In the realm of healthcare, fungal infections present a significant risk to hospitalized patients, particularly due to the organism's adaptability to harsh hospital environments and the frequent immunocompromised state of the patients. These pathogens, often adapting via exposure to antimicrobials and disinfectants, present complex treatment challenges due to their eukaryotic nature which shares significant gene orthology with humans, limiting effective antifungal agents. While bacteria are the most common cause of healthcare-associated infections, fungal infections are notably harder to treat, with fungi like Candida albicans often turning pathogenic under certain conditions or being transmitted through medical equipment or personnel contact.

This Research Topic aims to delve into the virulence and resistance mechanisms of nosocomial fungi, improving our understanding of how these organisms become life-threatening. By understanding these critical aspects, this research can pave the way for improved prevention and management of these dangerous infections, particularly in settings where patient vulnerability is heightened.

To gather further insights into the virulence and antifungal resistance dynamics of nosocomial fungi, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Describing clinical findings related to nosocomial fungal infections.
- Studying genes, gene mutations, and proteins contributing to virulence or antifungal resistance in pathogenic fungi isolated from hospitalized patients or medical devices.
- Evaluating phenotypes correlated to virulence and antifungal resistance like biofilm formation.
- Examining interactions of nosocomial fungi with human cells.
- Simulating and inducing antifungal resistance development in vitro.
- Distinguishing between resistance, heteroresistance, and tolerance in fungal strains.
- Assessing strain clonality and phylogeny to understand infection outbreaks.
- Investigating chronic fungal infections and the microevolution of strains within hosts.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Assessing Nosocomial Fungal Infections: Virulence and Resistance Dynamics