Candidiases, infections caused by germination forms of the Candida fungus, represent a heterogeneous group of diseases from systemic infection, through mucocutaneous form, to vulvovaginal form. Although caused by one organism, each form is controlled by distinct host immune mechanisms. Phagocytosis by polymorphonuclears and macrophages is generally accepted as the host immune mechanism for Candida elimination. Phagocytes require proinflammatory cytokine stimulation which could be harmful and must be regulated during the course of infection by the activity of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. In the vaginal tissue the phagocytes are inefficient and inflammation is generally an unwanted reaction because it could damage mucosal tissue and break the tolerance to common vagina antigens including the otherwise saprophyting Candida yeast. Recurrent form of vulvovaginal candidiasis is probably associated with breaking of such tolerance. Beside the phagocytosis, specific antibodies, complement, and mucosal epithelial cell comprise Candida eliminating immune mechanisms. They are regulated by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells which produce cytokines IL-12, IFN-gamma, IL-10, TGF-beta, etc. as the response to signals from dendritic cells specialized to sense actual Candida morphotypes. During the course of Candida infection proinflammatory signals (if initially necessary) are replaced successively by antiinflammatory signals. This balance is absolutely distinct during each candidiasis form and it is crucial to describe and understand the basic principles before designing new therapeutic and/or preventive approaches.

• MeSH
• Antifungal Agents therapeutic use   MeSH
• Immunity, Cellular MeSH
• Candida classification   immunology   pathogenicity   MeSH
• Phagocytosis MeSH
• Candidiasis drug therapy   immunology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Carrier State immunology   MeSH
• Immunity, Innate immunology   MeSH
• T-Lymphocytes immunology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antifungal Agents MeSH

Production of secreted aspartate proteinases was determined in a set of 646 isolates of Candida and non-Candida yeast species collected from 465 patients of the University Hospital in Olomouc (Czechia) in the period 1995-2002, and Candida samples obtained from 64 healthy volunteers using solid media developed for this purpose. Using random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis (RAPD) 79 Candida isolates from blood were analyzed to show potential relationships between clustering of the fingerprints and extracellular proteolytic activity of these strains. C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis possess always proteolytic activity while non-Candida species did not display any proteolysis. A tight relationship between fingerprints and extracellular proteolysis in the Candida isolates was not shown. A remarkable consistency between fingerprint clusters and proteolysis occurred in a subset of C. parapsilosis samples. Suboptimal pH of the growth medium was shown to facilitate the investigation of potential co-incidence of genotypic and phenotypic traits.

• MeSH
• Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases physiology   MeSH
• Candida enzymology   pathogenicity   MeSH
• Virulence Factors physiology   MeSH
• Fungal Proteins physiology   MeSH
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases MeSH
• Virulence Factors MeSH
• Fungal Proteins MeSH

Nineteen clinical isolates of Candida albicans and C. dubliniensis were isolated from patients (majority of them HIV-positive) in Slovakia, Brazil, Thailand and Japan. Species discrimination was performed by using growth on CHROMagar Candida, commercial biochemical set API 20C AUX, germ-tube test in human serum, growth at 42 and 45 degrees C on Sabouraud-dextrose agar as well as on CHROMagar Candida, assimilation of D-xylose and methyl alpha-D-glucoside by glass-tube test, and production of chlamydospores. These tests were completed by PCR using Cd-oligo2/F and Cd-oligo2/R primer pair specific for C. dubliniensis. Six clinical isolates were confirmed to be C. dubliniensis, remaining 13 strains were determined as C. albicans. The use of conventional method showed that the determination is markedly influenced by personal evaluation suggesting the necessity of using the combination of many tests to obtain correct results comparing with accurate and rapid PCR assay. For discrimination between C. albicans and C. dubliniensis we recommend the combination of primo-cultivation on CHROMagar, followed by germ-tube test and PCR.

• MeSH
• Candida albicans growth & development   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Candida growth & development   isolation & purification   MeSH
• HIV Seropositivity microbiology   MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Polymerase Chain Reaction methods   MeSH
• Spores, Fungal physiology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Culture Media MeSH

Mycological analysis of swabs and scraping samples from the external ear canals of 40 patients with clinically diagnosed otomycosis (10 neonates, 30 adults) revealed the presence of fungi as etiological agents. They were investigated microscopically using 20 % potassium hydroxide, and by cultivation on Sabouraud's glucose agar. The Candida species were identified using the germ-tube test, micromorphology observations of colonies on rice agar, and particularly by the commercial kit AUXAcolor. The following Candida species were identified in the aural material examined: C. albicans (n = 21; 52.5 %), C. parapsilosis (11; 27.5), C. tropicalis (3; 7.5), C. krusei (3; 7.5), C. guilliermondii (2; 5.0). The above yeasts were present in samples together with Staphylococcus epidermidis (31), S. aureus (16), alpha-hemolytic streptococci (14), Neisseria spp. (14), Proteus mirabilis (3), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3), Escherichia coli (1) and Haemophilus influenzae (1). The most frequent predisposing factors for otomycosis were swimming in public pools and/or bath, spa and diabetes mellitus.

