Molecular pathogenesis of fungal infections

Abstract

Opportunistic fungal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the immunocompromised. Fungi have evolved complex and coordinated mechanisms to survive in the environment and the mammalian host. These include the ability to adhere to and colonize a variety of sites (e.g., skin, gastrointestinal mucosa, and intravenous catheters), invade tissue, establish localized disease, and disseminate. Fungi must adapt to stressors in the host, including nutrient acquisition, pH, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates. Knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of fungal infections has paved the way to promising preclinical studies and clinical trials of immunotherapy. The availability of genomic databases for key fungal pathogens will shed light on fungal pathogenesis and response to stressors both from host defense pathways and antifungal drugs, and will identify promising targets for drug development. © 2006 Humana Press Inc.