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Pathogens
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Emerging and Rare Fungal Pathogens in a Changing World
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Emerging and Rare Fungal Pathogens in a Changing World

A Special Issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2027 | Viewed by 5833

Editor

Dr. Elena De Carolis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio ed Ematologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: medical mycology; antifungal resistance; fungal typing; MALDI-TOF MS; FTIR; medical mycology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past two decades, the frequency and diversity of invasive fungal infections have risen markedly, reflecting profound changes in global health and patient demographics. The growing population of individuals with compromised immunity, including recipients of solid-organ or bone marrow transplants, patients undergoing major surgery, and those affected by AIDS, malignancies, or immunosuppressive therapies, has provided fertile ground for opportunistic fungal pathogens. An expanding spectrum of emerging and rare yeasts and molds is changing the landscape of fungal infections. Many of these organisms exhibit intrinsic resistance to standard antifungal therapies, complicating clinical management and emphasizing the need for accurate identification and tailored treatment and surveillance strategies. This Special Issue will explore the most innovative aspects of diagnostics, epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and therapeutics surrounding emerging or rare fungal pathogens.

In an era of increasing medical complexity and global environmental change, it is my honor to warmly invite colleagues in the scientific community to submit original articles, reviews, and clinical cases related to emerging or rare fungal infections in humans.

Dr. Elena De Carolis
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens 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 2400 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

  • emerging fungal pathogens
  • antifungal resistance
  • advances in fungal diagnosis

