Clinical Challenges of Emerging and Re-Emerging Yeast Infections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Corrêa-Junior, Dario; Andrade, Iara Bastos de; Alves, Vinícius; Araújo, Glaucy Rodrigues de; Frasés, Susana

doi:10.3390/microorganisms10112223

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 132 publications

(153 reference statements)

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“…Fungal infections pose a risk for critically ill patients in healthcare facilities. Patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 are at risk of healthcare-associated infections, including candidemia, and various fungal infections in COVID-19 patients have been reported worldwide [ 5 , 6 ]. In particular, aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, and zygomycosis (mucormycosis) are overall the most common systemic mycoses.…”

Section: Fungal Infectionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antifungal Drug Resistance: An Emergent Health Threat

Vitiello

Ferrara²,

Boccellino

et al. 2023

Biomedicines

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Fungal infections, named mycosis, can cause severe invasive and systemic diseases that can even lead to death. In recent years, epidemiological data have recorded an increase in cases of severe fungal infections, caused mainly by a growing number of immunocompromised patients and the emergence of fungal pathogenic forms that are increasingly resistant to antimycotic drug treatments. Consequently, an increase in the incidence of mortality due to fungal infections has also been observed. Among the most drug-resistant fungal forms are those belonging to the Candida and Aspergillus spp. Some pathogens are widespread globally, while others are endemic in some areas only. In addition, some others may represent a health threat for some specific subpopulations and not for the general public. In contrast to the extensive therapeutic armamentarium available for the antimicrobial chemotherapeutic treatment of bacteria, for fungal infections there are only a few classes of antimycotic drugs on the market, such as polyenes, azoles, echinocandins, and a few molecules are under trial. In this review, we focused on the systemic mycosis, highlighted the antifungal drug compounds available in the pipeline, and analyzed the main molecular mechanisms for the development of antifungal resistance to give a comprehensive overview and increase awareness on this growing health threat.

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Section: Fungal Infectionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antifungal Drug Resistance: An Emergent Health Threat

Vitiello

Ferrara²,

Boccellino

et al. 2023

Biomedicines

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“…Hematogenous dissemination of C. albicans can occur in immunosuppressed patients, especially in cases of neutropenia and those with critical clinical conditions [ 23 ]. In these patients, the source of contamination or persistence of infection may be associated with the formation of biofilms on medical devices, especially catheters, whose colonization can occur endogenously or exogenously from the hospital environment [ 24 , 25 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Candida albicans and Antifungal Peptides

Freitas,

Felipe

2023

Infect Dis Ther

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Candida albicans , a ubiquitous opportunistic fungal pathogen, plays a pivotal role in human health and disease. As a commensal organism, it normally resides harmlessly within the human microbiota. However, under certain conditions, C. albicans can transition into a pathogenic state, leading to various infections collectively known as candidiasis. With the increasing prevalence of immunocompromised individuals and the widespread use of invasive medical procedures, candidiasis has become a significant public health concern. The emergence of drug-resistant strains further complicates treatment options, highlighting the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. Antifungal peptides (AFPs) have gained considerable attention as potential candidates for combating Candida spp. infections. These naturally occurring peptides possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, including specific efficacy against C. albicans . AFPs exhibit several advantageous properties, such as rapid killing kinetics, low propensity for resistance development, and diverse mechanisms of action, making them promising alternatives to conventional antifungal agents. In recent years, extensive research has focused on discovering and developing novel AFPs with improved efficacy and selectivity against Candida species. Advances in biotechnology and synthetic peptide design have enabled the modification and optimization of natural peptides, enhancing their stability, bioavailability, and therapeutic potential. Nevertheless, several challenges must be addressed before AFPs can be widely implemented in clinical practice. These include optimizing peptide stability, enhancing delivery methods, overcoming potential toxicity concerns, and conducting comprehensive preclinical and clinical studies. This commentary presents a short overview of candidemia and AFP; articles and reviews published in the last 10 years were searched on The National Library of Medicine (National Center for Biotechnology Information–NIH–PubMed). The terms used were C. albicans infections, antimicrobial peptides, antifungal peptides, antifungal peptides mechanisms of action, candidemia treatments and guidelines, synthetic peptides and their challenges, and antimicrobial peptides in clinical trials as the main ones. Older publications were cited if they brought some relevant concept or helped to bring a perspective into our narrative. Articles older than 20 years and those that appeared in PubMed but did not match our goal to bring updated information about using antifungal peptides as an alternative to C. albicans infections were not considered.

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Clinical Challenges of Emerging and Re-Emerging Yeast Infections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cited by 2 publications

References 132 publications

Antifungal Drug Resistance: An Emergent Health Threat

Antifungal Drug Resistance: An Emergent Health Threat

Candida albicans and Antifungal Peptides

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