Global Challenges in Fungal Diseases: Pathogenesis, Host Interactions, and Novel Antifungal Approaches
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 468
Special Issue Editor
2. Medicine Faculty, University of Lille, 59000 Lille, France
3. Service de Parasitologie Mycologie, Pôle de Biologie Pathologie Génétique, CHU Lille, 59000 Lille, France
Interests: Candida albicans; yeasts; pathogens; toll-like receptors; fungal infection; antimicrobials; medical mycology; inflammation; intestinal diseases; fungal biology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Over the past decades, the incidence of human fungal infections has risen markedly, emerging as a major global health concern. A wide range of nosocomial fungal pathogens, including various yeasts and filamentous fungi, are responsible for invasive mycoses. These infections are often associated with severe clinical outcomes, including high morbidity and mortality, due to challenges in timely diagnosis, limited therapeutic options, and the increasing emergence of antifungal resistance.
The widespread use of broad-spectrum antibacterial agents, immunosuppressive therapies, and invasive medical procedures has further increased patient susceptibility to fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised populations. In this context, Candida albicans represents a paradigmatic fungal pathogen, owing to its remarkable capacity to adapt to diverse host niches, form biofilms, evade immune defenses, and develop resistance to antifungal drugs.
The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an updated and comprehensive overview of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying fungal pathogenesis, with particular emphasis on Candida albicans as well as other clinically relevant fungal pathogens such as Aspergillus spp., Mucorales and Fusarium spp., and emerging multidrug-resistant molds. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, fungal virulence factors, host–pathogen interactions, immune modulation and inflammatory responses, fungal cell wall biology, mechanisms of antifungal resistance, and the development of novel antifungal strategies and therapeutics. The emergence of new multidrug-resistant fungal pathogens will also be a central focus of this issue.
We warmly encourage the submission of high-quality original research articles and review papers that advance our understanding of fungal infections and contribute to improved diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic approaches.
Dr. Samir Jawhara
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- Candida species
- Aspergillus spp.
- Mucorales
- Fusarium spp.
- multidrug-resistant fungi
- immune response
- opportunistic mycoses
- host–pathogen interactions fungal cell wall glycans anti-fungal drugs
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