Fungal Pathogens

Fungi cause infections of humans, animals, insects, and plants. These pathogens have a significant impact on global human health and threaten our food supplies by causing widespread infections of plants and animals. In the last half century, the threat of fungal pathogens has become more acute. Rising numbers of immunocompromised patients (a result of viral pandemics and modern medical interventions) have resulted in a significant increase in the number of invasive fungal infections in humans, which are associated with limited diagnostics and therapeutic options as well as long-term morbidity and mortality. Greater global movement and climate change have contributed to the spread of fungal pathogens, although our understanding of how fungal infections are influenced by these global events is still poorly understood. Since fungal infections impact all kingdoms of life and shape the world around us, it is important to better understand the epidemiology of and immune responses to such infections. 

The “Fungal Pathogens” Section welcomes submissions on all aspects of fungal infection, including original research articles, opinions, and reviews. We are particularly interested in research on host defence to fungal infection (where the ‘host’ is a plant, animal, human or insect), as well as articles on policy for and education of fungal diseases.

• medical mycology
• host defence
• plant immunology
• insect immunology
• innate immunity
• fungal genetics
• fungal metabolism
• epidemiology
• biodiversity