Molecular typing of pathogenic fungi

In this Round Table, the application of several methods of molecular typing were discussed in reference to four important pathogenic fungi: Coccidioid es immitis, Histoplasma capsulatum, Candida albicans and Paracoccidioides b rasiliensis. Among the different methods the following were discussed: rest riction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), single nucleotide polymorphis ms, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), polymerase chain reaction (PCR )-RFLP and microsatellites. By means of these methods, several important bi ological questions related to speciation, mode of reproduction and populati on genetics could be approached. The basic information obtained from this a pproach has implications in the understanding of these pathogenic fungi in relation to their behavior and the development of pathogenic features, such as resistance to antimicrobials and virulence factors used for colonizatio n of mammalian hosts. The knowledge obtained from these studies could also be used for the development of innovative diagnostic methods, as well as fo r novel therapeutic approaches and production of vaccines.