WHO Fungal Priority Pathogens List
Fungal infections represent a significant and growing threat to global public health. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Fungal Priority Pathogens List, which identifies 19 fungal pathogens that pose serious risks to human health. This list was developed to guide and stimulate research and development (R&D) of new antifungal therapies.
The panel of strains includes representatives of all three priority groups and is continuously expanded, with a particular focus on including clinical isolates in the future. The strains have undergone preliminary bioassay (download results) testing against antifungal drugs from the three major classes: azoles, echinocandins, and polyenes.
| Genus | Species epithet | DSM No. |
|---|---|---|
| Candida | albicans | 1386 |
| Nakaseomyces | glabratus | 11226 |
| Candida | parapsilosis | 11224 |
| Candidozyma | auris | 21092 |
| Cryptococcus | neoformans | 117683 |
| Cryptococcus | deneoformans | 117684 |
| Cryptococcus | gattii | 117685 |
| Cryptococcus | deuterogattii | 117686 |
| Cryptococcus | bacillisporus | 117687 |
| Cryptococcus | decagattii | 117689 |
| Cryptococcus | hyracis | 117690 |
| Aspergillus | fumigatus | 10661 |
| Aspergillus | fumigatus | 10662 |
| Aspergillus | fumigatus | 10705 |
| Aspergillus | fumigatus | 11069 |
| Fusarium | solani | 10696 |
| Fusarium | fujikuroi | 893 |
| Fusarium | incarnatum | 62403 |
| Fusarium | proliferatum | 23358 |
| Fusarium | verticillioides | 62264 |
The WHO categorizes fungal pathogens into three priority groups based on their public health impact. The critical priority group includes fungi that pose the greatest global threat due to high mortality rates, limited treatment options, and increasing antifungal resistance. The high priority group comprises pathogens associated with a lower overall health burden, often because of more regional prevalence or the availability of moderately effective treatments. The medium priority group includes fungi that present serious health risks, particularly at regional levels.
Therefore, it is essential for scientists engaged in the discovery, research, and development of antifungal agents to have access to well-characterized reference organisms to effectively combat these pathogens. To support this effort, DSMZ provides representative strains from the different priority groups.