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Genetic Variation and Fungal Infection Risk: State of the Art

  • Epidemiology of Fungal Infections (T Chiller and J Baddley, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Fungal Infection Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Fungal infections cause significant mortality in patients with acquired immunodeficiencies including AIDS, hematological malignancies, transplantation, and receipt of corticosteroids, biologics or small-molecule kinase inhibitors that impair key immune pathways. The contribution of several such pathways in antifungal immunity has been uncovered by inherited immunodeficiencies featuring profound fungal susceptibility. Furthermore, the risk of fungal infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiencies may be modulated by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in immune-related genes. This review outlines key features underlying human genetic fungal infection predisposition.

Recent Findings

The discovery of monogenic disorders that cause fungal disease and the characterization of immune-related gene SNPs that may regulate fungal susceptibility have provided important insights into how genetic variation affects development and outcome of fungal infections in humans.

Summary

Recognition of individualized genetic fungal susceptibility traits in humans should help devise precision-medicine strategies for risk assessment, prognostication, and treatment of patients with opportunistic fungal infections.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Division of Intramural Research of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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  1. Fungal Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology & Microbiology (LCIM), National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 10, Room 12C103A, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Michail S. Lionakis

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Lionakis, M.S. Genetic Variation and Fungal Infection Risk: State of the Art. Curr Fungal Infect Rep 13, 250–259 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-019-00362-6

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