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Recent innovations and challenges in the treatment of fungal infections

Summary

Fungal infections are becoming more common and dangerous, especially for people with weakened immune systems, and many fungi are developing resistance to current medications. Doctors and researchers are developing new treatment strategies, including combining multiple drugs together and using advanced technologies to deliver medicines more effectively to infected areas. Natural compounds from plants and new biotechnology tools like genetic engineering and nanoparticles show promising results for fighting drug-resistant fungal infections.

Background

Fungal infections have increased significantly, particularly among immunocompromised individuals, with WHO designating ‘super fungi’ like Candida auris as global public health threats. Traditional antifungal agents (azoles, polyenes, echinocandins) face challenges from drug resistance, limited selectivity, and high toxicity. Current research is shifting toward combination therapies and biotechnology-driven approaches.

Objective

This review summarizes recent advances in antifungal treatment and outlines directions for future drug development and new therapeutic strategies to address the growing burden of fungal infections and emerging drug resistance.

Results

The review identifies multiple emerging antifungal targets including calcineurin, Hsp90, mitochondrial pathways, and biofilms. Combination therapies show synergistic effects (e.g., amphotericin B with flucytosine for cryptococcal meningitis). Biotechnology approaches including CRISPR-Cas9, nanotechnology-based delivery systems, and antifungal peptides demonstrate promising potential for overcoming resistance.

Conclusion

While traditional antifungals remain important, novel strategies including multi-mechanism combination therapies and biotechnology-driven approaches offer significant potential to address antifungal resistance and improve treatment outcomes. Continued research into new targets, rapid diagnostics, and integration of multidisciplinary approaches are essential to combat invasive fungal infections.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 41104137
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