Invasive Fungal Disease: Advances and Challenges in Diagnosis and Management from a Global Perspective

Dear Colleagues,

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in immunocompromised patients such as transplant recipients and those with hematologic malignancies, critical illness, or advanced HIV infection. Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., and Mucorales account for most cases. Although international guidelines have advanced diagnostic and treatment recommendations, their application in clinical practice remains particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially across Latin America. These regions often face persistent limitations: underdeveloped surveillance systems, restricted access to non-culture-based diagnostics, inconsistent availability of essential antifungals, and limited intensive care capacity. Such barriers lead to delayed diagnoses, suboptimal treatments, increased mortality, and rising antifungal resistance. This Special Issue aims to compile original research, reviews, clinical guidelines, expert consensus statements, and implementation studies focused on opportunistic fungal infections. Priority will be given to contributions that describe the burden and epidemiology of IFD in resource-limited settings, validate context-adapted diagnostic algorithms, and explore strategies to optimize antifungal use, strengthen multidisciplinary care models, and advance policy interventions that promote equitable access to effective fungal disease management.

Dr. Pilar Rivas-Pinedo
Dr. José Millán-Oñate
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• invasive fungal disease
• Candidiasis
• Aspergillosis
• Mucormycosis
• fungal diagnostics
• antifungal stewardship
• Latin America
• low- and middle-income countries