title: Effects of low-level laser irradiation on the pathogenicity of Candida albicans: in vitro and in vivo study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) on the in vitro growth characteristics and in vivo pathogenicity of Candida albicans in a murine model in the absence of a photosensitizer.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  C. albicans is an opportunistic commensal organism that causes a wide variety of diseases in human beings, ranging from superficial infections to life-threatening invasive candidiasis. The incidence of C. albicans infection is increasing, because of the greater frequency of acquired immunodeficiency conditions. A high recurrence rate has been reported for vulvovaginal and oral candidiasis, despite the best available treatments. Therefore, the search for new treatment modalities seems quite rational.
  
  
  METHODS
  Candida culture plates were exposed to common clinical energies of LLLI: 3, 5, 10, and 20 J at 685 nm (BTL Laser 5000, Medicinos Projektai, Czech Republic, Prague, max power output 50 mW) and 3, 5, 10, 30, and 50 J at 830 nm (BTL Laser 5000, Medicinos Projektai, Czech Republic, Prague, max power output 400 mW).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following LLLI with energies >10 J at both 685 and 830 nm wavelengths, statistically significant effects were observed in vitro on the turbidimetric growth kinetics of C. albicans and in vivo on the survival rate of infected mice (p value ≤ 0.05). Therefore, this energy could be considered a threshold for clinical investigation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Translating our data into the clinical setting, it can be proposed that a direct laser-based approach without using a photosensitizing dye can significantly reduce the pathogenicity of Candida albicans. It can also be concluded that laser light at specific wavelengths could be a possible promising novel treatment for superficial and mucocutaneous C. albicans infections.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medical Microbiology , Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands .
authors.forename: Seyedmojtaba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seyedmousavi
authors.forename: Seyed Jamal
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Sasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaie
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fateh
authors.forename: Gholamreza Esmaeeli
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Djavid
authors.forename: Ensieh
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zibafar
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morsali
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zand
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alinaghizadeh
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ataie-Fashtami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011829:Radiation Dosage