New Approaches to the Treatment and Prevention of Fungal Infections

Dear Colleagues,

Fungal infections represent one of the most pressing yet understudied global health challenges of our time, causing approximately 3.8 million deaths annually, with immunocompromised populations particularly at risk. Despite this staggering mortality rate, which rivals those of tuberculosis and HIV, fungal diseases remain largely overlooked in public health discourse and research funding. There is a “critical lack” of medicines and diagnostic tools for invasive fungal diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which released its first analysis of antifungals on Tuesday. Common infections such as candida (which causes oral and vaginal thrush) are growing increasingly resistant to treatment, but there are not enough medicines in the pipeline to combat this. The emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens such as Candida auris and azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus strains poses an immediate threat to global health security. The antifungal drug pipeline has remained remarkably stagnant for three decades, primarily due to the significant challenges inherent in developing safe and effective antifungal agents. Current antifungal drugs primarily target the fungal cell membrane, DNA synthesis, or cell wall, limiting treatment efficacy and promoting resistance. This narrow targeting approach has several critical limitations, such as resistance to antifungals or limited diagnostic capabilities. We are launching this Special Issue at a critical time: the limitations of our current antifungal arsenal have become increasingly apparent, and promising new therapeutic paradigms are beginning to show potential.

We welcome the submission of reviews and research articles that explore these topics and other significant issues related to fungal infections. 

Dr. Célia Fortuna Rodrigues
Guest Editor

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