Cryptococcal Interactions with the Host Immune System

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>Opportunistic pathogens have become of increasing medical importance over the last decade due to the AIDS pandemic. Not only is cryptococcosis the fourth-most-common fatal infectious disease in sub-Saharan Africa, but also<jats:named-content content-type="genus-species">Cryptococcus</jats:named-content>is an emerging pathogen of immunocompetent individuals. The interaction between<jats:named-content content-type="genus-species">Cryptococcus</jats:named-content>and the host's immune system is a major determinant for the outcome of disease. Despite initial infection in early childhood with<jats:named-content content-type="genus-species">Cryptococcus neoformans</jats:named-content>and frequent exposure to<jats:named-content content-type="genus-species">C. neoformans</jats:named-content>within the environment, immunocompetent individuals are generally able to contain the fungus or maintain the yeast in a latent state. However, immune deficiencies lead to disseminating infections that are uniformly fatal without rapid clinical intervention. This review will discuss the innate and adaptive immune responses to<jats:named-content content-type="genus-species">Cryptococcus</jats:named-content>and cryptococcal strategies to evade the host's defense mechanisms. It will also address the importance of these strategies in pathogenesis and the potential of immunotherapy in cryptococcosis treatment.</jats:p>