Antifungal activity of biosurfactant against profound mycosis

Some pathogenic fungal species are responsible for fungal infections that can occur as superficial to deeply invasive or disseminated mycoses. Conventional therapy has a limited amount of effective antifungal drugs, and the development of resistance to the most common agents represents a real threat. In this sense, the search for new, effective, and safe antifungal agents is a fundamental necessity. Biosurfactants have arisen as a possible agent for the treatment of profound mycoses, since they originate from microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, which display diverse properties and functions. This chapter reviews different biosurfactants, addressing concepts, production, and characterization with a focus on their application as agents for the treatment of systemic mycoses.