For direct identification of Candida albicans from other Candida species, the chlamydospore formation and the mycelial transition induced by high temperature and by sera were examined in 198 Candida isolates. The germ tubes of C. albicans developed early at 30 min in high temperature-induction, but at 60 min in serum-induction. C. albicans generated germ tubes well at concentrations lower than 2 x 10(7) cells/ml, but the germ tube formation was markedly restrained at concentrations higher than 4 x 10(7) cells/ml. In a serum-free, yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YEPD) medium, C. albicans grew as a yeast form at 30 degrees C and as a mycelial form at 35-42 degrees C. Mycelial development was maximal at 37 degrees C in serum and at 39 degrees C in YEPD. Germ tubes were formed within 30 min in YEPD at 39 degrees C, but after 60 min in serum at 37 degrees C. Our examination showed that the 39 degrees C-induced germ tube formation tests were very reliable (sensitivity 100%, specificity 100%) at discerning C. albicans from other Candida species. These results suggest that the high temperature-induced germ tube formation testing could be a useful identification method of C. albicans in clinical laboratories.
Candida albicans/physiology ; Candida albicans/isolation & purification* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Temperature

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of growth and metabolism and the toxicity of under different conditions. METHODS: We observed the growth of and under routine culture conditions and in different pH and salt concentrations, and compared their activities of sugar fermentation using microbiochemical reaction tubes. Four-week-old nude mice were randomized into infection group (=5), infection group (=5) and control group (=5) for intragastric administration of 0.3 mL suspension the two (5×10 cfu/mL) or 0.3 mL normal saline. Samples of the liver, kidney, intestine, feces and blood were taken for analysis of the distribution and toxicity of by fungal culture and histopathological examination. RESULTS: exhibited logarithmic growth at 8-24 h after inoculation and showed stable growth after 24 h. showed optimal growth within the pH value range of 5-7 with a growth pattern identical to that of . grew better than in media containing 5% and 10% NaCl, and could ferment glucose, sucrose, trehalose and sorbitol. could be isolated from the feces, blood, liver and kidney of infected nude mice, and the liver had the highest fungal load (5.7 log cfu/g). could cause pathological changes in the liver and intestine of the mice, but with a lesser severity as compared with . CONCLUSIONS exhibits optimal growth in mildly acidic or neutral conditions with a high salt tolerance, and can potentially penetrate the intestinal barrier into blood and lead to tissue injuries in hosts with immunosuppression.
Animals ; Candida ; growth & development ; isolation & purification ; Candida albicans ; growth & development ; Candidiasis ; microbiology ; Culture Media ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical features of Candida albicans sepsis in preterm infants.

METHODSRetrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 13 preterm infants with Candida albicans sepsis, who were born at 28 to 36 weeks of gestational age and who weighed between 1400 and 2815 g.

RESULTSThe infants were infected with Candida albicans at the age of 19±11 d, with the main clinical manifestations being apnea, poor response, poor skin perfusion, blood oxygen concentration decrease, dark skin, yellowish skin, heart rate increase in the rest state, copious phlegm and difficulty in weaning from the ventilator. The infants showed significantly decreased platelet and increased C-reactive protein (CRP), platelet distribution width (PDW), alanine transaminase (ALT), creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB (CK-MB), total bilirubin (TBIL), creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). CK and LDH were significantly decreased after 2 weeks of antifungal therapy. Only 3 cases developed drug resistance to fluconazole and these showed response when treated with voriconazole instead. Of the 13 cases, 10 were cured, 2 abandoned therapy and 1 died.

CONCLUSIONSThe clinical manifestations of Candida albicans sepsis are nonspecific in preterm infants. Infectious diseases are probably caused by Candida albicans in preterm infants 2-3 weeks after birth. Preterm infants show decreased platelet and increased CRP, PDW, ALT, CK-MB, TBIL, CK, and LDH when infected with Candida albicans.

Candida albicans ; isolation & purification ; Candidemia ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male

OBJECTIVETo analyze the epidemiological and etiologic characteristics of ocular fungal infection in Haikou.

METHODSThe samples of corneal, conjunctivae, anterior chambers, lacrimal sacs were taken from the outpatients and inpatients in the Department of Ophthalmology for fungal culture. The positivity rates of fungal culture were statistically analyzed to describe the seasonal and genus distribution of the fungal infections.

