Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and congenital susceptibility to Candida.
OBJECTIVE
To give an overview on the clinical spectrum and the molecular background of host defence against Candida.


RESULTS
For many decades the molecular causes and the pathogenesis for an increased susceptibility to Candida - and fungal infections in general - have been elusive. In 2009 and 2010 interesting reports on the genetic background and the pathomechanisms involved in chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) have been published.


CONCLUSIONS
The susceptibility to recurrent Candida infections can be a monogenetic Mendelian trait. The sensing of Candida cell wall components and the consecutive intracellular signalling in myeloid cells via CARD9, but also the role of Th17 cells and their cytokines take centre stage in the human host defence against Candida.
Glocker
Erik
E
Department of Immunology and Molecular Pathology, Royal Free Hospital & University College London, Pond Street, London, UK.
Grimbacher
Bodo
B
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002175:Candida / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002178:Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous / Q000151:congenital / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014774:Virulence
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; C505855:CARD9 protein, human; D016207:Cytokines