With an increasing number of immunocompromised people with underlying diseases and treatments for other diseases like transplantation and cancer, fungal infections (mycosis), and diseases caused by fungus (yeast or mold) are increasing. Fungal infections are most common on our skin or nails and are easy to treat. However, some fungi can also cause deep infections in the mouth, and throat, or life-threatening systemic infections in the lungs, urinary tract, and many other body parts, mostly among immunocompromised individuals. Moreover, the rise of multidrug-resistant fungal infections, mostly in hospital settings infecting patients via breathing machines or catheters, is highly troubling.
Because of the increasing numbers of patients with such infections and the development of anti-infective resistance to these agents, without the current availability of many antifungal agents, the world desperately needs new antifungals to combat these infections.
Although little attention has been given from governments and industry alike, some scientists are taking unique approaches to the quest for new antifungals. Many novel approaches like antifungals from soil to animals, antifungals from under the sea, insect-derived antifungals, antifungals from animal gut microbiota, etc., are currently in the limelight with huge hopes for novel antifungal agents in the near future.
