Aspartyl proteinase, phospholipase, esterase and hemolysin activities of clinical isolates of the Candida parapsilosis species complex. (April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Treviño-Rangel, Rogelio de J.; González, J. Gerardo; González, Gloria M.
• Is Part Of: Medical mycology. Volume 51:Number 3(2013)
• Page Start: 331
• Page End: 335
• Publication Date: 2013-04
• Subjects: Medical mycology -- Periodicals; Veterinary mycology -- Periodicals; Mycology -- Periodicals; Mycoses -- Periodicals; Pathogenic fungi -- Periodicals; 616.969005
• DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2012.712724
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-3786

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <italic>Candida parapsilosis</italic> is considered as an important emerging fungal pathogen and was recently found to be a complex that include three species, i.e., <italic>Candida parapsilosis</italic> sensu stricto, <italic>Candida orthopsilosis</italic> and <italic>Candida metapsilosis</italic>. The aim of this study was to determine the <italic>in vitro</italic> aspartyl proteinase, phospholipase, esterase and hemolysin activities of 65 clinical isolates of the <italic>C. parapsilosis</italic> complex, which had been previously identified by RFLP-<italic>Ban</italic>I analysis. Of the enzymes evaluated, aspartyl proteinase was the least produced by the <italic>C. parapsilosis</italic> species complex. Phospholipase and esterase were strongly expressed by <italic>C. orthopsilosis</italic> (67% of isolates), while 10% and 13% of <italic>C. parapsilosis</italic> sensu stricto isolates were strong producers, respectively, of these two enzymes. In contrast, high production of both enzymes was not detected in <italic>C. metapsilosis</italic>. Hemolysin activity was significantly more abundant in <italic>C. orthopsilosis</italic> (87%) than <italic>C. parapsilosis</italic> sensu stricto (67%). Overall, <italic>C. orthopsilosis</italic> isolates were statistically associated with the production of hemolysins (<italic>P</italic> = 0.048) and phospholipases (<italic>P</italic> < 0.0001) compared to isolates of <italic>C. parapsilosis</italic> sensu stricto or <italic>C. metapsilosis</italic>. Furthermore, a statistical association was found between isolates recovered from blood and phospholipase production (<italic>P</italic> = 0.017). The distribution of isolates obtained from blood was 30% of <italic>C. parapsilosis</italic> sensu stricto, 67% of <italic>C. orthopsilosis</italic> and 20% of <italic>C. metapsilosis</italic>.</p> </abstract>