The emergence of invasive fungal diseases among humans

In contrast to viral diseases such as AIDS, bacterial diseases such as tuberculosis, and parasitic diseases such as malaria, most humans do not fear fungal diseases. This lack of concern stems from the fact that invasive fungal diseases are very rare in normal individuals. The high resistance of humans and other mammals to invasive fungal diseases stands in contrast to the fact that fungal pathogens are currently ravaging numerous ecosystems, including dramatic amphibian, salamander and coral reef declines. Fungi are major pathogens of plants, insects, reptiles and amphibians but seldom kill mammalian hosts.

Diagnosis – research resources