A collection of state-of-the-art molecular methods for studying antifungal resistance, for discovering and evaluating both new and existing antifungal drugs, and for understanding the host response and immunotherapy of such agents. The protocols follow the successful Methods in Molecular Medicine(TM) series format, each offering step-by-step laboratory instructions, an introduction outlining the principle behind the technique, lists of the necessary equipment and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Antifungal Agents: Methods and Protocols offers clinician-scientists, microbiologists and molecular biologists the productive tools they need today to understand and successfully develop new therapeutic agents for yeast, mold, and fungal infections.

Part I. Introduction

Susceptibility Testing Methods of Antifungal Agents
Erika J. Ernst

Part II. Antifungal Resistance

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Fingerprinting Methods for Candida Species
Shawn R. Lockhart, Claude Pujol, Andrew R. Dodgson, and David R. Soll

CARE-2 Fingerprinting of Candida albicans Isolates
Joachim Morschhäuser, Peter Staib, and Gerwald Köhler

Targeted Gene Deletion in Candida albicans Wild-Type Strains by MPAR Flipping
Joachim Morschhäuser, Peter Staib, and Gerwald Köhler

Application of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Microarray Analysis to the Study of Azole Antifungal Resistance in Candida albicans
Katherine S. Barker and P. David Rogers

Application of Proteomic Analysis to the Study of Azole Antifungal Resistance in Candida albicans
Massoumeh Z. Hooshdaran, George M. Hilliard, and P. David Rogers

Techniques for Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida albicans Biofilms
Gordon Ramage and José Luis López-Ribot

Part III. Antifungal Development and Evaluation

Natural Products and Antifungal Drug Discovery
Melissa R. Jacob and Larry A. Walker

Use of an Animal Model of Disseminated Candidiasis in the Evaluation of Antifungal Therapy
David Andes

Murine Model of Invasive Aspergillosis
Russell E. Lewis and Nathan P. Wiederhold

Antifungal Combinations
Roxana G. Vitale, Javier Afeltra, and Eric Dannaoui

Post-Antifungal Effect Methods
Roxana G. Vitale

Part IV. Host Responses and Immunotherapy

Evaluation of Immunotherapy in Invasive Candidiasis: Antifungal Activity and Cytokine Expression Assays
Maria Simitsopoulou and Emmanuel Roilides

Interaction of Histoplasma capsulatum With Human Macrophages, Dendritic Cells, and Neutrophils
Simon L. Newman

Immunology of Infection Caused by Cryptococcusneoformans
Floyd L. Wormley, Jr. and John R. Perfect

Index