Understanding Human Microbiota Offers Novel and Promising Therapeutic Options against Candida Infections

Abstract

Human fungal pathogens particularly of Candida species are one of the major causes of hospital acquired infections in immunocompromised patients. The limited arsenal of antifungal drugs to treat Candida infections with concomitant evolution of multidrug resistant strains further complicates the management of these infections. Therefore, deployment of novel strategies to surmount the Candida infections requires immediate attention. The human body is a dynamic ecosystem having microbiota usually involving symbionts that benefit from the host, but in turn may act as commensal organisms or affect positively (mutualism) or negatively (pathogenic) the physiology and nourishment of the host. The composition of human microbiota has garnered a lot of recent attention, and despite the common occurrence of Candida spp. within the microbiota, there is still an incomplete picture of relationships between Candida spp. and other microorganism, as well as how such associations are governed. These relationships could be important to have a more holistic understanding of the human microbiota and its connection to Candida infections. Understanding the mechanisms behind commensalism and pathogenesis is vital for the development of efficient therapeutic strategies for these Candida infections. The concept of host-microbiota crosstalk plays critical roles in human health and microbiota dysbiosis and is responsible for various pathologies. Through this review, we attempted to analyze the types of human microbiota and provide an update on the current understanding in the context of health and Candida infections. The information in this article will help as a resource for development of targeted microbial therapies such as pre-/pro-biotics and microbiota transplant that has gained advantage in recent times over antibiotics and established as novel therapeutic strategy.

Role of Vaginal Mucosa, Host Immunity and Microbiota in Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

“…This method involves the administration of microbiota from a healthy individual to the vagina of VVC patients as replacement therapy, restoring the imbalance microbiota community [120]. The continuous study of VMT is largely influenced by the success of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating gastrointestinal diseases [121]. The effectiveness of FMT has been established through several clinical trials, including treatment for irritable bowel syndrome and Clostridioides difficile infection (previously known as Clostridium difficile infection) that show significant alleviation of symptoms, with fewer adverse side effects and an improvement of life quality among patients [122,123].…”

Atividade antifúngica de óleos essenciais frente a cepa de Candida albicans

“…Grande parte das espécies de Candida são saprófitas e fazem parte da microbiota normal humana (Hameed et al, 2021).…”

Diagnosis and Treatment of Invasive Candidiasis

“…Candida species are yeasts and members of the commensal microbial community in humans [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. They are present on skin and mucous membranes of the oral cavity and gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. These fungi cause superficial or invasive infections in individuals with impaired immunity [ 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”