New Insights into the Current Understanding of Host–Fungal Interactions, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Invasive fungal infections present a major threat worldwide. They are associated with unacceptably high mortality rates ranging from 30 to 90% and have been estimated to kill approximately 1.5 million people every year globally. They are no longer limited to well-defined high-risk patient groups but affect, for example, patients treated with immune modulators or genetically modified cells and patients suffering from severe influenza infections, such as COVID-19. Options for antifungal therapy remain limited and mainly rely on three classes of antifungals. In addition, we are faced with increasing antifungal drug resistance.

Fungal pathogens are ubiquitous in the environment but are also important constituents of the human microflora. They differ significantly from other pathogens, because eukaryotes are more closely related to humans and harbor unique immunogenic molecules such as ß-glucan or chitin, which are absent in prokaryotic pathogens.

Fungi have unique interaction patterns with human hosts. A detailed characterization of host–fungal interactions is necessary to gain a better understanding of the immune response directed against fungi and determine how it can be exploited for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

With this Special Issue of the Journal of Fungi, we aim to publish a collection of articles showcasing new insights into the current understanding of host–fungal interactions. Both original articles and reviews will be considered. Examples of relevant topics include emerging fungal species; the influence of immune modulators, small molecules, and genetically engineered immune cells on the development of fungal infections; immunization against fungal pathogens; fungal–viral coinfections (such as influenza and SARS-CoV2); and the role of specific host biomarkers in fungal infections (such as SNPs, eQTLs, and miRNA). Preclinical models (in vitro or in vivo) describing fundamental aspects of the host–fungus interaction, looking at both sides of the interaction, are of particular interest.

We are pleased to invite you to submit your manuscripts on these aspects of host–fungal interactions, which we believe will reveal greater innovative insights into these emerging topics.

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Löffler
Dr. Agostinho Carvalho
Prof. Dr. Thomas Rogers
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

• host–fungal interactions
• new insights
• immune response

• New Insights into Current Understanding of Host–Fungal Interactions in Journal of Fungi (5 articles)