Antifungal Susceptibility and Pathogenicity of Candida Species
Summary
Candida species represent a leading cause of fungal infections ranging from superficial mucosal disease to life-threatening invasive candidiasis. Their capacity to adapt to diverse host niches is underpinned by an array of virulence traits—adhesion, secretion of hydrolytic enzymes and biofilm formation—that facilitate tissue invasion and immune evasion. Rising antifungal resistance, notably among non-albicans species, challenges therapeutic success and underscores the need for ongoing surveillance of susceptibility profiles. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) guide choice of azoles, echinocandins and polyenes, yet interspecies variability and emerging cryptic species complicate interpretation. Advances in molecular diagnostics and genome-based analyses have elucidated resistance mechanisms—efflux pump overexpression, target enzyme mutations and cell-wall remodelling—while also mapping the virulence determinants that foster pathogenicity. A global perspective reveals shifts in epidemiology, with uncommon species steadily contributing to invasive disease, particularly in immunocompromised populations. Improving rapid identification and susceptibility testing remains a priority to inform targeted therapy and curb mortality attributable to candidal infections.
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Antifungal Susceptibility and Pathogenicity of Candida Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in antifungal susceptibility and pathogenicity of candida species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Antifungal susceptibility: The sensitivity or resistance of a fungal isolate to an antifungal agent, typically determined by measuring growth inhibition concentrations.
Pathogenicity: The ability of a microbial species to cause disease in a host, encompassing factors that promote colonisation, invasion and damage.
Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): The lowest concentration of an antifungal drug that prevents visible growth of a fungal organism in vitro.
Biofilm: A structured community of fungal cells embedded in an extracellular matrix that adheres to surfaces and confers increased drug resistance.
Next-generation sequencing (NGS): High-throughput DNA sequencing technologies that allow rapid identification of microbial species and resistance markers directly from clinical samples.
References
- Enhancing ascitic fungal infection diagnosis through next-generation sequencing: a pilot study in surgical ICU patients. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (2024).
- Global Epidemiology of Invasive Infections by Uncommon Candida Species: A Systematic Review. Journal of Fungi (2024).
- Overview on the Infections Related to Rare Candida Species. Pathogens (2022).
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