Subcutaneous infection with dematiaceous fungi in Card9 knockout mice reveals association of impair neutrophils and Th cell response

Phaeohyphomycosis refers to a group of severe, invasive and intractable fungal infection, which is caused by dematiaceous fungi with a yeast-like, hyphal, or pseudohyphal morphology in tissue. Exophiala, Phialophora, Fonsecaea and Cladosporium species have been reported as common etiologic agent[1,2]. Both innate and adaptive immune responses have been proved to be required for effective containment of fungal infections[3]. As the convergent role of innate and adaptive anti-fungal immune pathway, CARD9 plays an essential role in antifungal immunity[4].