Host resistance and protection against oral candidasis

白色念珠菌是一种重要的机会性致病菌，广泛存在于普通医疗和牙科实践以及医院环境中。临床观察表明，先天免疫缺陷使患者容易发生播散性感染，而细胞介导的免疫反应减弱通常与慢性口腔感染有关。已经建立了慢性和急性口腔念珠菌病的动物模型，并以申请者为特征，这些模型清楚地表明T细胞参与了原发感染的恢复过程。这些模型现在将用于分析导致酵母从口腔中清除的效应器机制，特别关注吞噬细胞的作用及其与T细胞的相互作用。急性模型将用于识别可作为保护标志的免疫学变量，慢性模型将评估治疗操作的有效性，最终目的是开发一种针对人类感染的保护性疫苗。

Candida albicans is an important opportunistic pathogen, that is widely represented in general medical and dental practice, as well as in the hospital environment. Clinical observations indicate that defects in innate immunity predispose patients to disseminated infection, whereas a weakened cell-mediated immune response is commonly associated with chronic oral infections. Animal models of both chronic and acute oral candidiasis have been developed and characterised by the applicants, and these have clearly implicated T cells in the process of recovery from primary infection. The models will now be used to analyse the effector mechanisms that lead to clearance of the yeast from the oral cavity, with a particular focus on the role of phagocytic cells, and their interaction with T cells. The acute model will be used to identify immunological variables that can act as markers of protection, and the effectiveness of therapeutic manipulations will be evaluated in the chronic model, with the ultimate aim of developing a protective vaccine for human infections.