Human Fungal Pathogens

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2015) | Viewed by 14291

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
Interests: antifungal drug development; human fungal pathogens (Candida, Cryptococcus, Aspergillus); plant fungal and bacterial pathogens (Fusarium and Streptomyces); biological control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues

About 1.2 billion people worldwide are estimated to suffer from fungal infections and these infections have significantly increased in recent years due to the emergence of immunocompromised patients, such as those with AIDS and cancer. Among them, Candida, Cryptococcus, Aspergillus, and Fusarium are frequently isolated and associated with high mortality if not appropriately treated. However, current antifungal drugs, such as azoles, polyenes, echinocandins, and flucytosine are not sufficient to combat fungal infections. New compounds and novel formulations/combinations of existing antifungal drugs are under development and can potentially reduce fungal infections. In order to develop novel antifungal drugs, studying the basic mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis is pivotal. Therefore, we would like to create a Special Issue on “Human Fungal Pathogens”, focusing on antifungal drug development and microbial pathogenesis. We invite you to submit a research or review article related to these fields of fungal pathogens, and we are looking forward to your key contributions.

Dr. Ying-Lien Chen
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Candida
  • Cryptococcus
  • Aspergillus
  • Fusarium
  • Antifungal drug development
  • Microbial pathogenesis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

2628 KiB  
Review
The Host’s Reply to Candida Biofilm
by Jeniel E. Nett
Pathogens 2016, 5(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens5010033 - 18 Mar 2016
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 7052
Abstract
Candida spp. are among the most common nosocomial fungal pathogens and are notorious for their propensity toward biofilm formation. When growing on a medical device or mucosal surface, these organisms reside as communities embedded in a protective matrix, resisting host defenses. The host [...] Read more.
Candida spp. are among the most common nosocomial fungal pathogens and are notorious for their propensity toward biofilm formation. When growing on a medical device or mucosal surface, these organisms reside as communities embedded in a protective matrix, resisting host defenses. The host responds to Candida biofilm by depositing a variety of proteins that become incorporated into the biofilm matrix. Compared to free-floating Candida, leukocytes are less effective against Candida within a biofilm. This review highlights recent advances describing the host’s response to Candida biofilms using ex vivo and in vivo models of mucosal and device-associated biofilm infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Fungal Pathogens)
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339 KiB  
Review
Calcineurin Orchestrates Hyphal Growth, Septation, Drug Resistance and Pathogenesis of Aspergillus fumigatus: Where Do We Go from Here?
by Praveen R Juvvadi and William J Steinbach
Pathogens 2015, 4(4), 883-893; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens4040883 - 16 Dec 2015
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6445
Abstract
Studies on fungal pathogens belonging to the ascomycota phylum are critical given the ubiquity and frequency with which these fungi cause infections in humans. Among these species, Aspergillus fumigatus causes invasive aspergillosis, a leading cause of death in immunocompromised patients. Fundamental to A. [...] Read more.
Studies on fungal pathogens belonging to the ascomycota phylum are critical given the ubiquity and frequency with which these fungi cause infections in humans. Among these species, Aspergillus fumigatus causes invasive aspergillosis, a leading cause of death in immunocompromised patients. Fundamental to A. fumigatus pathogenesis is hyphal growth. However, the precise mechanisms underlying hyphal growth and virulence are poorly understood. Over the past 10 years, our research towards the identification of molecular targets responsible for hyphal growth, drug resistance and virulence led to the elucidation of calcineurin as a key signaling molecule governing these processes. In this review, we summarize our salient findings on the significance of calcineurin for hyphal growth and septation in A. fumigatus and propose future perspectives on exploiting this pathway for designing new fungal-specific therapeutics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Fungal Pathogens)
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