Published in

Hindawi, Mediators of Inflammation, (2017), p. 1-10, 2017

DOI: 10.1155/2017/8952878

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Relationship between the Antifungal Susceptibility Profile and the Production of Virulence-Related Hydrolytic Enzymes in Brazilian Clinical Strains ofCandida glabrata

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Candida glabratais a facultative intracellular opportunistic fungal pathogen in human infections. Several virulence-associated attributes are involved in its pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions, modulation of host immune defenses, and regulation of antifungal drug resistance. This study evaluated the in vitro antifungal susceptibility profile to five antifungal agents, the production of seven hydrolytic enzymes related to virulence, and the relationship between these phenotypes in 91 clinical strains ofC. glabrata. AllC. glabratastrains were susceptible to flucytosine. However, some of these strains showed resistance to amphotericin B (9.9%), fluconazole (15.4%), itraconazole (5.5%), or micafungin (15.4%). Overall,C. glabratastrains were good producers of catalase, aspartic protease, esterase, phytase, and hemolysin. However, caseinase and phospholipase in vitro activities were not detected. Statistically significant correlations were identified between micafungin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and esterase production, between fluconazole and micafungin MIC and hemolytic activity, and between amphotericin B MIC and phytase production. These results contribute to clarify some of theC. glabratamechanisms of pathogenicity. Moreover, the association between some virulence attributes and the regulation of antifungal resistance encourage the development of new therapeutic strategies involving virulence mechanisms as potential targets for effective antifungal drug development for the treatment ofC. glabratainfections.