RESULTSA total of 683 patients were involved in this study, and the total positivity rate of fungal culture was 27.96%. The positivity rate was 33.42% in male patients and 21.52% in female patients (P<0.01). The positivity rates were 31.42%, 11.32%, 10.81%, 21.28% and 29.17% in the cornea, conjunctivae, anterior chambers, lacrimal sacs and other locations (P<0.01), and were 34.88%, 22.58%, 11.76%, 4.11%, 21.43% and 13.33% in farmers, workers, teachers, government officers, students and personnel of other occupations (Chi2=39.550, P=0.001), respectively. In terms of age, the rate was 32.30% in 21-40 years group, 31.72% in 41-60 years group, 17.12% in over 60 years group and 26.61% in below 20 years group, showing significant differences (P<0.01). The rates were higher in August, September, October, December, November, all above 30%, but lower in March. Nine genera were identified, including Candida (49.21%), Aspergillus (19.37%), Fusarium (9.42%), mucor (5.76%), Actinomyces (5.24%), Penicillium (3.66%), Saccharomyces (2.62%), non-spore group (1.57%), Alternaria (1.57%), and other genera (1.57%). Among the 94 strains of Candida, 63 (67.02%) belonged to Candida albicans and 14 to Candida tropicalis (14.89%).

CONCLUSIONOcular fungal infection occurs more often in male patients and in the cornea. The common pathogen of ocular fungal infection is Candida, which is different from the etiological characteristics in other areas possibly in association with the tropical climate.

Adult ; Candida albicans ; isolation & purification ; China ; epidemiology ; Eye Infections, Fungal ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of Candida albicans (Ca) on the motility and ultrastructure of human spermatozoa and its possible mechanism.

METHODSSemen samples obtained from 10 healthy volunteers by masturbation were prepared by the swim-up technique and sperm density to 40 x 10(6)/ml. The samples were then inoculated at 37 degrees C with different concentrations of a uropathogenic strain of Ca isolated from an outpatient, with initial fungi/spermatozoa ratios varying among 1:1 (Group A), 1:10 (Group B), 1:100 (Group C), 1:1000(Group D), and 1:10,000 (Group E). And Group F containing Ham's F-10 only was found as the negative control. Motion parameters were analysed by computer-aided sperm analyzer (CASA) at 0 hour, 1 hour, 2 hours and 4 hours respectively. Modalities of spermatozoa and possible adherence and/or agglutination were observed under the light microscope. Finally, all the samples were studied by transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSDistinct adhesion of spermatozoa to Ca and agglutination were noticed. In all the motion parameters, progressive motility was affected most and dependent upon incubation time and bacterial concentration. Progressive motility showed a significant difference between Group A and the control (P < 0.01). With the prolongation of incubation time, other parameters were showing more and more differences. Analysis by electron microscopy revealed multiple ultrastructural damages.

CONCLUSIONCa significantly inhibits human sperm motility and decreases sperm viability in vitro. Its mechanism is possibly related to Ca's adhesion to human spermatozoa and the impairment inflicted by Ca to sperm ultrastructure.

Candida albicans ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal ; microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo compare the characteristics of urinary tract infection (UTI) between kidney transplant recipients and non-recipient patients.

METHODSForty-nine kidney transplant recipients with UTI (69 episodes) and 401 non-recipient patients with UTI (443 episodes) admitted in Nanfang Hospital from January 2003 to August 2014 were enrolled in the study. The characteristics of UTI were compared between two groups.

RESULTSIn both groups of UTI, female patients comprised a greater proportion (63.3% and 58.6%) and Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen isolated (37.7% and 34.1%). However, the infection rate of Klebsiella pneumonia in recipients was higher than that in non-recipients (11.6% vs 3.2%, P= 0.001), while the infection rate of Candida albicans was lower (1.5% vs 11.3%, P=0.008) than that in non-recipients. Recipients were likely to develop antibiotic resistance and with a higher recurrence rate than non-recipient patients (38.8% vs 16.7%, P<0.001). Compared to non-recipient UTI patients, the symptoms of urinary irritation in recipient UTI patients were more common. There was higher percentage of neutrophil granulocyte (72.65% ± 1.90% vs 68.59% ± 0.73%, P=0.048), lower proportion of lymphocytes (17.73% ± 1.27% vs 21.28% ± 0.61%, P=0.037), and less platelets [(187.64 ± 10.84) × 10(9)/L vs (240.76 ± 5.26) × 10(9)/L, P<0.01] in recipients than in non-recipient UTI patients.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that the characteristics of UTI in kidney transplantation recipients and non-recipients patients are different.

Candida albicans ; isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; isolation & purification ; Male ; Transplant Recipients ; Urinary Tract Infections ; epidemiology ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo establish the validation method and criteria for counting bacteria and fungi in microbial limit test which is described in the Pharmacopeia of China (ChP) 2005.

METHODAccording to the method set up for validation, the tested microorganisms with known counts were added to samples followed by the determination of the recovery.

RESULTWith different preparing method for testing samples, the recoveries for the tested microorganisms in testing samples were found to be over 70%.

