection in the UK:

doi.org/10.1111/jdv....

Bloodstream infections caused by yeast rose by 4% in 2024, compared to 2023 (C. auris)

Professor Andy Borman, Head of the Mycology Reference Laboratory, UKHSA Our surveillance shows that serious fungal infections are having an increasing impact on public health. UKHSA is working with the NHS to explore the reasons behind the rise in serious yeast infections, but factors such as an increase in people who are immunocompromised and the number of people receiving complex surgeries may be playing a part.

🆕 Our latest data shows that bloodstream infections caused by yeast rose by 4% in 2024, compared to 2023.
These infections are typically acquired in a hospital setting from yeasts found naturally on patients' skin or in our intestinal tracts. 🦠🧍
📰🔗 www.gov.uk/government/n...

There is an ongoing phone scam in the UK, where random people message you pretending to be your children with a new phone/number…. Obviously you are supposed to ignore/block and not engage, but the fungal taxonomist in me rebels and takes over…..

Trichophyton mentagrophytes Genotype VII sexually transmitted infection in the United Kingdom: where are we now? Trichophyton mentagrophytes ITS genotype VII (TMVII) infection is increasingly reported in parts of Europe. We present one of the first cases of TMVII repo

doi.org/10.1093/bjd/...

All set up and ready to go! 🌍✨ Final briefing done — the stage is set for ISHAM 2025 at this stunning location. Let the science, connections, and inspiration begin! 🧬📍#ISHAM2025 #FinalCountdown #ScienceMeetsNature

Really enjoyed it too, thanks Colin, Mariyam and especially Martin for inviting us and hosting

Candidozyma auris from the lab to the front line: A discussion with UKHSA experts In this episode Martin talks to Dr Andy Borman, (Acting Head and Consultant Clinical Scientist, UKHSA National UK Mycology Reference Lab. also Hon Professor of Medical Mycology, MRC CMM, University…

Had a wonderful chat with @emrsa15.bsky.social, Andy Borman, and Mariyam Mirfenderesky on the @icmatters.bsky.social podcast about C. auris control - could have chatted for hours about this difficult bug and the present and future challenges it presents

infectioncontrolmatters.com/2025/04/30/c...

That, until recently, was my drive home every evening… the bridge I mean, not the snow and foxes…

BREAKING: In an unprecedented move, more than 75 Nobel Prize winners have signed a letter urging senators not to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

It's the first time in history that Nobel laureates have come together to oppose a Cabinet choice.

We’re thrilled to announce that applications for the FAILSAFE grants are NOW OPEN!
Grants of up to £250k available for innovative research tackling fungal antimicrobial resistance and advancing global health.

Learn more and apply here: cmm-failsafe.com/failsafe-rou...

#GlobalHealth #FAILSAFE

Spread of Antifungal-Resistant <em>Trichophyton indotineae</em>, United Kingdom, 2017–2024 Spread of Antifungal-Resistant <em>Trichophyton indotineae</em>, United Kingdom, 2017–2024

The introduction and rapid spread of the terbinafine-resistant novel dermatophyte Trichophyton indotineae in the UK:

wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...

The kind of meme that should go viral.
#VaccinesWork

Say hello to Vince from me, as an ex-Picornavirologist turned mycologist….

Management, outcomes and predictors of mortality of Cryptococcus infection in patients without HIV: A multicentre study from Australia and New Zealand Coussement et al, 2024 | Clinical Infectious Diseases 426 patients without HIV diagnosed with cryptococcosis between 2015 and 2019 in Australia and New Zealand Use of induction therapy: Common in central nervous system cryptococcosis (99.5%, 192/193), typically with liposomal amphotericin + flucytosine (94%, 181/193), with mean duration 31 $ 13 days 27% of cases of isolated lung infection (i.e., azole antifungal as 1* line treatment in 73%, 120/166) Distinct outcomes of C. gattii infection: (versus C. neoformans) Lower mortality (adjusted odds ratio: 0.47, 95% C| 0.23-0.95, all-cause 1-year mortality: 11% for C. gattii vs. 28% for C. neoformans) Higher risk of immune reconstitution inflammatory response (21% vs 3% in central nervous system infection, p < 0.001) No microbiological relapses: None of 19 patients who had re-induction with amphotericin-based therapy for suspected relapse had confirmed microbiological relapse (i.e. positive culture) Central nervous system immune reconstitution inflammatory response seen in 16/426 patients (4%) At 1 year post-diagnosis, low rate of resolution of: serum cryptococcal antigen positivity (25% resolved) lung imaging abnormalities (34% resolved)

Management, outcomes and predictors of mortality of Cryptococcus infection in patients without HIV: a multicentre study in 46 hospitals from Australia and New Zealand

academic.oup.com/cid/advance-... #IDSky #MedMycoSky

YouTube video by ReelinInTheYears66 Sister Rosetta Tharpe- "Didn't It Rain?" Live 1964 (Reelin' In The Years Archive)

She was there before Elvis, Little Richard or Johnny Cash swiveled their hips and strummed their guitars. If you've never heard Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of rock 'n' roll, you should.

We MUST keep vaccines.
have you written your Senator to let them know?

New review article in The Lancet Microbe

Sensors for surveillance of RNA viruses: a One Health perspective

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

#IDSky #ViroSky #ClinMicro #OpenAccess #OA

That is unfortunate… it is the advice of most mycology reference centres outside of the USA at least…
Nomenclatural change is inevitable in the molecular era when we can directly infer relationships based on genomic data… it is possible to mitigate against confusion whilst also implementing changes

Indefinitely… it is automatically set into our organism codes in our lab reporting system
People forget that “Candida glabrata” only became “Candida” in 1978… before that it spent 3 decades as Torulopsis…

Hence why microbiologist need to be aware of them…
We report all IDs as “New name, previously known as Old Name” and have done for over 5 years…

For most “Candida” app., most MALDI platforms have already adopted the revised taxonomy… which simplifies things a little except that they don’t link them to the older names…

Name Changes for Fungi of Medical Importance, 2018 to 2019 | Journal of Clinical Microbiology The current article summarizes recent changes in nomenclature for fungi of medical importance published in the years 2018 to 2019, including new species and revised names for existing ones. Many of the revised names have been widely adopted without ...

Basically people shied away from raising the issue… Liz and I bit the bullet 5 years ago and got dogs abuse on the “other place” with predictions that the changes would result in patient deaths, despite presenting a sensible approach to mitigate confusion…

doi.org/10.1128/jcm....

Changes in fungal taxonomy: mycological rationale and clinical implications | Clinical Microbiology Reviews SUMMARYNumerous fungal species of medical importance have been recently subjected to and will likely continue to undergo nomenclatural changes as a result of the application of molecular approaches to fungal classification together with abandonment of ...

If you are Interested in the full rationale….
doi.org/10.1128/cmr....

For many, these names had been legitimate for decades… Clavispora lusitaniae (correct name for Candida lusitaniae) dates from 1977…

Just leaving this here for my fellow starfish… there are reasons for these changes… the organisms involved are UTTERLY unrelated to each other…

And again…. A starfish a sea urchin and a human walked into a bar and the barman was shocked they didn’t behave similarly 😳