Moreover, we observed that vaccinating mice with heat-killed <i>fbp1</i>Δ induces significant cross-protection against challenge with diverse invasive fungal pathogens, including <i>C. neoformans</i>, <i>C. gattii</i>, and <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>, as well as partial protection against <i>Candida albicans</i> Thus, our data suggest that the heat-killed <i>fbp1Δ</i> strain has the potential to be a suitable vaccine candidate against cryptococcosis and other invasive fungal infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised populations.<b>IMPORTANCE</b> Invasive fungal infections kill more than 1.5 million people each year, with limited treatment options.
The fbp1Δ mutant cannot disseminate to other organs following pulmonary infection in the murine inhalation model of cryptococcosis but still causes brain infection in a murine intravenous injection model, suggesting that the block of dissemination of the fbp1Δ mutant is due to its inability to leave the lung.