title: Evaluation of virulence factors and antifungal susceptibility patterns of different Candida species isolated from the female camel (Camelus dromedarius) genital tract.
abstract: The purposes of this study were to investigate the enzymatic activity of different Candida species and their antifungal susceptibility patterns. The study involved a total of 83 isolates of Candida from the genital tract of the female Camelus dromedarius. After species identification, the isolates were analysed for the production/activity of phospholipase, proteinase and haemolysin. In addition, the agar disc diffusion method was performed on the basis of CLSI guidelines M44-A2 protocol for antifungal susceptibility testing. All the isolates were able to produce phospholipase, proteinase and haemolysin. A total of 35.48%, 87.09% and 64.51% of C. albicans isolates exhibited very high phospholipase, proteinase and haemolytic activities, respectively, whereas very high phospholipase, proteinase and haemolytic activities were determined in 5.76%, 23.07% and 45.16% of non-C. albicans isolates respectively. Overall, 61 (73.5%) of Candida isolates were susceptible to fluconazole, 70 (84.3%) susceptible to clotrimazole, 82 (98.8%) susceptible to voriconazole, 76 (91.6%) susceptible to itraconazole, 75 (90.4%) susceptible to ketoconazole, 83 (100%) susceptible to amphotericin B, 81 (97.6%) susceptible to nystatin and 36 (43.4%) susceptible to flucytosine. Candida isolates showed higher haemolytic activity than that of other secreted hydrolases among vaginal Candida species. In addition, amphotericin B was the most in vitro effective antifungal drug and flucytosine had the poorest activity under such conditions.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mycology Research Center, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Aghil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharifzadeh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mycology Research Center, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Minoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soltani
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran.
authors.forename: Hojjatollah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shokri
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002162:Camelus / Q000382:microbiology*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005437:Flucytosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D009761:Nystatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010740:Phospholipases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D060737:Reproductive Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; D009761:Nystatin; D000666:Amphotericin B; D005437:Flucytosine; D010740:Phospholipases; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases
keywords: Camel; Candida; antifungal drugs; extracellular enzymes; female genital tract