Silver nanoparticles: an upcoming therapeutic agent for the resistant Candida infections

Abstract

In comparison to bacterial pathogens, fungi were less frequently the cause of infectious diseases in humans earlier. However, with the increased number of immunosuppressed patients, fungal infections have gained enormous medical importance. And, today Candida spp. have become common nosocomial pathogens and even serious systemic Candida infections may frequently lead to death and represents a serious public health challenge with increasing medical and economic importance due to the high mortality rates and increased costs of care and duration of hospitalization.1,2 Intensive use of antifungal drugs has led to an incessant increase in the number of resistant fungal strains retaining viability due to their resistance mechanisms.3 Initially sensitive Candida spp. were shown to acquire resistance to various antifungal agents, after gradual exposure to increasing concentrations of these agents. This development of resistance was found to be due to mutation.4 Pfaller et al.,5 reported that exposure of C.glabrata to subtherapeutic concentration of fluconazole may result in resistance.