RECENT ADVANCES IN CRYPTOCOCCOSIS, CANDIDIASIS AND COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSISCOMPLICATING HIV-INFECTION

Concomitant with the decline in CD4+ T-cells seen as human immunodefic iency virus (HIV) infection progresses, the prevalence of opportunisti c mycoses increases dramatically. This article reviews selected recent advances in our understanding of the immunology, molecular epidemiolo gy and treatment of fungal infections in patients infected with HIV. F or cryptococcosis, studies are reported on how HIV infection affects t he immune response to Cryptococcus neoformans and, conversely, how sti mulation with C. neoformans induces HIV production from latently HIV-i nfected cells. In addition, studies are presented examining the effica cy of triple combination antimycotic chemotherapy in cryptococcosis. F or candidosis, investigations into genetic profiles of Candida albican s isolates obtained from patients, with resistance to antifungal agent s, are demonstrated. Finally, for coccidioidomycosis, prospective stud ies are presented examining the clinical, epidemiological and immunolo gical characteristics of a cohort of HIV-infected subjects residing in an endemic area.