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Fungi and Oomycetes–Allies in Eliminating Environmental Pathogens
Summary
This review examines the roles of fungi and oomycetes as biological control agents capable of eliminating environmental pathogens, parasites, disease-vectoring arthropods, and environmental pollutants including plastics. The authors argue that conserving and exploiting these organisms represents a global necessity for maintaining ecosystem balance and improving quality of life for humans and animals.
Fungi and oomycetes are the subjects of numerous current research studies. These are natural agents that can control parasitic populations, and arthropod populations with a role in the transmission of various diseases but can also eliminate various pollutants that are found in the external environment. Therefore, their conservation and exploitation are a global necessity, due to the benefits they confer on the quality of life of animals, but also of humans. Science must be aimed at finding a balance between the different constituents of the ecosystem and establishing coexistence relationships that are beneficial to all. Thus, research should be directed at investigating the potential actions of fungi and oomycetes against the various agents with which they coexist naturally in the external environment. This chapter provides information regarding the mechanism of action of these natural constituents and updates information on the species of fungi and oomycetes that have been studied so far. Thus, readers can have a base in this field and can further exploit what they have discovered to continue to improve the welfare of animals, addressing an ecological and healthy vision.
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