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1116 KB  
Article
Candida Bloodstream Infections in Critically Ill Patients: Changing Species Distribution and Mortality over a Decade in a Multidisciplinary Intensive Care Unit
by Maria Katsiari, Charikleia Nikolaou, Kalliopi Theodoridou, Eleftheria Palla, Athanasios Tsakris and Georgia Vrioni
Pathogens 2026, 15(7), 734; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15070734 - 13 Jul 2026
Viewed by 603
Abstract
Introduction: Candidemia is the most significant invasive fungal disease in critically ill patients. As a shift towards non-albicans Candida (NAC) species has been observed in recent years, differentiation among Candida species is essential for appropriate therapeutic management and improved prognosis. This study [...] Read more.
Introduction: Candidemia is the most significant invasive fungal disease in critically ill patients. As a shift towards non-albicans Candida (NAC) species has been observed in recent years, differentiation among Candida species is essential for appropriate therapeutic management and improved prognosis. This study evaluated trends in the epidemiology of candidemia, species-specific characteristics, treatment practices, and mortality in a multidisciplinary Greek intensive care unit (ICU). Materials and Methods: In this single-center retrospective observational study, 90 ICU patients with candidemia were evaluated. Clinical characteristics, infection-related factors, treatment practices, and outcomes were compared according to isolated Candida species and patient survival. Results: C. parapsilosis accounted for the majority of isolates (33.7%; 41.9% fluconazole-resistant), followed by C. albicans (31.5%) and Candidozyma auris (23.9%). No significant differences in co-morbidities, origin of candidemia, or treatment-related factors were identified. However, NAC bloodstream infections occurred significantly later during ICU hospitalization, were associated with lower disease severity, and were preceded by nearly five-fold higher exposure to antifungal agents before candidemia onset. Overall, the ICU mortality rate was 53.3%. No significant differences were observed among species-specific mortality rates. Neither prompt initiation of antifungal therapy nor the antifungal class administered was associated with improved survival. Conclusions: NAC species predominated among candidemia episodes in critically ill patients, with C. parapsilosis emerging as the most frequent isolate and exhibiting substantial fluconazole resistance. Mortality remained high and did not differ significantly according to species. Treatment timing and antifungal class were not associated with outcome, highlighting the need for continued surveillance and optimized management strategies in the ICU. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Rare Fungal Pathogens in a Changing World)
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17 pages, 8725 KB  
Article
Unmasking Candida viswanathii in Panel-Negative Candidemia Through Integrated MALDI-TOF MS and FTIR Spectroscopy
by Elena De Carolis, Terenzio Cosio, Carlotta Magrì, Marialaura Del Mondo, Riccardo Torelli, Flora Marzia Liotti, Paola Bernaschi, Tiziana D’ Inzeo, Giovanni Vento and Maurizio Sanguinetti
Pathogens 2026, 15(7), 724; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15070724 - 9 Jul 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 716
Abstract
Background: Rare fungal infections may represent under-recognized causes of healthcare-associated sepsis, particularly when caused by emerging or difficult-to-identify pathogens. We aimed to characterize Candida viswanathii isolates recovered in the setting of panel-negative candidemia and to assess the contribution of an integrated diagnostic workflow. [...] Read more.
Background: Rare fungal infections may represent under-recognized causes of healthcare-associated sepsis, particularly when caused by emerging or difficult-to-identify pathogens. We aimed to characterize Candida viswanathii isolates recovered in the setting of panel-negative candidemia and to assess the contribution of an integrated diagnostic workflow. Methods: We investigated seven C. viswanathii isolates overall, including three recovered at our institution from blood, urine, and bronchoalveolar lavage of a NICU patient, as well as four bloodstream isolates from a second pediatric center included for comparison. Isolates were analyzed by culture and microscopy, three MALDI-TOF MS platforms, internal transcribed spacer sequencing, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and antifungal susceptibility testing. Results: C. viswanathii was repeatedly recovered from blood, urine and bronchoalveolar lavage, while the FilmArray BCID2 panel remained negative. All MALDI-TOF MS systems with updated databases correctly identified the yeast at the species level; identification was confirmed by sequencing. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed clustering of clinical isolates and clearly separated C. viswanathii from related Candida species. All isolates exhibited low MICs to echinocandins and amphotericin B as well as moderately elevated fluconazole MICs (2–4 mg/L). Conclusion: This study supports the use of explicit diagnostic algorithms for rare fungal pathogens in yeast-positive, syndromic panel-negative blood cultures. In this setting, updated MALDI-TOF MS libraries and FTIR spectroscopy may provide useful adjunctive support for the recognition and phenotypic discrimination of atypical yeasts within an integrated laboratory workflow. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Rare Fungal Pathogens in a Changing World)
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21 pages, 3398 KB  
Article
Genomic Analysis of Resistance to Exserohilum turcicum in Nigerien and Senegalese Sorghum Using GWAS and Machine Learning
by Louis K. Prom, Ezekiel J. S. Ahn, Adama R. Tukuli, Jacob R. Botkin, Sunchung Park, Lindsey C. Perkin and Clint W. Magill
Pathogens 2026, 15(4), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15040389 - 5 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1140
Abstract
