Antifungal Resistance: An Emerging Reality and A Global Challenge

Fungi are important causes of disease among organisms in the plant and animal kingdoms, including humans [1]. Because the use of antifungals is widespread in both agriculture and modern medicine, the prevalence of resistant fungal infections has been on the rise. The problem of growing antifungal resistance is exacerbated by a paucity of new antifungal agents in development that have unique mechanisms of action [2]. Given the increasing number of patients with chronic immunosuppressing conditions who require antifungal therapy as part of their supportive care, there is growing concern that we may be approaching not only the postantibiotic era but also the postantifungal era [3]. The emergence of fungal infections with innate or acquired resistance to modern antifungals is the focus of this Journal of Infectious Diseases supplement. In a series of 7 articles authored by notable experts in this field [4-10], we visit different aspects of this complex area. I would like to highlight some of what I find to be intriguing questions in this dynamic field.