CONCLUSIONValidation method for counting contaminated bacteria and fungi in drugs is recommended to follow the method established in this paper. The recovery for tested microorganisms should be not less than 70%.

Aspergillus niger ; isolation & purification ; Bacillus subtilis ; isolation & purification ; Bacteria ; isolation & purification ; Candida albicans ; isolation & purification ; Colony Count, Microbial ; methods ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; standards ; Escherichia coli ; isolation & purification ; Fungi ; isolation & purification ; Staphylococcus aureus ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the microbial contents presented on the surface of mucosa in the oral cavity of patients who accepted radiotherapy, and to provide the evidences of controlling post-radiotherapeutic infections.

METHODS32 patients (19 males and 13 females) aged from 37 - 72 received radiotherapy after oral squamous cell carcinomas operation were selected. Samples of saliva were obtained from the radiated center and opposite mucosa before and after radiotherapy. The detective amount, detective ratio and constituent ratio were analysed by cultivation and identification.

RESULTSStreptococci, Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa significantly increased on both sides of the oral mucosa while Neisseria and Actinobacillus decreased on radiated region after the radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONRadiotherapy has great effects on oral bacteria and pathogenic organism may play a role in post-radiotherapy infections. It is necessary to do bacteria culture and choose sensitive antibiotics regularly for post-radiotherapeutic patients.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; isolation & purification ; Candida albicans ; isolation & purification ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; microbiology ; radiotherapy ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa ; microbiology ; Mouth Neoplasms ; microbiology ; radiotherapy ; Postoperative Period ; Saliva

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of pathogenic C.albican genotype and Candida species in association with the severity of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC).

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) of the internal transcribed spacer analysis was employed to identify the Candida species isolated from the vaginal secretions of 198 patients with acute VVC. SSCP and GeneScan analyses of microsatellite locus I polymorphism were used to determine the genotypes of the clinical isolates of C. albican associated with VVC. All the patients were scored for clinical signs and symptoms to evaluate the severity of VVC.

RESULTSA total of 198 Candida strains were isolated from VVC patients, including 140 (70.7%) C. albicans strains and 58 (29.3%) non-albicans strains. In the 95 patients with severe VVC and 103 with mild-moderate VVC, C.albican was detected in 62.1% and 76.6% of the patients, respectively (P=0.011). Thirty-eight microsatellite locus I genotypes were detected in 140 unrelated C. albican strains, among which the dominant genotypes 30-45 (44 strians, 31.43%) and 32-46 (23 strains, 16.43%) were the most common, followed by genotypes 30-46 (4 strains, 2.86%) and 32-47 (9 strains, 6.42%). The overall frequencies of the 4 genotypes were significantly higher in severe VVC than in mild-moderate VVC cases (77.9% vs 42.0%, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONC. albicans remains the most common pathogenic Candia species in patients with VVC, but the non-alibcans species seem more likely to cause severe VVC. The dominant genotypes of C. albicans with a tropism for the vagina are correlated to the severity of VVC.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Candida ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Candida albicans ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal ; microbiology ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the efficacy of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) for assessing the genetic relationship among Candida albicans isolates from patients with candidemia in a hospital setting. METHODS: A total of 45 C. albicans isolates from 21 patients with candidemia were analyzed. The MLST results were compared with results obtained by Southern blot hybridization (C1 fingerprinting) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE analysis included karyotyping and restriction endonuclease analysis of genomic DNAs using BssHII (REAG-B) and SfiI (REAG-S). RESULTS: The 45 isolates yielded 20 unique diploid sequence types (DSTs) by MLST, as well as 12 karyotypes, 15 REAG-B patterns, 13 REAG-S patterns, and 14 C1 fingerprinting types. Microevolution among intra-individual isolates was detected in 6, 5, 3, 5, and 7 sets of isolates by MLST (1 or 2 allelic differences), REAG-B, REAG-S, C1 fingerprinting, and a combination of all methods, respectively. Among 20 DSTs, 17 were unique, and 3 were found in more than 1 patient. The results of 2 DSTs obtained from 9 patient isolates were in agreement with REAG and C1 fingerprinting patterns. However, the remaining DST, which was shared by 2 patient isolates, showed 2 different PFGE and C1 fingerprinting patterns. In addition, 3 sets of isolates from different patients, which differed in only 1 or 2 alleles by MLST, also exhibited different PFGE or C1 fingerprinting patterns. CONCLUSIONS: MLST is highly discriminating among C. albicans isolates, but it may have some limitations in typing isolates from different patients, which may necessitate additional analysis using other techniques.
Alleles ; Blotting, Southern ; Candida albicans/*classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Candidemia/*microbiology ; DNA, Fungal/*analysis ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Genotype ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Multilocus Sequence Typing/*methods