The Significance of Fungal Specialized Metabolites in One Health Perspectives

Among the emerging threats in global health, fungal pathogens stand out as some of the most important, causing over 1.6 million deaths annually and destroying a third of all food crops each year, exacerbating food insecurity and economic losses. Climate change further amplifies the threat by enabling pathogenic fungi to survive at mammalian temperatures, increasing risks of zoonotic transmission and antifungal resistance. In this context, interdisciplinary research, particularly the One Health approach, is crucial for understanding the evolution of fungal resistance and improving diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Drawing lessons from agriculture, where integrated pest management strategies successfully mitigate fungal threats, could offer new ways to tackle fungal infections in humans. Advanced metabolomics and diagnostics, including fungal metabolites as biomarkers, hold promise for early detection and personalized treatment. Collaborative efforts between medicine, veterinary science, and plant pathology are essential to develop new antifungal drugs and improve clinical management of fungal diseases, fostering a more resilient global health system.