title: Correlation between Candida albicans biofilm formation and invasion of the invertebrate host Galleria mellonella.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate whether biofilm production by Candida albicans clinical isolates could be a hallmark of virulence in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty clinical isolates of C. albicans were examined via histological studies on larvae infected with various fungal doses (from 10(3) to 10(5) CFU/larva) of biofilm producer and nonproducer strains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The poor prognostic role of infection due to a biofilm-producing isolate was confirmed by the Wald test (hazard ratio: 2.63; 95% CI: 2.03-3.41). Histological examinations at 24 h showed a strong innate immune response, with evidence of melanization for both infection groups. However, at 48 h, we found huge differences in filamentation and tissue invasion capability between biofilm nonproducing and producing isolates, the latter being highly organized into biofilm and invading the larval intestinal tract. Invasion corroborated survival data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The histological results demonstrate that the production of biofilm could enhance the invasiveness of C. albicans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via di Rudinì, 8 - 20142 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: Solange
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: Beth Burgwyn
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cirasola
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perdoni
authors.forename: Delfina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tosi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Braidotti
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bulfamante
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morace
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mylonakis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007814:Larva / Q000382:microbiology; D009036:Moths / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*