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Culturing Microglia from the Neonatal and Adult Central Nervous System
Published on: August 9, 2013
Candidiasis of the Central Nervous System in Neonates and Children with Primary Immunodeficiencies
Rebecca A Drummond1, Michail S Lionakis1
1Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, USA.
Insights
Central nervous system (CNS) candidiasis is a severe infection impacting vulnerable populations. CARD9 deficiency is a key risk factor, highlighting its critical role in fungal defense.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Central nervous system (CNS) candidiasis poses a life-threatening risk, particularly for neonates and children with primary immunodeficiency disorders (PID).
- Understanding risk factors for CNS candidiasis is crucial for managing invasive fungal infections in vulnerable patient groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review risk factors for CNS candidiasis.
- To focus on primary immunodeficiency disorders (PID) linked to CARD9 gene mutations.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current knowledge on CNS candidiasis risk factors.
- Focus on CARD9's role in primary immunodeficiency disorders.
Main Results:
- CARD9 is essential for protecting the CNS against fungal invasion, promoting neutrophil recruitment and function.
- CARD9 deficiency is identified as a critical risk factor for CNS candidiasis in humans.
Conclusions:
- Studying CARD9-deficient patients provides insights into CNS candidiasis pathogenesis applicable to other at-risk individuals, including neonates.
- Findings support the development of immune-based therapies to combat invasive fungal diseases.
Purpose Of Review:
Candida infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are a life-threatening complication of invasive infections that most often affect vulnerable groups of patients, including neonates and children with primary immunodeficiency disorders (PID). Here, we review the currently known risk factors for CNS candidiasis, focusing predominantly on the PID caused by biallelic mutations in CARD9.
Recent Findings:
How the CNS is protected itself against fungal invasion is poorly understood. CARD9 promotes neutrophil recruitment and function, and is the only molecule shown to be critical for protection against CNS candidiasis in humans thus far.
Summary:
Fundamental insights into the pathogenesis of CNS candidiasis gained from studying rare CARD9-deficient patients has significant implications for other patients at risk for this disease, such as CARD9-sufficient neonates. These findings will be important for the development of adjunctive immune-based therapies, which are urgently needed to tackle the global burden of invasive fungal diseases.
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