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Cutaneous defenses against dermatophytes and yeasts
1Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA.
Clinical Microbiology Reviews
|July 1, 1995
Summary
Superficial fungal infections, or mycoses, can become chronic due to immune system defects. Understanding these immunologic issues is key to managing persistent cutaneous fungal infections.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Immunology
- Mycology
Background:
- Superficial mycoses are fungal infections affecting the skin, hair, and nails.
- Predisposing factors include environmental conditions (warmth, moisture) and host factors (immunosuppression, genetic susceptibility).
- The chronicity of these infections is often linked to the host's immune response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of the immune system in superficial mycoses.
- To investigate immunologic defects contributing to chronic fungal skin infections.
- To understand the mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions in cutaneous mycoses.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on superficial mycoses and host immunity.
- Analysis of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in skin immune responses to fungi.
- Examination of described defects in cell-mediated immunity against fungal pathogens.
Main Results:
- Cell-mediated immunity is crucial for defense against superficial mycoses.
- Complex interactions involving various skin cells (Langerhans cells, keratinocytes, lymphocytes) mediate immune responses.
- Defects in these immune responses, either pre-existing or infection-induced, can lead to chronic infections.
Conclusions:
- Immunologic defects play a significant role in the chronicity of certain superficial fungal infections.
- The infection itself can sometimes impair protective immune responses.
- Current treatments targeting these underlying immunologic defects are still experimental.
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