Impact of the host microbiota on fungal infections: New possibilities for intervention?

Many human fungal pathogens are opportunistic. They are primarily benign residents of the human body and only become infectious when the host's immunity and microbiome are compromised. Bacteria dom-inate the human microbiome, playing an essential role in keeping fungi harmless and acting as the first line of defense against fungal infection. The Human Microbiome Project, launched by NIH in 2007, has stimulated extensive investigation and significantly advanced our understanding of the molecular mech-anisms governing the interaction between bacteria and fungi, providing valuable insights for developing future antifungal strategies by exploiting the interaction. This review summarizes recent progress in this field and discusses new possibilities and challenges. We must seize the opportunities presented by researching bacterial-fungal interplay in the human microbiome to address the global spread of drug -resistant fungal pathogens and the drying pipelines of effective antifungal drugs. CO 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Many human fungal pathogens are opportunistic, becoming infectious when the host's immunity and microbiome are compromised. Bacteria in the human microbiome play a crucial role in keeping fungi harmless and defending against fungal infection. The Human Microbiome Project has significantly advanced our understanding of the interaction between bacteria and fungi, providing insights for developing antifungal strategies.