Translational Science: Approaches to Reducing Burden Caused by Fungal Diseases

Dear Colleagues,

I have chosen author contributions for this Special Issue based on their translational implications that seek to reduce fungal burden. The Special Issue will be composed of 12 submitted papers (see attachment). The submitted papers will be organized in two parts, those being: 1) patients: Detection and therapies for the invasive fungal infections, candidiasis, aspergillosis and cryptococcosis; and 2) papers related to the host-fungal-commensal interface. Part 1 will include papers on the global incidence of fungal infections, patient susceptibility (genetic predisposition), antifungal susceptibilities among Candida species, PCR based methods of detection, immunotherapy, and prophylaxis antifungal therapy. Part 2 focuses upon the basic science of fungal pathogenesis and includes papers on microbiomes (2 papers), fungal-specific drug targets, microevolution of virulence, cytokine receptor signaling, and morphotype functions of C. neoformans. Part 2 papers were selected based on ideas that may have translational implications.

The subjects of Part 1 are based upon current understanding primarily of candidemia. There is now sufficient literature to discuss gene SNPs that identify high-risk patients. The fairly new PCR-based assay to aid in the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis will be discussed. Controversy exists about how to treat culture-negative invasive candidiasis; one suggestion is prophylaxis treatment with antifungals. Alternatives to drug treatment include immunotherapy.

In part 2, the microbiomes associated with candidiasis and aspergillosis will be featured. Exploitation of fungal-specific targets in new drug therapy will in part emphasize the bioinformatics approach to identify these targets. Another paper will explain the concept of microevolution that describes the conversion of avirulence to virulence within macrophages. Cell transitional growth has been the subject of numerous reviews. New data suggest that growth transitional types in C. neoformans have different functions in pathogenesis.

Prof. Dr. Richard Calderone
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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