Drug-Resistance Patterns in Opportunistic Aspergilli: A Molecular Perspective

Mycosis, invasive aspergillosis, caused by pathogenic and opportunistic fungi is of medical concern. In modern times, the primary factor contributing to the lack of success in medical treatments is the widespread presence of isolates that exhibit resistance to existing drugs on a global scale. As per literature, Aspergillus infections are widespread, so the drug-resistance mechanism must be carefully considered. Antifungal resistance is a major health issue, especially for immunocompromised people. The resistance mechanism of major Aspergillus species has been explored at a molecular level and correlated with the cellular level. Furthermore, several studies have been conducted on the role of biofilm formation and its contribution to the mechanism of drug resistance. The functional significance of genes (FKs1, CYP51, ERG11, ERG5, ERG6, ERG25, SSC70, GANA, TFT1, and ERFD), proteins (HSP, ABC Transporters, RAS, RAM, NADH, PtaB, and superoxide dismutase), transcriptional factors (CRZ1, SrbA, SomA, PtaB, Spt20, and UPC2), and others factors (ECM and reactive oxygen species) from environmental and clinical isolates of Aspergilli, concerning to antifungal drug interactions, have been documented. This chapter discusses the resistance pattern, potent antifungal compounds, and potential vaccine candidates to address the global health issue related to Aspergilli.