Antifungal Immunity and its Mechanisms in Relationto Female Genitals

Overview

Objective:
A review of immunological aspects of fungal infections with focus on vulvovaginalcandidiasis.Design: Review.Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Hradec Kralove, CharlesUniversity in Prague, Department of Biological and Medical sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, HradecKralove, Charles University in Prague, Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergology,University Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital,Hradec Kralove.Subject and Method: Survey and discussion of current immunological aspects of vulvovaginalcandidias based on literature review and personal experience.Conclusion: The current knowledge of immunity to Candida vulvovaginitis, particularly fromexperimental studies on animal models, support a more relevant role of local protection mechanismsthan systemic immunity. As a consequence of this compartmentalization of the immuneresponse, the role of innate and adaptive immunity remains unclear. The development of vulvovaginalcandidiasis depends on a number of factors, including both the individual predispositionof a macroorganism and the properties of a fungal strain, and the environmental conditions in-fl uencing a delicate balance between the host and the yeast.

Key words:
fungal infections, vulvovaginal candidiasis, immunity