Study of haemolytic, esterase activities and germ tube formation in Candida albicans from patients with vaginitis and urinary infections
Majid ZARRIN 1, 2, Mahsa RAJABI 2, Ali Zarei MAHMOUDABADI 1, 2
1 Health Research Institute, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, and 2 Department of Medical Mycology, Medical School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The opportunistic fungus Candida albicans is a normal flora of human. Due to the increase in the number of immunocompromised patients, infections due to the Candida species have considerably increased in the resent years. Extracellular hydrolytic enzymes appear to play an essential role in candidal overgrowth. Dimorphism, adhesions, and the production of hydrolytic enzymes are suggested as C. albicans virulence factors and also germ tube formation of C. albicans among vaginitis and urinary infections. Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty-one C. albicans isolates including isolates from patients with vaginitis and urinary infections, and oral cavity were used. All isolated were assessed for germ tube formation in human serum. The haemolytic activity was tested with Sabouraud dextrose agar plate including sheep blood SDA and 3% glucose. Esterase activity was tested with Tween 80 medium and incubated at 37°C. Results: The data analysing germ tube formation confirmed significance differences in 0.5 hour and one hour among various sources of isolates. All C. albicans isolates from different sources displayed the haemolytic activity after 24 hours. Ninety-five percent of vaginal and urinary isolates demonstrated positive esterase activity. Conclusions: These data provide evidence of extracellular enzyme activity and germ tube formation in Candida isolates.
Keywords: Candida albicans, hemolytic activity, esterase activity, germ tube
Correspondence author: Majid ZARRIN, Department of Medical Mycology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Tel: (+98-61) 33330074; Fax: (+98-61)33332036;
E mail: mjzarrin@yahoo.co.uk
Brunei Int Med J. 2015; 11 (4): 191-196