Gerry A. Quinn

Introduction. There is an urgent need to source new compounds that can combat the current threat of serious infection caused by Candida spp. and contend with the problem of antimicrobial resistance. Gap. A synthesis of the evidence available from the current literature is needed to identify promising antifungal chemotherapeutics. Aim. To highlight anti- Candida compounds derived from Streptomyces spp. (a well-known source of antimicrobial compounds) that could translate to potential candidates for future clinical practice. Methodology. A comprehensive review was conducted across three scientific literature databases spanning a 13-year period. Results. We identified 151 compounds with anti- Candida activity. Amongst these, 40 were reported with very strong inhibitory activity, having minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against Candida spp. of <3.5 µg ml −1 , 66 compounds were considered strong inhibitors and 45 compounds exhibited moderate inhibitory potential. From an analysis of the MICs, we deduced that the actinomycin-like compounds RSP01 and RSP02 were probably the most promising anti- Candida compounds. Other antifungals of note included filipin-like compounds, which demonstrated superior inhibition to amphotericin B and activity against Candida glabrata and Candida krusei , and bafilomycin derivatives, which had substantial inhibition against Candida parapsilosis . Conclusion. It is essential to recognize the limitations inherent in the quest for new antifungals, which encompass toxicity, in vivo effectiveness and constraints associated with limited data access. However, further investigation through in-depth study and emerging technologies is of paramount importance, given that there are still many more compounds to discover. This review highlights the importance of antifungal compounds derived from Streptomyces , which demonstrate robust inhibition, and, in many cases, low toxicity, making them promising candidates for the development of novel antifungal agents.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, governments around the world have adopted an array of measures intended to control the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, using both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). NPIs are public health interventions that do not rely on vaccines or medicines and include policies such as lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, school closures, and travel restrictions. Although the intention was to slow viral transmission, emerging research indicates that these NPIs have also had unintended consequences for other aspects of public health. Hence, we conducted a narrative review of studies investigating these unintended consequences of NPIs, with a particular emphasis on mental health and on lifestyle risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD): physical activity (PA), overweight and obesity, alcohol consumption, and tobacco smoking. We reviewed the scientific literature using combinations of search terms such as ‘COVID-19′, ‘pandemic’, ‘lockdowns’, ‘mental health’, ‘physical activity’, and ‘obesity’. NPIs were found to have considerable adverse consequences for mental health, physical activity, and overweight and obesity. The impacts on alcohol and tobacco consumption varied greatly within and between studies. The variability in consequences for different groups implies increased health inequalities by age, sex/gender, socioeconomic status, pre-existing lifestyle, and place of residence. In conclusion, a proper assessment of the use of NPIs in attempts to control the spread of the pandemic should be weighed against the potential adverse impacts on other aspects of public health. Our findings should also be of relevance for future pandemic preparedness and pandemic response teams.