Fungal biofilms in human health and disease
Open accessAbstract
Increased use of implanted medical devices, use of immunosuppressants and an ageing population have driven the rising frequency of fungal biofilm-related diseases. Fungi are now recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an emergent threat to human health, with most medically important species defined as critical or high-priority organisms capable of forming biofilms. Although we strive for a better understanding of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to detect and treat these fungal diseases more generally, the issue of hard-to-treat biofilms is an ever-increasing problem. These are communities of interspersed cells that are attached to one another on a surface, such as a catheter, or trapped into a cavity such as a paranasal sinus. Biofilms are difficult to detect, difficult to remove and intrinsically tolerant to most antifungal agents. These factors can lead to devastating consequences for the patient, including unnecessary morbidity and mortality, need for reoperations and prolonged hospital stay. This Review describes the breadth and growing impact fungal biofilms have on patient management and explains the mechanisms promoting biofilm formation, focusing on how targeting these can improve therapeutic options.
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The WOR2 mutation could contribute to the prevalence and rapid transmission of C. auris.
“Since biofilms are often associated with increased persistence on the environmental surfaces and colonization on host skin4,5,11,49, this mutation could contribute to the prevalence and rapid transmission of C. auris.”
From The Wor2 phenotypic switching regulator controls biofilm formation in Candida auris (2026) · cites this paper as [49]
Biofilms are often associated with increased persistence on environmental surfaces and colonization on host skin.
“Since biofilms are often associated with increased persistence on the environmental surfaces and colonization on host skin4,5,11,49, this mutation could contribute to the prevalence and rapid transmission of C. auris.”
From The Wor2 phenotypic switching regulator controls biofilm formation in Candida auris (2026) · cites this paper as [49]
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The Wor2 phenotypic switching regulator controls biofilm formation in Candida auris
Liang, W., Guan, S., Bing, J., Du, H., Zheng, Q., Tao, L., Li, B., Huang, G., & Chu, H. (2026) · npj Biofilms and Microbiomes · doi:10.1038/s41522-026-01043-2
- Authors
- Ramage, G., Kean, R., Rautemaa-Richardson, R., Williams, C., & Lopez-Ribot, J. L.
- Affiliations
- Glasgow Caledonian University (GB)
- Royal Lancaster Infirmary (GB)
- European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Ramage, Gordon
- Venue
- Nature Reviews Microbiology
- Published
- 2025-02-05
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 355-370
- ISSN
- 1740-1526 (ISSN-L)
- 1740-1534
- OpenAlex
- W4407156976
- Cited by
- 72
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 55 · 2025: 17
- FWCI
- 12.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Licence
- Locations
- Nature Reviews Microbiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ResearchOnline (Glasgow Caledonian University) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Glasgow Caledonian University
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Fungal and yeast genetics research
- Keywords
- fungal biofilms, biofilm formation mechanisms, antifungal resistance, biomedical implants, catheter-related infection, sinusitis, fungal infection, immunosuppression, biofilm-targeted therapy
- MeSH terms
- Antifungal Agents, Fungi, Humans, Mycoses, Biofilms
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