Factors Affecting Drug Resistance and Virulence in Fungal Pathogen

The rising incidence of fungal infection has increased morbidity, as well as mortality rate in the population, especially in individuals with impaired immune systems and those admitted to hospitals for extended periods (nosocomial infections). Fungi can result in infections both on the skin, or fatal invasive infections. The overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics has made matters more complex and has resulted in the emergence of drug resistance among species. Besides being a eukaryotic pathogen, numerous fitness traits and virulence characteristics, such as mutation and overexpression of efflux pumps, various enzyme activities, dimorphism, and biofilm formation contribute to challenges related to the treatment of fungal infections. This chapter addresses the various fungal traits contributing to the pathogenicity and virulence of different species, including Candida and Aspergillus.