Immunology of Fungal Infections


Book Description

This text covers all aspects of the immunology of fungal infection. Beyond the basics, coverage includes recent developments in innate and adaptive immunological mechanisms involved in the host response to fungal infection. The volume’s topical sections provide an immunological perspective on the cells, soluble factors and receptors involved in recognising and combating fungal infections. Discussion includes descriptions of immunity to specific pathogens, immune-escape mechanisms used by fungi, and therapeutic strategies.




Innate Immunity: Resistance and Disease-Promoting Principles


Book Description

Our understanding of the complex innate immune response is increasing rapidly. Its role in the protection against viral or bacterial pathogens is essential for the survival of an organism. However, it is equally important to avoid unregulated inflammation because innate immune responses can cause or promote chronic autoinflammatory diseases such as gout, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes or certain aspects of the metabolic syndrome. In this book leading international experts in the field of innate immunity share their findings, define the ‚state of the art‘ in this field and evaluate how insight into the molecular basis of these diseases could help in the design of new therapies. A tremendous amount of work on the innate immune response has been done over the last fifteen years, culminating in the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine awarded for the discoveries of Toll genes in immunity in flies, membrane-bound Toll-like receptors in mammals, and dendritic cells as initiators of adaptive immunity.




Fungal Immunology:


Book Description

A comprehensive review of all known immune mechanisms for medically important fungal pathogens from the organ perspectives of the human body. This authoritative guide is organized by organ system, as one particular fungus can have several different effects.




Parasites and Allergy


Book Description

The inverse correlation between allergic diseases and helminth infections has been debated for over 30 years. It was initially assumed that the underlying mechanism is an imbalance between Th1 and Th2 responses that, as a result of reduced exposure to Th1-inducing infectious pathogens, has tipped to allergic Th2 responses. It has only recently been clearly demonstrated that helminth infections have negative effects on allergic disease manifestation. This was shown to be consistent with the activity of regulatory cell populations, which control the effector mechanisms of both Th1 and Th2. In th.




Lectin in Host Defense Against Microbial Infections


Book Description

This book systemically presents the latest research on lectins, covering all the major topics in the field, including the heterocomplex of lectins and Toll-like receptors, protective versus pathogenic functions in connection with microbial infections, and novel strategies for enhancing host immunity against infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Lectins are a large group of glycan-binding proteins that recognize diverse glycan and non-glycan structures expressed on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and are vital to cell-cell interactions, the attachment of microbes to host cells, and the recognition and activation of immune responses to exogenous and endogenous danger signals. The composition and structure of microbes are complex and include numerous ‘pathogen-associated molecular patterns’ or ‘damage-associated molecular patterns’. As such, microbes’ interactions with immune cells activate multiple innate immunity receptors and produce distinct inflammatory reactions, which can be protective to contain microbial invasion, or pathogenic to cause tissue damage and shock syndrome in the host. The book shares lessons learned from state-of-the art research in this field, highlights the latest discoveries, and provides insightful discussions on lectin-mediated inflammatory reactions, while also outlining future research directions.




Cutaneous Fungal Infections


Book Description

With greater occurance of fungal infections of the skin, especially in immuno compromised patients, the attention paid to this topic has increased in recent years. The second edition of Cutaneous Fungal Infections answers the need for more information on skin infections and the many new easy-to-use, effective drugs on the market today.




Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns in Human Diseases


Book Description

This book presents current understanding of the importance of modern immunology in the etiopathogenesis of human diseases and explores how this understanding is impacting on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prophylaxis. As the core of modern immunology, the “danger/injury model” is introduced and addressed throughout the book. Volume I of the book describes the network of damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) and examines the central role of DAMPs in cellular stress responses and associated regulated cell death, the promotion and resolution of inflammation, the activation of innate lymphoid cells and unconventional T cells, the stimulation of adaptive immunity, and tissue repair. The significance of DAMPs in a wide range of human diseases will then be explored in Volume II of the book, with discussion of the implications of injury-induced innate immunity for present and future treatments. This book is written for professionals from all medical and paramedical disciplines who are interested in the introduction of innovative data from immunity and inflammation research into clinical practice. The readership will include practitioners and clinicians such as hematologists, rheumatologists, traumatologists, oncologists, intensive care anesthetists, endocrinologists such as diabetologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, pharmacists, and transplantologists.




The Fungal Cell Wall


Book Description

This book illustrates, that the fungal cell wall is critical for the biology and ecology of all fungi and especially for human fungal pathogens. Readers will learn, that the composition of the fungal cell wall is a unique structure, which cannot be found in the human host. Consequently, the chapters outline, how the immune systems of both animals and humans have evolved to recognize conserved and unique elements of the fungal cell wall. As an application example, the authors also show, that the three-dimensional structures of the cell wall are excellent targets for the development of antifungal agents and chemotherapeutic strategies. With the combination of biological findings and medical outlooks, this volume is a fascinating read for scientists, clinicians and biomedical students.




The Fungal Kingdom


Book Description

Fungi research and knowledge grew rapidly following recent advances in genetics and genomics. This book synthesizes new knowledge with existing information to stimulate new scientific questions and propel fungal scientists on to the next stages of research. This book is a comprehensive guide on fungi, environmental sensing, genetics, genomics, interactions with microbes, plants, insects, and humans, technological applications, and natural product development.