Human mycoses: drugs and targets for emerging pathogens.

Fungal infections in humans range flom superficial and cutaneous (such as dermatophytoses) to deeply invasive and dissemi hated (such as candidiasis and cryptococcosis). Pathogenic fungi occur worldwide, although particular species may predominate in certain geographic areas. In the past 20 years, fungal infections have increased dramatically--paradoxically, as a resuh of medical advances. Fungal infections occur more frequently m people whose immune system is suppressed (because of organ transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, or the human immunodeficiency vires), who have been treatM e m b r ed with broad-spectrum Polyen~