Fungal infections are a growing public health concern, and an increasingly important cause of human mortality, with
Candida species being amongst the most frequently encountered of these opportunistic fungal pathogens. Several
Candida species are polymorphic, and able to transition between distinct morphological states,
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Fungal infections are a growing public health concern, and an increasingly important cause of human mortality, with
Candida species being amongst the most frequently encountered of these opportunistic fungal pathogens. Several
Candida species are polymorphic, and able to transition between distinct morphological states, including yeast, hyphal, and pseudohyphal forms. While not all
Candida pathogens are polymorphic, the ability to undergo morphogenesis is linked with the virulence of many of these pathogens. There are also many connections between
Candida morphogenesis and antifungal drug treatment and susceptibility. Here, we review how
Candida morphogenesis—a key virulence trait—is linked with antifungal drugs and antifungal drug resistance. We highlight how antifungal therapeutics are able to modulate morphogenesis in both sensitive and drug-resistant
Candida strains, the shared signaling pathways that mediate both morphogenesis and the cellular response to antifungal drugs and drug resistance, and the connection between
Candida morphology, drug resistance, and biofilm growth. We further review the development of anti-virulence drugs, and targeting
Candida morphogenesis as a novel therapeutic strategy to target fungal pathogens. Together, this review highlights important connections between fungal morphogenesis, virulence, and susceptibility to antifungals.
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