In vitro evaluation of putative virulence attributes of oral isolates of Candida spp. obtained from elderly healthy individuals.
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.
Furlaneto-Maia
Luciana
L
Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Rua Alagoas, 2001, Cep 86020-430, Londrina, PR, Brazil. lucianamaia@utfpr.edu.br
Specian
Ana Flavia
AF
Bizerra
Fernando Cesar
FC
de Oliveira
Marcelo Tempesta
MT
Furlaneto
Márcia Cristina
MC
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
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D015725:Fluconazole; D010740:Phospholipases