Immunity to Human Fungal Infections

The current working paradigm in fungal immunity is that adaptive and innate components of the immune system collaboratively generate a broad range of immune responses to limit the spread of and clear fungal pathogens. The majority of opportunistic fungal infections occur in patients with compromised immunity. This is based on numerous clinical and experimental findings documented in hosts (humans and animal models) with naturally occurring or acquired immune defects. The genetic background of the host plays a significant role in shaping the immune response against fungal infections. Age of the host is one of the factors to consider regarding the robustness of antifungal immune responses. Autophagy influences adaptive immunity by modulating fungal antigen presentation via dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages. A better understanding of how DCs recognize fungal pathogens and initiate and orchestrate innate and adaptive responses has re-focused the attention on innate responses as a significant participant in antifungal immunity.