Frontiers in Bioscience-Elite (FBE) is published by IMR Press from Volume 13 Issue 2 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.
Complement in Candida albicans infections
Being normally a frequent commensal organism of the oro-gastrointestinal tract as well as the vulvovaginal cavity in immunocompetent individuals, Candida albicans also represents a major cause of opportunistic infections in locally or systemically immunocompromised hosts. Subsequent symptoms vary and range from superficial thrush to life-threatening systemic infections. The complement system is one of the first defenders of the body against this danger and initiates a fast and efficient antifungal reaction. However, Candida is not an easy prey and counteracts with different complement evasion strategies to undermine this innate immune system. In the present article we summarize the different rounds in the fight between C. albicans and the complement system, and give a short outlook on putative complement-based therapeutic approaches.