Human Fungal Pathogens

Fungi are the main elements in global biogeochemical cycles. They play a significant role in biomedical research and manufacturing industries, and impact humans through their influence on biodiversity, global health and agriculture. Pathogenic fungi cause disease in human beings or other organisms. Majority of the fungi do not have pathogenic traits, but certain species result in infections which range from posturing to life threating. The fungi that are pathogenic to humans, are studied within the discipline of medical mycology. Several pathogenic fungi are microorganisms despite the fact that they are eukaryotic. There are various types of pathogenic fungi including Cryptococcus, Stachybotrys, Candida, Histoplasma, Aspergillus and Pneumocystis. Cryptococcus neoformans can result in a severe form of meningitis and meningo-encephalitis in AIDS infected patients. Stachybotrys can cause severe headaches and respiratory issues. Fungal infection usually occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, skin, genital-urinary tract and respiratory tract. This book provides comprehensive insights on human fungal pathogens. Its extensive content provides the readers with a thorough understanding of the subject. This book will prove to be immensely beneficial to students and researchers in this field.