title: In vitro evaluation of putative virulence attributes of oral isolates of Candida spp. obtained from elderly healthy individuals.
abstract: Identification of Candida isolates obtained from oral cavity of elderly healthy individuals revealed the predominance of non-albicans Candida species (88.9%) compared to Candida albicans (11%). CHROMagar Candida differential medium and PCR revealed the presence of Candida tropicalis (33.3%), Candida glabrata (27.8%), and Candida krusei (16.7%). We investigated the presence of virulence attributes in a total of 18 isolates, including acid protease and phospholipase production, hemolytic activity, and biofilm production. Extracellular protease was found in five isolates (27.8%) whereas extracellular phospholipase was found in three isolates (17%). All isolates showed hemolytic activity. About 56% of the isolates were weakly positive for biofilm formation (score +) whereas a minority (5.6%) of them showed strong biofilm formation (score 4+). Susceptibility in vitro of the isolates to fluconazole was carried out by microdilution method. Fluconazole showed a strong inhibition against most buccal isolates. The resistant isolates were 2 C. tropicalis, 2 C. glabrata, and 1 C. krusei.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Rua Alagoas, 2001, Cep 86020-430, Londrina, PR, Brazil. lucianamaia@utfpr.edu.br
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Furlaneto-Maia
authors.forename: Ana Flavia
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Specian
authors.forename: Fernando Cesar
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Bizerra
authors.forename: Marcelo Tempesta
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Márcia Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Furlaneto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D002175:Candida / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005838:Genotype; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D010641:Phenotype; D010740:Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012756:Sheep; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D015725:Fluconazole; D010740:Phospholipases