Many of my students should know that I am quite interested in immunology (even though I have some hesitation to work with microorganisms); therefore, I keep offering challenging courses such as Biochemistry, Immunology, and Infections I and II even if they are not going to be popular. One of the reasons is that immunology or immunity is so practical that it is actually part of our everyday life. I believe that our younger generations should know more about it!

In March 2023, about two months before COVID-19 was declared to be no longer a global health emergency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning related to a lethal type of fungal infection. The disease causing microorganism was called Candida auris, which was reported to develop drug-resistance. It seemed to spread through the facilities of the healthcare system. We ought to understand that situation.

Interestingly, the fungus Candida was covered in Biochemistry, Immunology, and Infections II. Common disease-causing fungi, representative fungal infections, and the chemotherapy of common fungal infections were also presented, for example, the anti-fungal drugs azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins were briefly mentioned in the course. Based on data available so far, it appeared that the fungus was resistant to all these classes of anti-fungal drugs; where these drugs generally target at the membrane and cell wall of the fungal cells.