Resumo

MANISCALCHI BADAOUI, María Teresa  e  LEMUS ESPINOZA, Druvic. Mechanisms of escape of Histoplasma capsulatum in the phagocytes. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2006, vol.26, n.1, pp.6-13. ISSN 1315-2556.

Histoplasma capsulatum is a dimorphic fungal pathogen with three varieties: H. capsulatum var. capsulatum (american histoplasmosis), H. capsulatum var. duboissi (african histoplasmosis) and H. capsulatum var. farciminosum (epizotic linfangitis). The american histoplasmosis is the most common and can be actually considered one of the worldwide deep mycoses most frequent. It causes a broad spectrum of clinical variations that will depend on the host immunologic condition, and the fungus inoculum size and entrance way. Cellular mediated immunity is considered the main mechanism of defense against this fungi; it confers certain immunity to the re-infection and variable degrees of hipersensibility to microorganism antigenic components. When the conidia penetrate, they are ingested by resident phagocytes; then, in the reticulo-endothelial system, the conidia transformed, resisting macrophages degradation, and being able to survive. When we carrying out a scientific, national, and international literature revision, about the mechanism and efficiency of H. capsulatum phagocytoses, it is hoped to contribute with the knowledge of host-fungus interaction; this information can be useful to improve the treatment. Although many doubts have been elucidated in the last 20 years, with respect on the immunologic response against this fungus (specifically about phagocytoses process), and have many hypothesis on possible escape mechanisms, and their interaction with the host, it is necessary to continue with the investigations, since still there are some aspects to be clarified of the capacity of this fungus to adapt to new conditions that the phagocyte offers to him.

Palavras-chave : Histoplasma capsulatum; Phagocytoses; Macrophages; Phagocytes.