AUTHOR=Vecchiarelli Anna , Pericolini Eva , Gabrielli Elena , Pietrella Donatella 

TITLE=New Approaches in the Development of a Vaccine for Mucosal Candidiasis: Progress and Challenges

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2012

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2012.00294

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2012.00294

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The commensal fungus <italic>Candida albicans</italic> causes mucosal candidiasis in the rapidly expanding number of immunocompromised patients. Mucosal candidiasis includes oropharyngeal, esophageal, gastrointestinal, and vaginal infections. Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and antimycotic-refractory recurrent VVC is a frequent problem in healthy childbearing women. Both these mucosal infections can affect the quality of life and finding new therapeutical and preventive approaches is a challenge. A vaccine against candidal infections would be a new important tool to prevent and/or cure mucosal candidiasis and would be of benefit to many patients. Several <italic>Candida</italic> antigens have been proposed as vaccine candidates including cell wall components and virulence factors. Here we discuss the recent progress and problems associated with vaccination against mucosal candidiasis.</p>