Paracoccidioides and Paracoccidioidomycosis

Dear Colleagues,

Fungal infections are neglected from a social and political point of view. Despite advances in several public health areas, many pathogens remain important because of their pathogenicity, representing an important source of infection for humans and animals. Systemic mycoses have emerged worldwide as an increasingly important problem, and the ability of fungi to form biofilms is associated with increased drug tolerance. The genus Paracoccidioides comprises the etiological agents of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), the most relevant neglected endemic systemic mycoses with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations that affects Latin American countries and, more recently, in areas previously considered “non-endemic”. The incidence of this disease may be altered by climate phenomena and mainly by human migration and the occupation of poorly explored territories. Paracoccidioides have recently been reclassified into five species based on phylogenetics and phenotypic differences between isolates from different regions. Given recent developments in this field, the purpose of this Special Issue is to highlight aspects related to the ecoepidemiology, the cell wall composition of these different species, as well as molecular approaches related to studying the dimorphism and virulence factors in addition to new diagnostic and treatment approaches that are currently utilized or under development. Comprehensive reviews, original studies, and novel perspectives are all welcome.

Prof. Dr. Maria José Soares Mendes Giannini
Dr. Ana Marisa Fusco Almeida
Prof. Dr. Gil Benard
Guest Editor

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