Bases of cellular immune response in chromoblastomycosis and sporotrichosis: implications for vaccine therapy

Abstract

In recent decades, there was observed an increased incidence of fungal infections. This occurred due mainly invasive medical procedures, long periods of hospitalization and increased the number of immunocompromised patients due to infectious diseases such as HIV or treatments that induce immune deficiency, such as immunosuppressive agents and drugs used in the treatment of cancer. In this context, the fungi that cause subcutaneous mycoses, such as Fonseacaea pedrosoi and Sporothrix brasiliensis are gaining prominent clinical importance due to their refractory nature of current therapeutic approaches and the involvement of immunocompromised, in whom the disease is more serious. Much of this framework is due to the little knowledge we have about the pathogenic mechanisms involved in disease, making it difficult to understand them, the development of new therapeutic strategies and detect possible drug targets. Immunological mechanisms of defense against Sporothrix brasiliensis and F. pedrosoi are not well established, but the host immune response plays a decisive role in the evolution of these diseases. Knowing that cell from the innate immune system like; macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells are important against various pathogens, including fungi, we propose to elucidate their roles in chromoblastomycosis and sporotrichosis. On the other hand, also arises the interest in mapping and sequencing antigens of the major etiological agents of chromoblastomycosis and sporotrichosis; F. pedrosoi and S. brasiliensis, as from the knowledge of reactive antigens can initiate the studies even achieve an immune treatment for these mycoses. (AU)