Antifungal Medications (Photo : Twitter/@BosterbioCo)
A new class of antifungals has been identified to treat more than 300 million people with fungal infection globally, research says.
Stone Brook University Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Professor Maurizio Del Poeta said that two compounds, BHBM and DO, can bring down the level of fungal glucosylceramide - a lipid that is responsible for replication of fungal cells. The new therapeutic agents may lay the foundation for the development of a new group of antifungals, according to Science Daily.
The compounds only target fungal glucosylceramide and leave mammalian glucosylceramide unharmed, according to Del Poeta. Both are produced by different enzymes and this knowledge implies that they have different generation pathways as well.
Del Poeta also said that along with the rise of fungal infection as considerable root of illness and deaths internationally, the present antifungal drugs in the market have their own drawbacks and are far from optimally eradicating the disease.
According to the professor, there are three groups of antifungal drugs that are accessible at present - azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins. They are the ones that are used by health care providers in treating patients that suffer from fungal infections.
Fungal infections usually affect individuals with underlying medical conditions that adversely affect the immune system. These conditions include Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Also, medications that suppress the immune system can also a contributing factor to fungal infections.
Serious fungal infections account to 1.3 million deaths per year globally, as per Outbreak News Today. These infections are generally caused by cyptococcosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, and pneumocytosis.
Warm and moist environment is favorable to fungal growth. Thus, prevention of fungal infection includes owning a set of personal hygiene items, using shampoo in bathing, avoiding touching animals with bald spots, and keeping the body clean and dry.
