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Fungal Infections: New Challenges and Opportunities, 3rd Edition
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Fungal Infections: New Challenges and Opportunities, 3rd Edition

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: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 2445

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Célia F. Rodrigues

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. 1H-TOXRUN—One Health Toxicology Research Unit, CESPU-IUCS, Gandra, Portugal
2. LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Interests: biofilms; candida resistance; fungal and bacterial infections; resistance to antimicrobials; pathogens detection; alternative therapies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lucia Černáková

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
Interests: biofilm; Candida; MRSA; virulence; resistance; farnesol; photodynamic inactivation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Invasive and superficial fungal infections result in a noteworthy global rate of morbidity and mortality. It is recognized that the pathogenicity of fungal species is closely related to the general host immunity state. Indeed, this occurs very commonly as a consequence of other health problems, such as cancer, HIV, denture wearing, tobacco smoking, chemo, and corticosteroid therapies. The quick identification and detection of the fungal species involved in infections is crucial to apply an effective treatment. Additionally, in recent decades, antifungal drug resistance has been growing fast. Taking into consideration the increasing number of fungal species and strains with elevated antifungal drug resistance, it is quite important to search for effective alternative therapies to the current antifungal agents (e.g., natural and synthetic compounds, photodynamic therapy).

This SI intents to present new data on fungal infections, fungal biofilms, novel treatments, and innovative and quick methods (e.g., microfluidic devices, molecular techniques) to identify fungal pathogens. Original articles, case studies, and reviews are welcome.

Dr. Célia F. Rodrigues
Dr. Lucia Černáková
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.

Keywords

  • fungi
  • infection
  • antifungal resistance
  • Candida spp.
  • Aspergillus spp.
  • co-infection
  • detection method
  • identification
  • alternative treatment
  • virulence

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Review

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24 pages, 2826 KiB  
Review
Aspergillus fumigatus in the Food Production Chain and Azole Resistance: A Growing Concern for Consumers
by Katherin Castro-Ríos, Maria Clara Shiroma Buri, Arla Daniela Ramalho da Cruz and Paulo Cezar Ceresini
J. Fungi 2025, 11(4), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11040252 - 26 Mar 2025
Viewed by 433
Abstract
Aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused by the inhalation of Aspergillus spores, with Aspergillus fumigatus being the primary causative agent. This thermotolerant fungus affects both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, posing a significant public health concern. In recent years, the detection of A. fumigatus [...] Read more.
Aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused by the inhalation of Aspergillus spores, with Aspergillus fumigatus being the primary causative agent. This thermotolerant fungus affects both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals, posing a significant public health concern. In recent years, the detection of A. fumigatus in food products and production environments has raised questions about its potential role as an additional route of exposure. Furthermore, the emergence of azole-resistant strains in agricultural settings highlights the need to better understand its transmission dynamics and implications for food safety. This review explores the occurrence of A. fumigatus in crops and food products, its possible routes of contamination, and the potential link between environmental exposure to azole fungicides and resistance development. Additionally, it identifies knowledge gaps and proposes future research directions to improve risk assessment and mitigation strategies within the food production chain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Infections: New Challenges and Opportunities, 3rd Edition)
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20 pages, 740 KiB  
Review
Evolving Epidemiology, Improving Diagnostic Tests and Their Importance for the Correct Diagnosis of Histoplasmosis
by Thomas E. Schmidt, Tarsila Vieceli, Lisandra Serra Damasceno, Sarah Kimuda, Alessandro C. Pasqualotto and Nathan C. Bahr
J. Fungi 2025, 11(3), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11030196 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1047
Abstract
Histoplasmosis has traditionally been described as having discrete geographic areas of endemicity. Over the last few decades, it has become more and more clear that these areas are not accurate depictions of where histoplasmosis can occur. Our understanding of where histoplasmosis occurs has [...] Read more.
Histoplasmosis has traditionally been described as having discrete geographic areas of endemicity. Over the last few decades, it has become more and more clear that these areas are not accurate depictions of where histoplasmosis can occur. Our understanding of where histoplasmosis occurs has improved in recent years due to improving access to diagnostic testing and increased reporting as well as larger at-risk populations (HIV and non-HIV immune suppression) resulting in more cases. Although areas of relatively higher risk and case numbers certainly still exist, histoplasmosis has been observed in much of the world at this point. Our knowledge of the geographic distribution of histoplasmosis, though improving, remains incomplete. While diagnostic testing has traditionally been confined to visualization and/or culture in much of the world, antigen testing has emerged as an excellent tool. Unfortunately access to antigen testing has been inadequate for much of the world, but this has started to change in recent years and will likely change more dramatically in the near future, assuming ongoing positive developments in the area of lateral flow tests for antigen testing. In this review, we describe the current understanding of the geographic distribution of histoplasmosis, the current landscape of diagnostic testing, and the evolution of both areas with an eye towards the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Infections: New Challenges and Opportunities, 3rd Edition)
23 pages, 698 KiB  
Review
Fungal-Induced Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis: A Literature Review in Non-HIV Populations
by Chia-Yu Chiu, Rachel S. Hicklen and Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis
J. Fungi 2025, 11(2), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11020158 - 18 Feb 2025
Viewed by 644
Abstract
We performed a thorough search of the literature published through December 2024 with no date exclusions on invasive fungal infection (IFI)-induced hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. The frequency of IFI-induced HLH reported across 16 articles was 9%. Of the [...] Read more.
We performed a thorough search of the literature published through December 2024 with no date exclusions on invasive fungal infection (IFI)-induced hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. The frequency of IFI-induced HLH reported across 16 articles was 9%. Of the 116 identified cases with available clinical information, 53% occurred in immunocompromised patients. IFIs were usually disseminated (76%), with Histoplasma capsulatum being the most common pathogen (51%). IFI and HLH were diagnosed simultaneously in most cases (78%). The 30-day survival rate was 64%. Reported cases had significant heterogeneity in patient characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Infections: New Challenges and Opportunities, 3rd Edition)
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Other

