Primary immunodeficiency and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis: pathophysiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches

Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) is characterized by a chronic or recurrent non-invasive infection, mainly due to Candida albicans, in skin, nails, and mucous membranes, associated in some cases with autoimmune manifestations. The key immune defect is a disruption of the action of cytokine IL-17, whose most common genetic etiology is STAT1 gene gain-of-function (GOF) mutations. The initial appropriate treatment for fungal infections is with azoles. However, the frequent occurrence of drug resistance is the main limitation. Therefore, identification of the underlying inborn error if immunity in CMC may allow to widen therapeutic options aimed at restoring immunological function. Type I and II Janus kinase-inhibitors have been shown to control CMC in cases associated with STAT1 GOF. In this review, we delve into the pathogenesis of CMC and the underlying immune mechanisms. We describe the reported genetic defects in which CMC is the main manifestation. Diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for these patients are also offered

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IL-17 and infections

IL-17 immunity has been shown to be essential for mucocutaneous protection against Candida albicans in mice and humans. However, mice with defective IL-17 immunity display broader susceptibility, as they are also prone to infections with diverse infectious agents at various sites. Humans with genetic defects affecting their IL-17 immunity usually suffer from chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC): recurrent or persistent infections of the skin, nails, and mucosae with C. albicans, with or without other clinical signs. Most patients with autosomal dominant (AD) hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) due to STAT3 deficiency or AD STAT1 gain-of-function display impaired IL-17-producing T-cell development, and CMC is one of their principal clinical manifestations. Similarly, patients with autosomal recessive (AR) autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) caused by AIRE deficiency have high levels of neutralizing autoantibodies against IL-17A, IL-17F and/or IL-22 and present CMC as their only infectious disease. Finally, CMC is the main clinical phenotype observed in patients with inborn errors specifically affecting IL-17 immunity. Indeed, patients with AD IL-17F deficiency or AR IL-17RA or ACT1 deficiency display CMC and, to a lesser extent, superficial staphylococcal diseases. Candida infection was recently reported in psoriasis patients treated with anti-IL-17A antibodies. Careful monitoring for CMC is thus important during anti-IL-17 treatment

Se ha demostrado que la inmunidad IL-17 es esencial para la protección mucocutánea contra la Candida albicans en ratones y humanos. Independientemente, los ratones con inmunidad IL-17 defectuosa muestran una susceptibilidad más amplia, de modo que también son propensos a infecciones por diversos agentes infecciosos en varios lugares. Los humanos con defectos genéticos que afectan su inmunidad IL-17 habitualmente padecen candidiasis mucocutánea crónica (CMC): infecciones cutáneas recurrentes o persistentes de uñas y mucosas por C. albicans, con o sin otros signos clínicos. Muchos pacientes con síndrome de hiper IgE autosómico dominante (AD-HIES) debido a deficiencia STAT3 o a aumento de función AD STAT1 muestran un desarrollo dañado de células T productoras de IL-17 y la CMC es una de sus principales manifestaciones. De igual manera, los pacientes con síndrome poliendocrino autoinmune tipo 1 recesivo autosómico (AR-APS-1) causado por deficiencia de AIRE (regulador autoinmune) presentan altos niveles de anticuerpos neutralizantes contra IL-17A, IL-17F y/o IL-22 y padecen CMC como su única enfermedad infecciosa. Finalmente, la CMC es el principal fenotipo clínico observado en pacientes con errores innatos, específicamente aquellos que afectan la inmunidad IL-17. De hecho, los pacientes con deficiencia AD IL-17F o deficiencia IL-17RA o ACT1 presentan CMC y, en menor medida, enfermedades estafilocócicas superficiales. Se ha informado recientemente CMC en pacientes tratados con anticuerpos anti-IL-17A. Es importante el control cuidadoso de la CMC en estos pacientes durante el tratamiento con anti-IL-17ª

Determinação da atividade antifúngica dos óleos essenciais de curcuma longa l. (zingiberaceae) e de achillea millefolium (asteraceae) cultivadas no noroeste do Paraná / Determination of antifungal activity of essential oils of curcuma longa l. (zingiberaceae) and achillea millefolium (asteraceae) grown in the northwest paraná