Sorghum, an essential crop in Niger, ranks second to pearl millet in importance for food, feed, and commerce. However, its yields are hindered by various factors, including diseases such as leaf blight caused by Exserohilum turcicum. In this study, field phenotypes were [...] Read more.
Sorghum, an essential crop in Niger, ranks second to pearl millet in importance for food, feed, and commerce. However, its yields are hindered by various factors, including diseases such as leaf blight caused by Exserohilum turcicum. In this study, field phenotypes were analyzed on 102 accessions (including checks SC748-5 and BTx623) grown and evaluated at two locations in Niger for leaf blight incidence and severity. The panel included accessions originally collected from Niger and Senegal. Genotypes were generated for 120 accessions, and GWAS/ML analyses were performed on 102 accessions due to missing phenotypic data. Among the accessions, S39, N23, and N38 exhibited mean leaf blight incidence below 50%, while S3, S43, N23, and N38 displayed the lowest severity levels, with a mean severity in Niger of 24.5 ± 0.64. Accession N23 showed relatively low incidence and severity levels across the Niger field evaluations. Using genome-wide association studies and machine learning, candidate SNPs associated with leaf blight phenotypes were identified. Genes near these SNPs were associated with functions related to plant defense mechanisms and stress responses, providing preliminary targets for future validation in sorghum leaf blight studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Rare Fungal Pathogens in a Changing World)
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20 pages, 2189 KB  
Article
HTD1265 Disrupts GimC-Dependent Cellular Processes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
by Kaori Itto-Nakama, Naoya Hosoyamada, Shinsuke Ohnuki, Fumiyuki Shirai, Minagi Mukaiyama, Hiroyuki Hirano, Hiroyuki Osada, Charles Boone, Takeo Usui, Yoko Yashiroda and Yoshikazu Ohya
Pathogens 2026, 15(2), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15020185 - 7 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1312
Abstract
HTD1265 is a newly identified antifungal compound that displays potent activity against Candida krusei, a clinically challenging non-albicans species. To elucidate its mechanism of action, we applied an integrative phenotypic approach combining high-resolution morphological profiling, pathway inference, and genetic validation in [...] Read more.
HTD1265 is a newly identified antifungal compound that displays potent activity against Candida krusei, a clinically challenging non-albicans species. To elucidate its mechanism of action, we applied an integrative phenotypic approach combining high-resolution morphological profiling, pathway inference, and genetic validation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Morphological signature extraction revealed a characteristic defect in nuclear positioning upon HTD1265 treatment. Integration of nuclear positioning traits with global morphological similarity highlighted 36 genes enriched for the Gene Ontology term “tubulin complex assembly.” Consistent with this prediction, HTD1265 impaired mitotic spindle elongation without directly inhibiting tubulin polymerization. HTD1265 further induced hallmarks of GimC (prefoldin) deficiency, including aberrant chitin accumulation, actin disorganization, and nuclear mispositioning, and caused hypersensitivity in GimC subunit mutants. These converging observations suggest that HTD1265 exerts antifungal activity by disrupting GimC-dependent cellular processes rather than by directly targeting tubulin. Our findings highlight GimC-dependent cytoskeletal and cell wall regulatory processes as a critical vulnerability for fungal growth and position HTD1265 as a functional tool for dissecting this pathway. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Rare Fungal Pathogens in a Changing World)
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23 pages, 2065 KB  
Article
Seasonal Turnover in Bat Skin Mycobiota: Contrasting Fungal Communities Between Hibernation and Reproduction in Greater Mouse-Eared Bats (Myotis myotis)
by Rafał Ogórek, Jakub Suchodolski, Justyna Borzęcka and Tomasz Kokurewicz
Pathogens 2026, 15(1), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15010083 - 12 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1360
Abstract
The skin of bats hosts diverse microbial communities, yet most research has focused on bacteria or single fungal pathogens such as Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Here, we present the first direct comparison of culturable skin mycobiota in the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis [...] Read more.
The skin of bats hosts diverse microbial communities, yet most research has focused on bacteria or single fungal pathogens such as Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Here, we present the first direct comparison of culturable skin mycobiota in the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) between hibernation and the reproductive season. Swabs collected from hibernating bats in the Nietoperek reserve and from maternity colonies in Lipy yielded 41 fungal species, including 27 that represent new records for M. myotis. Winter assemblages were less diverse but strongly dominated by Penicillium (>90% of isolates), while summer maternity roosts supported broader communities shaped by environmental exposure and plant-associated fungi. Despite seasonal turnover, a small set of taxa, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor fragilis, and Pseudogymnoascus pannorum, persisted across both seasons, indicating the presence of a limited core mycobiota. Richness was higher on wing membranes than on tail membranes, whereas biometric variables such as sex, age, body mass, and forearm length showed only weak and inconsistent associations with fungal diversity. These findings demonstrate that seasonal filtering is likely one of the main factors determining the skin mycobiota in M. myotis. Additionally, we expand the known fungal diversity of this species, and emphasize its role as a reservoir of environmental, opportunistic, and pathogenic fungi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Rare Fungal Pathogens in a Changing World)
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