Innovative and potential treatments for fungal central nervous system infections

Curr Opin Microbiol. 2023 Oct 25;76:102397. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102397. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTFungal infections of the central nervous system (FI-CNS) are a problematic and important medical challenge considering that those most affected are immunocompromised. Individuals with systemic cryptococcosis (67-84%), candidiasis (3-64%), blastomycosis (40%), coccidioidomycosis (25%), histoplasmosis (5-20%), mucormycosis (12%), and aspergillosis (4-6%) are highly susceptible to develop CNS involvement, which often results in high mortality (15-100%) depending on the mycosis and the affected immunosuppressed population. Current antifungal drugs are limited, prone to resistance, present host toxicity, and show reduced brain penetration, making FI-CNS very difficult to treat. Given these limitations and the rise in FI-CNS, there is a need for innovative strategies for therapeutic development and treatments to manage FI-CNS in at-risk populations. Here, we discuss standards of care, antifungal drug candidates, and novel molecular targets in the blood-brain barrier, which is a protective structure that regulates movement of particles in and out of the brain, to prevent and combat FI-CNS.PMID:37898052 | DOI:10.1016/j.mib.2023.102397
Source: Current Opinion in Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Source Type: research