No presente estudo, utilizou-se o óleo essencial das plantas Curcuma longa L. e Achillea millefolium, cultivadas no Horto Medicinal da Universidade Paranaense, localizado na cidade de Umuarama-PR região Noroeste do Paraná-Brasil. Para isso, os óleos foram obtidos pelo processo de extração por Clevenger modificado, e determinada a ação antimicrobiana frente a 20 cepas de microorganismos isolados de material clínico humano, sendo 16 leveduras da espécie Candida albicans isoladas da cavidade oral de pacientes portadores do Vírus da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (HIV), 3 leveduras isoladas de candidíase vulvovaginal (C. albicans, C. glabrata e C. tropicalis) e uma amostra de S. aureus isolado de lesões cutâneas. Por intermédio dos testes de microdiluição em caldo, os óleos de Achillea millefolium e de Curcuma longa demonstraram ação antimicrobiana considerada moderada (0,625 mg mL-1) em 63,2% e 68,4% das leveduras testadas, respectivamente. Ambos os óleos não apresentaram atividade frente ao S. aureus. Desta forma, sugere-se estudos adicionais para uso na incorporação dos óleos em formas farmacêuticas, com vistas ao uso no tratamento tópico de Candidíase mucocutânea.

It was used in this research the essential oil of the plants Curcuma longa and Achillea millefolium cultivated on the Medicinal garden of Universidade Paranense located on the city of Umuarama-PR. The oils were obtained by the process of steam distillation and was determined the microbial activity against 20 microorganisms isolated from clinical human material, being 16 yeasts of Candida albicans species isolated from the oral cavity from patients infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), 3 yeasts isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis (C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis) and one sample of S. aureus isolated from skin injuries. Through broth microdilution tests, the oils of Achillea millefolium and Curcuma longa showed moderated action (0,625 mg mL-1) on 63,2% e 68,4% of tested yeasts, respectively. Both Oils didn?t show activity against S. aureus. Therefore it is suggested further studies for use in the incorporation of oils in dosage forms with a view to use in the topical treatment of mucocutaneous candidiasis.

Immunologic analysis of HIV-uninfected Taiwanese children with BCG-induced disease.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate immunity in HIV-uninfected children with bacille Calmette-Guerin-induced disease (BCG-ID) over an 8-year period, with particular emphasis on underlying diseases. METHODS: Patient afflicted with BCG-ID proven by clinical courses, dermatologic features, pathology, specific polymerase chain reaction, and/or spoligotyping were enrolled between 2000 and 2007. Lymphocyte proliferation, polymorphonuclear function, interleukin (IL)-12/23-interferons (IFN)-gamma circuit, and Toll-like receptor 2-associated signaling were investigated. RESULTS: Of the 271,618 total live births who received the BCG vaccine, eight patients (seven males) with BCG-ID were enrolled during an 8-year period and presented as three disseminated, two distant, and three regional BCG-ID. Their age at onset ranged from 1 to 28 months. All had a vaccine-injection scar except for one with lower CD3 and natural killer cells, compatible with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) identified by IL-2 receptor common gamma chain (IL2RG) mutation (Arg226Lys). The other SCID patient with de novo IL2RG mutation (Trp74Gly) had more recurrent infections. The third patient with primary autoimmune neutropenia had disseminated BCG-ID extending to abdominal wall. The fourth patient with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis had regional BCG-ID and impaired lymphocyte proliferation to Candida and BCG antigens. No defective evidence of polymorphonuclear functions, IL-12/23-IFN-gamma circuit, and Toll-like receptor 2-associated signaling was detected in the remaining four patients. CONCLUSION: Immunologic analysis in HIV-uninfected patients with BCG-ID reveals primary immunodeficiency diseases, especially in those with deficiencies in T-cell and neutrophil functions observed in our cohort, including primary autoimmune neutropenia and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.

Oral health in Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy Candidiasis Ectodermal Dystrophy (APECED).

BACKGROUND: APECED (Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy Candidiasis Ectodermal Dystrophy) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterised primarily by sequential immune-mediated destruction of endocrine tissues, chronic oral or mucocutaneous candidiasis and ectodermal disorders, including hypoplasia of dental enamel. AIM: This was to investigate the oral health and presence of enamel defects in a cohort of patients with APECED. METHODS: 16 patients with APECED (mean age of 13.9 years) were matched for age and gender with healthy controls. A comprehensive medical, dental and drug history was recorded, followed by a clinical assessment of oral health which was determined by assessing periodontal treatment needs, prevalence of dental caries, erosion, fluorosis and enamel defects. The estimated time of the development of the enamel defects and the contemporaneous medical diagnosis were recorded. RESULTS: Oral health of patients with APECED was poor compared with controls, with a higher prevalence of periodontal disease, caries and erosion. There was a significantly (P < 0.05) higher prevalence of enamel defects in the study group. The enamel defects were mostly hypoplastic in the form of pits, missing enamel and grooves. The enamel defects occurred in a chronological pattern. There was a strong association between the estimated time of defective enamel formation and a history of hypoparathyroidism. Gastrointestinal dysfunction and a history of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis were also associated with the presence of enamel defects. CONCLUSION: The oral health of individuals with APECED was poor compared with controls with a higher prevalence of periodontal disease, caries, erosion and enamel defects. The enamel defects in the study population occurred in a chronological pattern and some were associated with a history of systemic disease during the period of tooth development.

