About this Research Topic
Fungal infections affect a billion people worldwide every year. Fungi are present as commensals in the human body and cause infection under opportunistic conditions. Such conditions include prolonged antibiotic treatment, cancer therapy, immunocompromised conditions, AIDS, etc. Fungal infections of the oral cavity include oral candidiasis, linear gingival erythema, denture stomatitis, etc. Oral mucosal fungal infections can be treated successfully, however, they are recurrent. Although a majority of oral fungal infections are caused by Candida albicans, several other fungi are also present in the oral cavity and may imply the oral health status of patients. Those fungi include Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans, and several others.
A majority of the antifungal drugs target structures/processes common to human cells and thus result in increased drug toxicity. Furthermore, fungal pathogens have developed several mechanisms to overcome drug resistance. This has resulted in a rapid emergence of drug resistance to the currently available antifungal drugs. The emergence of Candida auris as a multi-drug resistant fungal pathogen has become a major concern for healthcare providers and governments alike.
As a result, there is a need for novel antifungal drugs as well as novel drug targets.
This Research Topic will focus on oral fungal infections as well as new antifungal drug targets and drugs, including combinatorial therapies for the treatment of various oral fungal infections in human subjects.
The manuscripts submitted may include early-stage drug candidates and novel drug targets within in vitro and/or in vivo data.
A majority of the antifungal drugs target structures/processes common to human cells and thus result in increased drug toxicity. Furthermore, fungal pathogens have developed several mechanisms to overcome drug resistance. This has resulted in a rapid emergence of drug resistance to the currently available antifungal drugs. The emergence of Candida auris as a multi-drug resistant fungal pathogen has become a major concern for healthcare providers and governments alike.
As a result, there is a need for novel antifungal drugs as well as novel drug targets.
This Research Topic will focus on oral fungal infections as well as new antifungal drug targets and drugs, including combinatorial therapies for the treatment of various oral fungal infections in human subjects.
The manuscripts submitted may include early-stage drug candidates and novel drug targets within in vitro and/or in vivo data.
Keywords: Oral Fungal Infections, Antifungal Strategies, Drug Targets, oral candidiasis, linear gingival erythema, denture stomatitis, drug resistance
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