• MeSH
• Candida classification   isolation & purification   pathogenicity   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Candidiasis microbiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Otitis Externa microbiology   MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Slovakia MeSH

A wild-type strain of Candida albicans (S1, ATCC 10261) was used to obtain stable auxotrophic colony morphological mutants (mutant M5 producing only true hyphae and mutant M2 containing 90 % blastospores and 10 % pseudohyphae) by induced mutagenesis. A hybrid was produced by somatic hybridization between these 2 mutants. Out of the isolated 10 clones, 2 stable hybrid clones were chosen and characterized: clone VI. 1M produced rough colonies containing a new, extended cell type (never observed in natural isolates), exhibited unipolar budding, did not form a germ tube, and possessed 12 chromosomal bands. All other features (antifungal and stress sensitivity, adhesion ability, pathogenicity, and isoenzyme and RAPD patterns) were similar to those of mycelial mutant M5. In contrast, the characteristics of clone VI.9S were similar to those of morphological mutant M2.

• MeSH
• Candida albicans enzymology   genetics   growth & development   pathogenicity   MeSH
• DNA, Fungal genetics   MeSH
• Phenotype MeSH
• Genes, Fungal MeSH
• Hybridization, Genetic MeSH
• Isoenzymes genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Mutation * MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Base Sequence MeSH
• Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique MeSH
• Virulence genetics   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Fungal MeSH
• Isoenzymes MeSH

The effects of the alkali metal ions (Li+, Na+ and K+) on the growth and on certain virulence factors (adhesion, cell-surface hydrophobicity and germinating ability) of Candida albicans were determined. High concentrations of these ions displayed an inhibitory effect on the growth of the Candida cells; preincubation in their presence showed a negative effect on all virulence factors studied. The changes induced during the preincubation remained there even when high concentration of the ions was removed from the cell suspension. In contrast, a considerable growth was found at high Na+ and K+ concentrations. Although alkali metal ions significantly decreased certain virulence traits of the fungus they did not totally inhibit adhesion and germ-tube formation. This suggests that C. albicans may represent a health hazard even at a high salt concentration.

• MeSH
• Metals, Alkali pharmacology   MeSH
• Cell Adhesion MeSH
• Candida albicans drug effects   growth & development   pathogenicity   MeSH
• Potassium pharmacology   MeSH
• Virulence Factors MeSH
• Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions MeSH
• Lithium pharmacology   MeSH
• Surface Properties MeSH
• Sodium pharmacology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Metals, Alkali MeSH
• Potassium MeSH
• Virulence Factors MeSH
• Lithium MeSH
• Sodium MeSH

The collection wild-type strain of Candida albicans was used to obtain auxotrophic and colony-morphology mutants by 'nitrosoguanidine' treatment. Intraspecific protoplast fusion induced by Ca(2+)-poly(ethyleneglycol) was carried out in various pairings between the auxotrophic strain producing smooth colonies and containing blastospores and the colony-morphology mutants containing a mixture of blastospores and pseudohyphae or only hyphae. Hybrids exhibiting full or partial complementation were obtained when mutants producing smooth colonies and colony-morphology variants of different origins were fused. The mutation responsible for the colony-morphology character (if various types of colony morphomutants were crossed) proved to be recessive or semidominant. Representative hybrids exhibited elevated DNA contents as measured by flow cytometry. To illustrate various cell types, and especially the intermediate one (never observed in natural isolates), a preparation method was further developed for scanning electron microscopic studies.

• MeSH
• Candida albicans genetics   growth & development   MeSH
• DNA, Fungal genetics   MeSH
• Crosses, Genetic MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Methylnitronitrosoguanidine pharmacology   MeSH
• Microscopy, Electron, Scanning MeSH
• Mutation * MeSH
• Polyethylene Glycols pharmacology   MeSH
• Flow Cytometry MeSH
• Genetic Complementation Test MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Fungal MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Methylnitronitrosoguanidine MeSH
• Polyethylene Glycols MeSH

Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 5.8S rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) was used for examination of 66 isolates belonging to 19 species. Intraspecies variability was found in the examined region of 11 species (Candida albicans, C. catenulata, C. colliculosa, C. glabrata, C. kefyr, C. melinii, C. parapsilosis, C. guillermondii, C. solanii, C. tropicalis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Region of ITS-5.8S rDNA was amplified using the primers ITS1 and ITS4. The amplicons were digested by HaeIII, HinfI and CfoI. The recognized intraspecies variability was confirmed in the second step, in which the shorter fragments of this region were amplified using primers ITS1 and ITS2 and analyzed by capillary electrophoresis. Considerable intraspecific variability renders this method unsuitable for species identification, whereas it can be useful for epidemiological tracing of isolates.

• MeSH
• Candida classification   genetics   MeSH
• DNA, Fungal analysis   MeSH
• DNA Primers * MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Electrophoresis, Capillary MeSH
• Genetic Variation * MeSH
• Genes, rRNA MeSH
• Fungi classification   genetics   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer analysis   genetics   MeSH
• Mycological Typing Techniques MeSH
• Mycoses microbiology   MeSH
• Polymerase Chain Reaction methods   MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S analysis   genetics   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae classification   genetics   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Evaluation Study MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Fungal MeSH
• DNA Primers * MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S MeSH