Fungal respiratory infections in Cystic Fibrosis

Mission Statement

This working group comprises clinicians and medical mycologists involved in management of patients with cystic fibrosis, as well as scientists involved in basic research on the causative agents of these infections. Our objectives are to disseminate our recent findings and to develop collaborative studies aiming to improve our knowledge on the epidemiology of fungal respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis, the taxonomy and ecology of the causative agents or their pathogenic mechanisms, to define preventive measures or to improve the biological diagnosis of these infections and treatment.

Achievements of the working group in 2023

Publication of a special issue in Journal of Fungi (Basel): Pathobiology of the emergent fungal pathogens Scedosporium and Lomentospora (Ramirez-Garcia A, Rollin-Pinheiro R, Bouchara JP, Eds)
Discussion with the convenors (Michaela Lackner and Sharon Chen) of the Scedosporium/Lomentospora infections for merging the two working groups.

Upcoming events planned for 2024-2025

Organization of the sixth meeting of the FRI-CF working group in Angers (France) in June 2024
Publication of the results from a collaborative study performed in the working group on the detection of serum specific IgE and IgG for serodiagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis due to non-Aspergillus fumigatus moulds colonizing the airways of patients with cystic fibrosis

Publications arising from the Working Group

Ramirez-Garcia A, Rollin-Pinheiro R, Bouchara JP. Pathobiology of the emergent fungal pathogens Scedosporium and Lomentospora. J Fungi (Basel), 2023.

Funding provided by ISHAM in the past 3 years

None: In 2022, because of the COVID-19 pandemics and the uncertainty in the evolution of the sanitary situation, it was decided for the fifth meeting of the FRI-CF working group (which was a joint meeting with the Scedosporium/Lomentospora working group) to organize an online meeting only. This was done with the technical support of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society.