Host recognition of fungal pathogens

Fungal infection presents a serious risk to individuals with compromised immune systems. The development of novel therapeutic strategies to combat fungal infection requires a thorough appreciation of interactions between fungi and the host immune system. Our understanding of microbial recognition by the innate immune system has advanced considerably over the past decade with the discovery that pattern recognition receptors on the surface of myeloid cells detect microbial components. TLR2 and Dectin-1 are of particular importance for the recognition of pathogenic fungi. In this review, we discuss fungal detection by these receptors and their roles in the initiation of antifungal defense.

Section editor:W. Conrad Liles – Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada