Fungal allergy and pathogenicity

BOOK REVIEW^*

BREITENBACH, Michael; CRAMERI, Reto & LEHRER, Samuel B., ed. – Fungal allergy and pathogenicity. Basel, Karger, 2002. 310p. ilus. ISBN 3-8055-7391-X. (Chemical Immunology, v. 81. Series Editors: Luciano ADORINI; Ken-ichi ARAI; Claudia BEREK & Anne-Marie SCHMITT-VERHULST. ISSN 10155-0145).

The importance of fungal organisms as allergens and pathogens has been increasing considerably over the last decade. This is due, on the one hand, to a general increase in the incidence of allergies, but also to the growing number of immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients or transplant recipients.

This book summarizes what is currently known about the allergens of Candida, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Coprinus, and Psilocybe, among others, and describes the application of recombinant allergens for diagnosis and new forms of therapy. The virulence factors and defense mechanisms against Aspergillus and Candida infections are discussed as are the various causes of superficial skin infections with fungi and the aerobiology of fungal spores and mycelia. A comprehensive chapter on fungal toxins and their importance for human and animal health is included, followed by a summary of the present state of fungal genome sequencing. Finally, the now generally accepted new sequence-based systematics and phylogeny of allergenic and pathogenic fungi is presented. A glossary explains the highly specialized terminology of clinical and systematic mycology for the nonspecialist.

Summarizing the most up-to-date molecular and clinical findings, this publication will be of interest not only to allergologists, mycologists

and biologists, but to all clinicians who want to learn more about clinically important fungi as well as to lawyers concerned with lawsuits on "sick building syndrome".

The book Series Chemical Immunology: Appearing for the first time in 1939, "Progress in Allergy" was the first and for many years, the only international review series in the English language devoted to Immunology. The present title, "Chemical Immunology", reflects the rapidly increasing role of concepts and techniques of molecular and cell biology, as well as the greater emphasis now being placed on research into the biologic problems of immunology, hypersensitivity and immunopathology. Highly specialized, single-topic volumes keep both investigators and practicing physicians up to date with the latest developments in areas of immunology where recent research has been concentrated.

S. Karger AG

P.O. Box

CH-4009 Basel – Switzerland

E-mail: [e-mail] Fax: [phone]

www.karger.com/chemi

*This book is available at the Library of the Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo

This book is available at the Library of the Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  02 Jan 2003
• Date of issue
  Dec 2002