Altered, but not diminished specific T cell response in chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis patients.

Patients suffering from chronic mucocutaneous infections with the yeast Candida albicans (CMC) are discussed to have an underlying primary cellular immunodeficiency. In order to characterise cellular immunity in CMC patients, we analysed chemotaxis and myeloperoxidase (MPO) releases of neutrophils and T cell proliferation and cytokine production to Candida albicans. Patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (n = 4) and healthy volunteers of same sex and similar age (n = 14) were enrolled into the study. Neutrophil chemotaxis was assessed by transwell migration assay, and MPO release by ELISA. T cell proliferation capacity was investigated by thymidine incorporation and cytokine secretion in supernatants by ELISA. Neither neutrophil migration nor MPO release differed between CMC patients and healthy controls. The relative lymphocyte stimulation index (SI Candida/SI PHA) was heterogenous, but overall it was higher in CMC patients compared to controls. However, Candida-specific IFN-gamma production was significantly reduced in CMC patients. Notably, Candida-specific T cell IL-10 production was markedly higher in CMC patients. The inability to clear the yeast Candida albicans in our CMC patients does not seem to be due to an impaired neutrophil function or reduced antigen specific proliferation of lymphocytes. In fact, our patients tended to proliferate stronger to Candida antigen relative to PHA than healthy controls. However, the impaired Th1 cytokine production with an enhanced IL-10 production could play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic mucocutaneous Candida infections.

Tratamiento con voriconazol de un caso de candidiasis mucocutánea crónica / Therapy with voriconazol for a case of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis

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Onicomicosis y balanitis en un niño de 5 años / Onychomycosis and balanitis in a 5-year-old boy

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Immunodeficiency with recurrent panlymphocytopenia, impaired maturation of B lymphocytes, impaired interaction of T and B lymphocytes, and impaired integrity of epithelial tissue: a variant of idiopathic CD4+ T lymphocytopenia?

Idiopathic CD4+ T lymphocytopenia (ICL) has been defined as a cause of immunodeficiency with a variable clinical course and an unknown etiology. Here we describe a now 18-year-old boy with ICL, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC), recurrent abscesses, and relapsing aphthous and ulcerous lesions. In addition to ICL the patient frequently showed a panlymphocytopenia. An increased percentage of gamma+delta+ T lymphocytes and IgD+ IgM+ B lymphocytes, and a decreased percentage of CD21+ B lymphocytes, were observed. In vitro assays showed normal T-cell responses to candidin and T-cell mitogens, but impaired B-cell responses to pokeweed mitogen (PWM). B-cell maturation after stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) was nearly normal. The clinical course of the patient improved substantially on administration of constant low-dose therapy with fluconazole.

Imunologia na candidíase / Immunology in candidiasis

Os autores realizam um trabalho de revisão, atualizando os conceitos modernos dos mecanismos imunológicos presentes na candidíase (local e sistêmica). O papel dos linfócitos T, anticorpos, fatores neuroendócrinos e citocininas é discutido. São propostos tratamentos imunomoduladores futuros para esta infecção

Candidiasis-endocrinopathy syndrome with progressive myopathy.

A women suffering from the candidiasis-endocrinopathy syndrome, developed severe myopathy in her fourth decade and died from it at the age of 37 years. Associated conditions were hypoparathyroidism, vitiligo, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, short stature, intellectual disability, ovarian failure and alopecia totalis. Muscle biopsy findings were non-specific with focal atrophy of type 2 fibres. Serum immunoglobulin levels were normal. The only demonstrable abnormalities of her immune system were impaired T-cell function and antibody production by B-cells (detectable to smooth muscle, mitochondria and gastric parietal cells). The T-cell abnormality may have been part of a more generalized cell defect, resulting from an unidentified genetic abnormality, whilst the circulating antibodies could have been a response to tissue damage. There was no convincing evidence of primary autoimmune damage.