Due to the development of new medical techniques to manage life-threatening diseases, fungal infections have become more prevalent among patients. Immunocompromised patients risk infection by more than 270 fungal species, and clinical outcome often reflects the seriousness of a patients underlying disease. Foreign materials often foster fungal infections, through the use of contaminated skin lotions, catheters and stents. These fungal infections can be treated by the use of antifungal drugs such as voriconazole and caspofungin.
Xenorbabdus nematophila engages in a mutualistic relationship with a soil nematode, Steinernema carpocapase and also can mount potent pathogenic attacks on a variety of insects. During its life cycle, Xenorhabdus produces a wide range of exoenzymes, antimicrobial and nematicidal compounds, and insect toxins. The nematode-bacteria complex is useful for managing agricultural pests. The tripartite X. nematophila-S. carpocapsae-insect interaction is also useful for studying the molecular mechanisms governing both symbiotic and pathogenic interactions between bacteria and animal hosts. The availability of genome sequences ushers in a new era for studying these mutualistic-pathogenic bacteria.
Autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, cause considerable morbidity and early mortality. Although much about the pathology underlying these diseases is understood, their etiology is not. As a result, therapies are typically directed at consequences of these pathological processes, rather than the root causes. Research shows that poorly controlled host immune and inflammatory responses to infections may underlie various inflammatory diseases.
