[Protease and phospholipase activities of Candida albicans isolated from vaginal secretions with different pH values].
Even though vulvovaginal candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis are seldom simultaneously found, we have detected this association at an above average frequency. Thus, we set out to study the activity of proteinases and phospholipases, virulence factors of Candida albicans, to assess their role in the above mentioned association. Of a total of 70 Candida isolates were retrieved from samples of vaginal secretions analyzed at our Diagnostic Service, 65 were identified as C. albicans (a group of n=26 obtained from clinical samples of pH>4.5 and a group of n=39 from clinical samples of pH=or<4.5). The evaluation of phospholipases activity was performed on malt agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar with the addition of egg yolk as substrate. The proteolytic activity was detected on plates of agar base medium with the addition of bovine albumin serum as substrate as sole nitrogen source. Phospholipases activity was essentially the same in both groups of samples (p=0.2003). Proteolytic activity was detected in 61.5% of the isolates from the group with pH=or<4.5 and in 96.2% in the group with pH>4.5; being the former much higher than the latter (p=0.0001). Based on these results we postulate that the simultaneous occurrence of bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis could be related to the proteolytic activity but unrelated to phospholipases activity.
Ombrella
Adriana M
AM
Cátedra de Microbiología, Virología y Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina. aombrella@hotmail.com
Racca
Liliana
L
Ramos
Laura
L
D000328:Adult; D000362:Agar; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000382:microbiology*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D002523:Edible Grain; D004530:Egg Yolk; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D010740:Phospholipases / Q000032:analysis*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence
D003470:Culture Media; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D000362:Agar; D010740:Phospholipases; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases