STRATEGIES OF HISTOPLASMA-CAPSULATUM TO C IRCUMVENT THE CYTOCIDAL MECHANISMS OF PHAGOCYTES

Although proliferation of Histoplasma capsulatum within the macrophage is restricted by cell mediated immunity and, that there is no apparen t deficiency in the fungicidal power of the macrophage, H. capsulatum can prosper in this intracellular microenvironment in some circumstanc es, which provides special nutritional advantages to intracellular gro wth for H. capsulatum, and access to other organs via the bloodstream and lymphatics. Nevertheless the environment within professional phago cytes is complex and generally hostile to microorganisms. Intracellula r pathogens must avoid or overcome a series of obstacles in order to p revent their destruction. We present the strategies used by H. capsula tum to escape the host cell aggressiveness from the moment it reaches the cell surface up to its survival inside the phagocyte. Our aim is t o discuss the advances on the escape mechanisms used by H. capsulatum to survive in the intracellular environment.