Work Package 5 - Candidiasis
Last updated 2006-10-15
Candida is the most common etiological agent of yeast infections, and a serious health problem in Western countries. It usually affects skin and mucous membranes, and is often associated with immunological dysfunction. The discovery of the APS I causing gene, Aire, gives a unique opportunity to develop mouse models that closely mimics human chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Indeed, several Aire deficient mice have been generated during the last years by the members of this consortium, and this enables careful and systematic analyses of Candida related aspects in these models. The studies described in this work package provide a solid basis to the understanding of factors and mechanisms behind host and yeast interaction and Candida pathogenesis. As a result, the proposed experiments may lead to new drugs or better treatment of chronic infection of Candida.