What fungal CNS infections can teach us about neuroimmunology and CNS-specific immunity

Immunity to fungal infections of the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the most poorly understood subjects within the field of medical mycology. Yet, the majority of deaths from invasive fungal infections are caused by brain-tropic fungi. In recent years, there have been several significant discoveries in the regulation of neuro-inflammation and the role of the immune system in tissue homeostasis within the CNS. In this review, I highlight five important advances in the neuroimmunology field over the last decade and discuss how we should capitalise on these discoveries to better understand the pathogenesis of fungal CNS infections. In addition, the latest in-sights into fungal invasion tactics, microglia-astrocyte crosstalk and regulation of antifungal adaptive immune responses are summarised in the context of our contemporary understanding of CNS-specific immunity.

Automated summary

Immunity to fungal infections of the central nervous system remains poorly understood in the field of medical mycology, despite brain-tropic fungi being responsible for the majority of deaths from invasive fungal infections. Recent discoveries in neuro-inflammation regulation and immune system involvement in CNS tissue homeostasis have shed light on this area. This review highlights five significant advances in the neuroimmunology field over the past decade and discusses the importance of using these discoveries to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of fungal CNS infections. It also summarizes the latest insights into fungal invasion tactics, microglia-astrocyte crosstalk, and regulation of antifungal adaptive immune responses in the context of our current understanding of CNS-specific immunity.