Foreword

John R Perfect

This issue contains three review articles from leading specialists in the field, discussing host immunity and its relationship with fungal disease.

Immunotherapy in Invasive Fungal Infections

J Andrew Alspaugh, MD

Given the clear association between specific immune defects and invasive fungal infections, it is logical to consider immune restoration as a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of invasive fungal infections. This review will therefore explore published clinical experience with immunotherapy in immunocompromised patients, and the effects of these interventions on systemic mycoses.

Immune Reconstitution Syndrome in Fungal Infections

Bertrand Dupont, MD

Immune reconstitution syndrome or immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is a syndrome recently described in patients with HIV infection whose immunity is being restored due to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). IRIS is an acute, symptomatic, paradoxical deterioration of a pre-existing infection that is temporally related to recovery of the immune system.

Vaccine Prospects for Invasive Fungal Infections

Brad Spellberg, MD

Given their increasing frequency and unacceptably high mortality rates, prevention of invasive fungal infections has become of paramount importance. Vaccination is a particularly promising strategy to prevent invasive fungal infections because easily identifiable risk factors have been clearly defined for many such infections. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current status of candidate vaccines, and discuss the barriers and solutions to their continued development.

Commentary and Analysis on Recent Key Papers

J Peter Donnelly, Zeina Kanafani, and Jörg Janne Vehreschild

The 3rd Advances Against Aspergillosis Conference

Miami Beach, FL, USA, 16–19 January, 2008