Title |
REVIEW] Innate host defenses against Cryptococcus neoformans |
Author |
Camaron Hole1,2 and Floyd L. Wormley Jr.1,2* |
Address |
1Department of Biology, 2The South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA |
Bibliography |
Journal of Microbiology, 54(3),202-211, 2016,
|
DOI |
10.1007/s12275-016-5625-7
|
Key Words |
Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus, fungal
pathogenesis, host-fungal interactions, fungal immunity |
Abstract |
Cryptococcus neoformans, the predominant etiological agent
of cryptococcosis, can cause life-threatening infections of the
central nervous system in immunocompromised and immunocompetent
individuals. Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis
is the most common disseminated fungal infection in AIDS
patients, and remains the third most common invasive fungal
infection among organ transplant recipients. The administration
of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has
resulted in a decrease in the number of cases of AIDS-related
cryptococcosis in developed countries, but in developing
countries where HAART is not readily available, Cryptococcus
is still a major concern. Therefore, there is an urgent
need for the development of novel therapies and/or vaccines
to combat cryptococcosis. Understanding the protective immune
responses against Cryptococcus is critical for development
of vaccines and immunotherapies to combat cryptococcosis.
Consequently, this review focuses on our current
knowledge of protective immune responses to C. neoformans,
with an emphasis on innate immune responses. |