Although the means of diagnosing and treating fungal infections have improved greatly over the last decade fungi still represent a serious threat to the health of immunocompromised and immunodeficient patients. The aim of this book is to give an in-depth assessment of our current understanding of the Biology of the main fungal pathogens and how they interact with the host¿s immune response. Each Chapter focuses on a specific fungal pathogen or group of pathogens and examines their biology and the factors that allow the fungus colonise and disseminate within the host. In addition each Chapter gives an indication of the challenges that remain to be tackled over the next 5 ¿ 10 years in increasing our understanding of fungal pathogenicity. Each chapter is written by internationally recognized experts and this has ensured that the book is as comprehensive and authoritative a text as is possible to assemble.

Immunity to fungi.- In vitro models to analyse fungal infection.- Insects as Models for Studying the Virulence of Fungal Pathogens of Humans.- Novel Antifungal Therapies.- Candida Albicans: New Insights in Infection, Disease, and Treatment.- Pathogenesis of Cryptococcus neoformans.- The Zygomycetes.- The virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus.- The Biology of the Thermally Dimorphic Fungal Pathogen Penicillium marneffei.- Immune Responses to Dermatophytoses.- Insights in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Pathogenicity.- Fusarium and Scedosporium: Emerging Fungal Pathogens.