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Immunotherapy for fungal infections
Darius Armstrong-James1, Thomas S Harrison
1Section of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|August 14, 2012
Summary
Novel immunotherapies are crucial for treating invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. Restoring host immunity, through approaches like interferon-gamma therapy, improves outcomes where antifungals alone fall short.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Mycology
Background:
- Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are a significant cause of mortality, especially in immunocompromised individuals.
- Current antifungal agents have limited efficacy, with mortality rates around 40%.
- Failure to restore host immunity is linked to poorer patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in immunotherapy for invasive fungal infections.
- To highlight clinical studies involving interferon-gamma therapy, adoptive T cell therapy, and gene therapy.
- To discuss preclinical immunotherapy approaches for fungal infections.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical studies on interferon-gamma therapy.
- Review of clinical studies on adoptive T cell therapy.
- Review of clinical studies on gene therapy for chronic granulomatous disorder.
- Summary of preclinical immunotherapy research for fungal infections.
Main Results:
- Interferon-gamma therapy shows promise in clinical settings.
- Adoptive T cell therapy is an emerging strategy for fungal infections.
- Gene therapy offers potential for specific immunodeficiencies like chronic granulomatous disorder.
- Various preclinical approaches are under investigation.
Conclusions:
- Immunotherapy represents a critical avenue for improving outcomes in immunocompromised patients with IFIs.
- Restoring host immunity is essential for effective treatment of fungal infections.
- Advances in cellular and gene-based therapies offer new hope for managing IFIs.
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