Alzheimer’s disease and disseminated mycoses
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the presence in the brain of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that provoke neuronal cell death, vascular dysfunction and inflammatory processes. In the present work, we have analyzed the existence of fungal infection in AD patients. A number of tests have been carried out in blood serum, including the detection of antibodies against several yeast species and fungal proteins, and also the presence of fungal (1,3)-β-glucan. Results from this analysis indicate that there is disseminated fungal infection in the majority of AD patients tested. Of interest, several AD patients contain high levels of fungal polysaccharides in peripheral blood, reflecting that disseminated fungal infection occurs in these patients. Together, these results suggest the presence of disseminated mycoses in blood serum from AD patients. To our knowledge these findings represent the first evidence that fungal infection is detectable in blood samples in AD patients. The possibility that this may represent a risk factor or may contribute to the etiological cause of AD is discussed.
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Previous analyses of fungal antigens and fungal polysaccharides in the blood serum of AD patients showed that ~90% of AD samples tested positive for fungal antigens compared to only 8.8% of the matched control samples.
“Previous analyses of fungal antigens and fungal polysaccharides in the blood serum of AD patients showed that ~90% of AD samples tested positive for fungal antigens compared to only 8.8% of the matched control samples [6].”
From What would it take to prove that a chronic infection is a causal agent in Alzheimer’s disease? (2025) · cites this paper as [6]
Cites
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Megur, A., Baltriukienė, D., Bukelskienė, V., & Burokas, A. (2020) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu13010037 · Cited by 323 · see citing works
Oral Microbiota and Alzheimer’s Disease: Do All Roads Lead to Rome?
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Polymicrobial Infections In Brain Tissue From Alzheimer’s Disease Patients
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Self-citationThe Role of the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease
Wiatrak, B., Balon, K., Jawień, P., Bednarz, D., Jęśkowiak, I., & Szeląg, A. (2022) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms23094862 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
What would it take to prove that a chronic infection is a causal agent in Alzheimer’s disease?
Brutkiewicz, R. R., Cao, W., Morgan, D., Reis, R. S. D., Suryadevara, V., Willette, A. A., Willette, S. A., Wyatt-Johnson, S. K., & Duggan, M. R. (2025) · Trends in Neurosciences · doi:10.1016/j.tins.2025.05.009 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
- Authors
- Alonso, R., Pisa, D., Rábano, A., & Carrasco, L.
- Affiliations
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Carrasco, L.
- Venue
- European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases
- Published
- 2014-01-23
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1125-1132
- ISSN
- 0934-9723 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-4373
- OpenAlex
- W1993237799
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 5.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Fundación Ramón Areces
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Fungal Infections and Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Keywords
- Alzheimer's disease, fungal infection, β-1,3-glucan, fungal polysaccharides, serum, amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Antibodies, Fungal, Female, Humans, Male, Mycoses, Proteoglycans, Prevalence, beta-Glucans
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