ABSTRACT
Fungal infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Despite pharmaceutical advances in antifungal agents, the recovery of a host immune function is fundamental in surviving invasive fungal infection. Greater understanding of how fungal species can evade detection and elimination remains important in future therapeutic implications. This chapter aims to define the known mammalian immune response to fungal diseases with specific examples in the setting of Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus. In addition, this chapter will demonstrate how deficiencies in host immunity predispose to fungal infections.
