Main description:

Whereas plant and insect infections are commonly caused by fungi, only a small minority of the vast diversity of fungal species is pathogenic to humans. Despite this, fungal infections cause considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. This volume is dedicated to the biology, clinical presentation and management of invasive fungal infections. Major pathogenic fungi are introduced by world-leading experts and the basic principles of fungal virulence are reviewed in the light of new results and experimental technologies that offer unprecedented insights into invasive infections caused by Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis and Mucorales. In parallel, the clinical presentation of invasive fungal infections and current approaches to their diagnosis and treatment are summarized to provide an overview of human pathogenic fungi, linking pathogen biology to the clinical presentation of disease.

Contents:

Basics of Fungal Virulence

1 From Commensal to Pathogen: Candida albicans

A. Whittington, N.A.R. Gow, and B. Hube

2 Aspergillus fumigatus: Saprotroph to Pathogen

E. Bignell

3 Systems Biology Approaches to Understand and Predict Fungal Virulence

L. Tierney, K. Tyc, E. Klipp, and K. Kuchler

Immune Response to Fungal Infections

4 Receptor-Ligand Interactions in Fungal Infections

S.E. Hardison and G.D. Brown

5 Macrophages in the Immune Response against Cryptococcus

R.J. Evans and R.C. May

6 T Cell Responses in Fungal Infections

C. Cunha, F. Aversa, L. Romani and A. Carvalho

7 Molecular Mechanisms of Histoplasma Pathogenesis

C.A. Rappleye

8 Visualizing Immune Responses in Fungal Infections - Established and Novel Methods

M. Hasenberg, S. Krappmann and M. Gunzer

9 Mucosal Immunology in Candida albicans Infection

G. Weindl, J.R. Naglik, D.L. Moyes, and M. Schaller

Clinical Presentations and Epidemiology of Fungal Infections

10 Invasive Aspergillosis in the Intensive Care Unit

W. Meersseman

11 Molecular Epidemiology of Pneumocystis Outbreaks

P.M. Hauser and J.A. Kovacs

12 Infections Caused by Mucorales

C.B. Moore and M.D. Richardson

13 Diagnostics of Fungal Infections

B. Willinger, D. Kienzl, and O. Kurzai

Treatment of Fungal Infections

14 Therapeutic Strategies in Fungal Infections

M.J.G.T. Vehreschild, K. Wahlers and O.A. Cornely

15 Antifungal Pharmacokinetics

F. Farowski and O.A. Cornely