Journal of Fungi

Bacterial synthetic microbial communities (SynCom) have exhibited significant effects for enhancing plant growth and delivering ecological benefits. However, persistent challenges, including structural instability, limited environmental adaptability, and transient efficacy, remain critical barriers to their practical application. Herein, we propose Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) as the keystone component to optimize SynCom’s ecological fitness in sustainable agricultural systems. AMF modulate microbiome assembly through hyphal networks, enhancing community stability via facilitative interactions and augmenting nutrient cycling functionalities. This review systematically evaluates methodologies for AMF-based SynCom design and construction, investigates the dynamics of AMF-microbe interactions, delineates plant growth-promoting mechanisms, identifies candidate microbial taxa, and addresses implementation bottlenecks with corresponding strategies. We posit that AMF-Based SynComs represent a transformative management tool for ensuring global food security amid impending climatic perturbations and declining agricultural productivity.

An infectious insult to a child’s developing brain has the potential to result in life-long neurological and neurodevelopmental consequences. Adult survivors of cryptococcal meningitis (CM) can suffer from long-term neurological sequelae such as blindness and motor weakness, but little is known about outcomes in children. A PubMed and Ovid Global Health search identified all children <19 yrs of age with proven cryptococcal disease of the central nervous system until October 2024. A total of 868 children were included from 108 publications. In total, 555 (67%) were HIV positive, 67 (8%) non-HIV immunocompromised and 204 (25%) immunocompetent. The mortality rate was 24% (104/430). No child had a documented formal neurodevelopmental assessment after CM. Of those with a documented clinical outcome, 20% (36/184) had neurological sequelae, but this was higher in HIV-positive children (25%, 11/44). Visual impairment was most commonly observed (13%, 23/184) and remarkably higher in those with Cryptococcus gattii meningitis (32%, 10/31). Other sequelae included limb weakness (n = 8), learning difficulties (n = 7), hearing loss (n = 3) and recurrent seizures (n = 2). The burden of neurological sequelae is likely even more extensive than captured, with little data available from the populations most affected by CM. It is vital that neurodevelopmental assessment of children after CM is standard in all countries to support rehabilitation and the best functional outcomes.

Contemporary data on coccidioidomycosis death rates are sparse. Death certificate data for 2018–2023 from the US National Vital Statistics System were evaluated. Coccidioidomycosis deaths were identified using diagnosis codes B38.x listed anywhere on certificates. Deaths and age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs)/1,000,000 people, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were determined. We identified 1760 coccidioidomycosis-attributable deaths (AAMR = 0.75; 0.72–0.79). Most occurred in 55–74-year-olds (43.9%; corresponding AAMR = 1.72; 1.59–1.84). Males had a 2.69-fold increased AAMR versus females and American Indian or Alaska Native individuals had a 4.28-fold increased rate versus White individuals. Hispanics had a higher AAMR than the overall population (AAMR = 1.92; 1.76–2.08). AAMRs increased from 0.52 in 2019 to 0.79–0.94 in later years. Most (89.7%) death certificates were from endemic states, with Arizona having the highest AAMR. Seven hundred and thirteen certificates (40.5%) listed coccidioidomycosis as the primary cause of death, with 43.8% coded for pulmonary, 34.9% coded for disseminated, and 21.3% coded for unspecified coccidioidomycosis. Diabetes, COVID-19, and human immunodeficiency virus were more frequent on certificates with coccidioidomycosis versus without (RR range = 1.47–17.20). Mortality remained closely tied to demographic and geographic factors identified in prior studies, with county-level mapping revealing high-burden areas for targeted intervention. Coccidioidomycosis-attributable AAMRs rose over time, possibly influenced by concurrent COVID-19 infection. Only 40% of death certificates listed it as the primary cause, indicating that most patients experience chronic infection rather than death directly from the disease. These findings suggest the need for heightened clinical awareness of coccidioidomycosis, along with earlier diagnosis and prompt initiation of antifungal treatment in these high-risk groups.