%0 Journal Article
%T Virulence Factors IN Fungi OF Systemic Mycoses
%A KUROKAWA Cilmery Suemi
%A SUGIZAKI Maria F¨˘tima
%A PERA£żOLI Maria Terezinha Serr£żo
%J Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de S£żo Paulo
%D 1998
%I Instituto de Medicina Tropical
%X Pathogenic fungi that cause systemic mycoses retain several factors which allow their growth in adverse conditions provided by the host, leading to the establishment of the parasitic relationship and contributing to disease development. These factors are known as virulence factors which favor the infection process and the pathogenesis of the mycoses. The present study evaluates the virulence factors of pathogenic fungi such as Blastomyces dermatitidis, Coccidioides immitis, Cryptococcus neoformans, Histoplasma capsulatum and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in terms of thermotolerance, dimorphism, capsule or cell wall components as well as enzyme production. Virulence factors favor fungal adhesion, colonization, dissemination and the ability to survive in hostile environments and elude the immune response mechanisms of the host. Both the virulence factors presented by different fungi and the defense mechanisms provided by the host require action and interaction of complex processes whose knowledge allows a better understanding of the pathogenesis of systemic mycoses.
%K Virulence factors
%K Systemic Mycosis
%K Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
%K Histoplasma capsulatum
%K Coccidioides immitis
%K Blastomyces dermatitidis
%K Cryptococcus neoformans
%U http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-46651998000300001