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Progress of polymer-based strategies in fungal disease management: Designed for different roles

Siyu Wu1, Wenlai Guo1, Bo Li2

  • 1Department of Hand Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
|April 10, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Polymer science offers innovative solutions for fungal disease management, addressing challenges in treatment, diagnosis, and prevention. These advanced polymer-based systems show promise for public and personal health, though clinical translation requires further research.

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Fungal diseases present significant global health challenges with limited therapeutic options compared to bacterial and viral infections.
  • Eukaryotic nature of fungi and slow proliferation rates hinder the development of effective treatments, diagnostics, and preventive measures like vaccines.
  • Existing antifungal strategies face limitations in drug delivery, sensitivity analysis, and broad-spectrum efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of current needs and recent advancements in polymer-based strategies for managing fungal diseases.
  • To highlight diverse polymer-based approaches for fungal disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring.
  • To discuss the potential and challenges of translating polymer-based fungal disease solutions from experimental studies to clinical applications.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on polymer science applications in combating fungal infections.
  • Analysis of various polymer-based treatment modalities including drug delivery systems, innate antifungal polymers, and photodynamic therapies.
  • Exploration of polymer-based prevention strategies (immunization, medical devices) and diagnostic tools (point-of-care testing).

Main Results:

  • Numerous advanced polymer-based systems have been developed for the multifaceted management of fungal diseases.
  • Polymer strategies encompass drug delivery, direct antifungal activity, photodynamic therapy, immunization, medical devices, and diagnostic platforms.
  • Integrated polymer systems show significant potential for both public and personal health management of fungal infections.

Conclusions:

  • Polymer science offers a revolutionary platform for addressing critical unmet needs in fungal disease control.
  • Further well-designed in vivo trials are essential to validate efficacy, elucidate mechanisms, and ensure biosafety for clinical translation.
  • Bridging the gap between experimental research and clinical application is crucial for realizing the full potential of polymer-based antifungal strategies.
Keywords:
antifungal agentsantimicrobial polymersbiomaterialdrug delivery systemmycoses

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