Amino acid biosynthetic pathways as antifungal targets for fungal infections

Abstract

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogen and ubiquitous in the environment. In humans, A. fumigatus can cause a wide range of infections whose symptoms are directly determined by the immunological status of the host. 1 Superficial infections are related to local trauma or overgrowth of the fungus in burns; under occlusive dressings; after corneal trauma (keratitis); or in the sinuses, mouth, nose, or ear canal. Allergic forms of the diseases are caused by an exaggerated response of the immune system to colonization of the airways with Aspergillus . In addition, invasive aspergillosis (IA), usu- ally acquired through inhalation of conidia and further fungal growth in the lung, is a systemic infection that affects immunosuppressed patients. IA represents one of the main cause of morbidity and mortality for infection complications in patients with hematological malignan- cies, hemopoietic stem cell and solid organ recipients and patients with other immunodeficiencies.