With the purpose to evaluate Candida albicans virulence in vivo, two strains selected were based on their phospholipase and proteinase activity, and used in a model of experimental infection. One strain, isolated from vaginal secretion, was stocked at the URM Culture Collection for 43 years and presented high phospholipase (Pz=0.217) and proteinase (1.386 U.mL-1) activity. The other strain was a fresh strain isolated from oropharyngeal secretion of an AIDS patient, and presented low phospholipase (Pz=0.482) and proteinase (0.780 U.mL-1) activity. The strains were inoculated via intraperitoneum in immunosuppressed and non-immunosuppressed mice (Mus musculus) and the infection was evaluated over a period of 21 days. Liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys were aseptically removed and the blood of the animals was collected every 72 h. The number of colony forming units (c.f.u) isolated from each organ was counted and a histopathologic examination was performed. The freshly isolated strain was more virulent than the stocked strain, as shown by the number of positive cultures and severity of the lesions observed at the histopathologic examination. A correlation between the in vitro enzymatic activity and the in vivo virulence was not observed.
Candida albicans; extracellular enzymes; virulence; experimental infection
