Multidrug-Resistant Fungi: New Strategies for Diagnosis and Treatment
A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Pathogenesis and Disease Control".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2024 | Viewed by 452
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In light of the scenario wherein advancements in medical science have multiplied, the prevalence of fungal infections continues to annually escalate, while therapeutic interventions available in the early years of the third millennium remain notably constrained. The emergence of concerns regarding the rising incidence of fungal infections traces back to the first few decades of the 20th century, attributed to diverse environmental factors and anthropogenic pressures. Consequently, initial endeavours to address these infections through therapeutic means have been initiated.
Despite pathogenic fungi standing as one of the most ancient groups of microorganisms, they have been excluded from any stable taxonomic system for an extended period. Given the considerable taxonomic variations among closely related fungal pathogens and the criticality of species-level identification, an ongoing debate surrounds the selection of a gold standard for fungal routine identification. Thus, the reliable demarcation of fungal species boundaries, and consequently accurate species identification, necessitates a multidimensional approach to mitigate the potential for diagnostic errors. The significance of accurately identifying the etiological agent of mycosis becomes most evident in cases of treatment failure. Nevertheless, the inefficacy of therapy in fungal infections may stem from various factors beyond misdiagnosis.
Although interest in clinical antifungal therapy has grown over time, the pace of antifungal drug development has been notably slow. Despite the existence of several classes of antifungal drugs for clinical use, their spectrum of accessible cellular targets remains limited. Another challenge arising from the widespread use of antifungal drugs, linked to overlapping mechanisms of action and identical cellular targets, is the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes in an expanding array of pathogenic fungi. Consequently, in vitro assessments of antifungal drugs and the elucidation of mechanisms contributing to this emergent resistance constitute current imperatives within the mycological community.
In the context of the increasing amount of studies dedicated to the diagnostics and therapy of fungal infections, this Special Issue is inaugurated to serve as a comprehensive repository, showcasing the latest research across all facets of clinical and veterinary diagnostics and therapy for fungal infectious diseases.
Dr. Luana L. Rossato
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- antifungal therapy
- drug repurposing
- dug susceptibility
- emerging yeast
- natural antimycotics
- fungal infection
- molds
- mechanism of action
- invasive fungal infections
- MALDI-TOF
- new methods
