Aspergillus fumigatus (shortened to A. fumigatus) is a fungus (plural: fungi) that can cause a serious infection in some people. A. fumigatus can become resistant to medicines known as azoles (isavuconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole). This means they stop working and are not able to kill the fungus. Fungi can become resistant through changes in their genes, which are called mutations. Scientists looked at previously collected samples from people infected with A. fumigatus and found that 36 of the samples showed resistance to an azole. In 35 of these samples, scientists looked for mutations in 50 genes. These 50 genes are known to play a role in azole resistance and/or are important for fungal survival.This Plain Language Summary of Publication article from Future Microbiology looks at a fungus, that can cause serious infection, called Aspergillus fumigatus (shortened to A. fumigatus). The fungus can become resistant to medicines known as azoles. The study that is summarised here analysed mutations (changes in genes) that make fungi resistant to medicines, this information can ensure that people with fungal infections get treated with medicines that will work for them.

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The original article on which this summary is based is called ‘Isavuconazole nonwildtype Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from a global surveillance study display alterations in multiple genes involved in the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway not previously associated with resistance to other azoles’ and was published in Mycoses. 

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