title: Phospholipase and proteinase activities of Candida spp. isolates from vulvovaginitis in Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to characterize phospholipase and proteinase activities of Candida isolates from 82 vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and to study the relationship of these activities with vulvovaginitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 82 Candida isolates from vagina samples of VVC patients were randomly collected over the period between September and December 2014 from hospitalized patients at the general hospitals of Lorestan province, Iran. Isolates were previously identified by conventional mycological methods. The phospholipase and proteinase activities were evaluated by Egg yolk agar, Tween 80 opacity medium and agar plate methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common Candida species was identified Candida albicans (n=34, 41.5%), followed by Candida famata (n=13, 15.8%), Candida tropicalis (n=11, 13.4%), and Candida parapsilosis (n=9, 11%). The most phospholipase activity was observed in Candida colliculosa (40%), followed by C. famata (38.5%), and Candida krusei (33.3%). The findings revealed that the correlation between phospholipase production by Candida spp. and the presence of VVC was not found to be statistically significant (P=0.91). All Candida spp. exhibited considerable proteinase activity; so that 100% of C. colliculosa, C. parapsilosis, Candida kefyr, and Candida intermedia isolates produced high proteinase activity with Pz 4+ scores. There was a significant correlation between proteinase production by Candida spp. and the presence of VVC (P=0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained findings revealed that Candida spp. isolates may produce both virulence factors, phospholipase and proteinase. Although the phospholipase production was only observed in <40% of the isolates; however there was a significant association between proteinase production by Candida spp. and VVC.
authors.affiliation: Islamic Azad University, Borujerd Branch, Departmant of Microbiolgy, Borujerd, Iran.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shirkhani
authors.affiliation: Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Khorramabad, Iran. Electronic address: fungimed44@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sepahvand
authors.affiliation: Islamic Azad University, Borujerd Branch, Department of Laboratory Sciences, Borujerd, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mirzaee
authors.affiliation: Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anbari
mesh_terms: D002175:Candida / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010740:Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010740:Phospholipases; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases
keywords: Candida; Candidose vulvo-vaginale; Facteurs de virulence; Virulence factors; Vulvovaginal candidiasis