Objective: To compare the biotype and genetic similarity between groups of commensal and pathogenic strains of candida species. Methods:Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to analyse the type of Candida albicans. Results: 12 pathogenic isolates of Candida albicans, 3 commensal isolates of Candida abicans and 3 isolates of pathogenic non-albicans were obtained. The similarity coefficient of albicans with non-albicans was 51.7% by RAPD. Intra-candida similarity coefficient was more than 70%. Both the commensal and pathogenic isolates showed the genetically similar to C. albicans. Intro-isolate DNA polymorphism was observed by RAPD. Conclusion: Both the commensal and pathogenic groups contain a major cluster of genetically similar C. albicans isolates.