Overcoming Global Antifungal Challenges: Medical and Agricultural Aspects

The prevalence of fungal infections and contamination has increased alarmingly over the past decade, posing a significant threat to human health and the food supply and negatively affecting welfare. This escalating concern is primarily attributed to the lack of safe, effective, and widely available antifungal agents; the increasing spread of (multi)-drug resistance to conventional antifungal treatments; and substantial epidemiological shifts in fungal pathogens. Decision-making bodies have recognized the urgency of this situation and prioritized efforts to address and mitigate the spread of drug-resistant fungal infections by developing and implementing innovative antifungal strategies, including using drug combinations, designing fundamentally new antifungal compounds with fungus-specific mechanisms of action and a minimal risk of resistance development, drug repurposing, and exploring alternative approaches, such as biomolecules, nanotechnology, and biological control. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current challenges associated with fungal infections in medicine and agriculture as well as the latest advancements and potential solutions.