Invasive fungal infections has become increasingly common resulting in death rate up to 90% in immune-compromised patients such as HIV, various forms of cancer and usage of immune suppressing drugs during organ transplantation has facilitated the emergence of new opportunistic pathogens world-wide. The most predominant opportunistic fungal pathogens are Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., and Cryptococcus spp. Although there are different classes of approved antifungal agents, the morbidity and mortality rate due to invasive infections remains high, due to emergence of resistant strains and drug toxicity. To address the major raising concern, research groups from various academic and research institutes are involved in understanding the dynamics of virulence expression in fungi. Also, various management strategies such as combinatorial therapy, immunotherapy, repurposing of drugs, exploring new natural products, immunomodulators, computer based drug discovery etc. Such a strategy will prove to be beneficial in the long run, as antibiotics induced resistance could be overcome by targeting different aspects of fungi life cycle.
Within the large fungal kingdom, only a few hundred species are considered as true or opportunist pathogens to humans, other animals, or plants. Nonetheless, an increasing number of multiple drugs resistant isolates have been described and it shall represent a major concern for the community in the following years. The intensive employment of antifungal drugs and agriculture defensives, the growing number of immunocompromised individuals and the deterioration of natural habitats contribute to the selection and emergence of fungal pathogens. Despite important contributions to the study of these factors, the literature on the mechanisms of phenotype plasticity and the regulation of virulence attributes in fungi is still in its infancy. Relevant information from mutagenesis and epigenetics approaches has contributed to the field.
The aim of this Research Topic is to discuss relevant and impactful recent discoveries on the investigation of the evolution and regulation of virulence traits in fungi and on strategies to overcome these traits, thus benefiting the scientific community and industrialist to obtain updated key information on virulence attributes and management strategies of pathogenic fungi.
Invasive fungal infections has become increasingly common resulting in death rate up to 90% in immune-compromised patients such as HIV, various forms of cancer and usage of immune suppressing drugs during organ transplantation has facilitated the emergence of new opportunistic pathogens world-wide. The most predominant opportunistic fungal pathogens are Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., and Cryptococcus spp. Although there are different classes of approved antifungal agents, the morbidity and mortality rate due to invasive infections remains high, due to emergence of resistant strains and drug toxicity. To address the major raising concern, research groups from various academic and research institutes are involved in understanding the dynamics of virulence expression in fungi. Also, various management strategies such as combinatorial therapy, immunotherapy, repurposing of drugs, exploring new natural products, immunomodulators, computer based drug discovery etc. Such a strategy will prove to be beneficial in the long run, as antibiotics induced resistance could be overcome by targeting different aspects of fungi life cycle.
Within the large fungal kingdom, only a few hundred species are considered as true or opportunist pathogens to humans, other animals, or plants. Nonetheless, an increasing number of multiple drugs resistant isolates have been described and it shall represent a major concern for the community in the following years. The intensive employment of antifungal drugs and agriculture defensives, the growing number of immunocompromised individuals and the deterioration of natural habitats contribute to the selection and emergence of fungal pathogens. Despite important contributions to the study of these factors, the literature on the mechanisms of phenotype plasticity and the regulation of virulence attributes in fungi is still in its infancy. Relevant information from mutagenesis and epigenetics approaches has contributed to the field.
The aim of this Research Topic is to discuss relevant and impactful recent discoveries on the investigation of the evolution and regulation of virulence traits in fungi and on strategies to overcome these traits, thus benefiting the scientific community and industrialist to obtain updated key information on virulence attributes and management strategies of pathogenic fungi.
