Hanyang Med Rev.
2006 Nov;26(4):34-43.
Immunology of Cutaneous Mycoses
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kwanglee@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Abstract
- Recently, the relevance of fungal infection has increased enormously, because of the increasing incidence of HIV infection, organ transplantation, and neoplastic disorders. A variety of underlying conditions, including impaired immune status, is believed to account for the susceptibility to fungal infections and to determine both the severity and the characteristics of the associated pathology. A thorough understanding of how the normal host resists fungal infection and of the specific immune defects present in patients with mycoses is fundamental for diagnosis and therapy of these infections. The immune response varies with respect to the fungal species and morphology encountered. The cell-mediated immune response and non specific cellular immunity (macrophage, NK cell, and neutrophils) are generally believed to provide the main defenses against fungi. The role of humoral immunity in fungal infections is controversial. This article reviews the current understanding of innate and adaptive immunity to common fungal pathogens.