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11 pages, 619 KiB  
Systematic Review
Pneumocystis Infection in Pregnant Women: A Scoping Review
by Irene Calderón-Baturone, Rocío Salsoso, Elena Charpentier, Yaxsier de Armas, Pilar Guadix, Rubén Morilla, Enrique J. Calderón and Vicente Friaza
J. Fungi 2025, 11(4), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11040327 - 20 Apr 2025
Viewed by 150
Abstract
Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic fungus that causes severe pneumonia in immunosuppressed individuals. While Pneumocystis colonization, a subclinical form of infection, has been studied in different populations, its implications during pregnancy remain poorly understood. Given the immune modulation of pregnancy, maternal colonization or [...] Read more.
Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic fungus that causes severe pneumonia in immunosuppressed individuals. While Pneumocystis colonization, a subclinical form of infection, has been studied in different populations, its implications during pregnancy remain poorly understood. Given the immune modulation of pregnancy, maternal colonization or infection may contribute to vertical transmission and neonatal respiratory complications. This scoping review aims to map the existing evidence on Pneumocystis colonization/infection during pregnancy, identifying knowledge gaps, prevalence, risk factors, and potential neonatal outcomes. A systematic literature search was conducted in three databases following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A total of 26 studies were included, covering Pneumocystis pneumonia cases (n = 19) and Pneumocystis colonization (n = 7). The review found that most Pneumocystis pneumonia cases in pregnant women were associated with HIV before antiretroviral therapy. More recent cases were related to hematologic malignancies. Pneumocystis colonization rates varied widely (5.4–46.5%). Evidence of vertical transmission was observed, but neonatal impact remains underexplored. This review highlights the need for HIV screening in pregnant women and the need to include Pneumocystis in the diagnosis of pregnant women with pneumonia. Increased awareness and research on Pneumocystis in pregnancy are necessary to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. Future studies should focus on vertical transmission and neonatal respiratory health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Infections: New Challenges and Opportunities, 3rd Edition)
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