Factoring fungi into the One Health conversation

Fungi are ubiquitous in the biosphere's natural environments, inhabiting humans, animals, and plants, both externally and internally. This widespread presence enables them to occupy diverse ecological niches and enhances their remarkable environmental adaptability, allowing them to thrive on Earth. The mycobiome, a dynamic fungal ecological community inhabiting a well-defined habitat, exhibits distinct physicochemical properties. Beyond its role in maintaining Earth's ecosystem homeostasis, the mycobiome significantly influences the health of humans, animals, and plants under dysbiosis conditions. Although fungal interactions with these hosts have been extensively studied, comprehensive reviews on fungal impacts across the One Health framework remain scarce. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in understanding the role of fungi in human, animal, and plant health, with a focus on characterizing mycobiome-ecosystem interactions through the lens of One Health. By synthesizing these insights, we aim to elucidate the mechanistic underpinnings and translational potential of fungi in combating human diseases. We further highlight how targeting the mycobiome could inform the development of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies across these interconnected health domains.