title: Starvation survival of Candida albicans in various water microcosms.
abstract: Candida is a major Human pathogen causing a variety of infections and can survive for extended period of time in aquatic environment including marine and fresh water. In this study we compared a colorimetric XTT assay to colony forming units (CFU) count to evaluate the survival potential of Candida albicans incubated in water microcosms. Our results showed that cells maintain cultivability within a long period followed by a decline in cultivability and a drop of plate counts to less than 20 cell ml(-1) after 150 days in tap water, 190 days in rain water and 200 days in seawater. In addition we noted that 10% of cells viability was reached after 150 days in seawater, 180 days in rain water and 210 days in tap water. Molecular method confirms the persistence of C. albicans cells in water during long time starvation period.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Analyses, Traitement et Valorisation des Polluants de l'Environnement et des Produits, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Monastir, Rue Avicenne 5000, Monastir, Tunisia. chaieb_mo@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Kamel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chaieb
authors.forename: Bochra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kouidhi
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zmantar
authors.forename: Kacem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mahdouani
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bakhrouf
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003124:Colorimetry; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D050296:Microbial Viability; D011891:Rain / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013997:Time Factors; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; C059087:2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-((phenylamino)carbonyl)-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide