Paula Faria-Gonçalves1, Joana Rolo2, Carlos Gaspar3, Ana Sofia Oliveira4, Paula Gouveia Pestana5, Rita Palmeira-de-Oliveira6, Teresa Gonçalves7, José Martinez-de-Oliveira8, Ana Palmeira-de-Oliveira3. 1. CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; FCS: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; FMUMN: Faculty of Medicine, University of Mandume ya Ndemufayo, Angola. 2. CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address: joanarolo@fcsaude.ubi.pt. 3. CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; FCS: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Labfit-HPRD: Health Products Research and Development Lda, Covilhã, Portugal. 4. CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; FCS: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. 5. CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; FCS: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; CHUCB: Centro Hospitalar Universitário Cova da Beira, Covilhã, Portugal. 6. CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; FCS: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; FMUMN: Faculty of Medicine, University of Mandume ya Ndemufayo, Angola; CNC: Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. 7. CNC: Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; FMUC: Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. 8. CICS-UBI: Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Vulvovaginal candidosis (VVC) is a condition that impacts the quality of life of women worldwide. At least 5-8% of all VVC cases re-occur. Recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis (RVVC) can be defined as the occurrence of a VVC episode at least four times per year. The reasons for recurrence to occur are poorly understood. This work aims to identify key phenotypic traits associated with RVVC Candida spp. isolates that might be used to plan strategies to control RVVC. METHODS: The capacity to form biofilms (with the microtitration plate assay), to develop germinative tube in the presence of fetal bovine serum and to produce phospholipase (in the egg-yolk plate assay) was assessed for a collection of Candida spp. isolates obtained from 17 women diagnosed with RVVC and 16 women with non-recurrent VVC (VVC). The differences obtained regarding the proportion of isolates expressing each virulence factor was assessed by statistical analysis (χ2). RESULTS: We found that C. albicans isolates had a higher ability to form germinative tubes than RVVC isolates (29% vs 4%, p < 0.05). In addition, the ability of Candida spp. isolates to form biofilm (63% vs 51%) and to produce phospholipase (13% vs 11%) was also higher, though not statistically different (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that biofilm formation and phenotypic-switching associated with germinative tube production are particularly important C. albicans virulence factors for acute, sporadic VVC cases.
OBJECTIVE:Vulvovaginal candidosis (VVC) is a condition that impacts the quality of life of women worldwide. At least 5-8% of all VVC cases re-occur. Recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis (RVVC) can be defined as the occurrence of a VVC episode at least four times per year. The reasons for recurrence to occur are poorly understood. This work aims to identify key phenotypic traits associated with RVVC Candida spp. isolates that might be used to plan strategies to control RVVC. METHODS: The capacity to form biofilms (with the microtitration plate assay), to develop germinative tube in the presence of fetal bovine serum and to produce phospholipase (in the egg-yolk plate assay) was assessed for a collection of Candida spp. isolates obtained from 17 women diagnosed with RVVC and 16 women with non-recurrent VVC (VVC). The differences obtained regarding the proportion of isolates expressing each virulence factor was assessed by statistical analysis (χ2). RESULTS: We found that C. albicans isolates had a higher ability to form germinative tubes than RVVC isolates (29% vs 4%, p < 0.05). In addition, the ability of Candida spp. isolates to form biofilm (63% vs 51%) and to produce phospholipase (13% vs 11%) was also higher, though not statistically different (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that biofilm formation and phenotypic-switching associated with germinative tube production are particularly important C. albicans virulence factors for acute, sporadic VVC cases.
Authors: Paula Faria-Gonçalves; Ana Sofia Oliveira; Carlos Gaspar; Lisa Rodrigues; Rita Palmeira-de-Oliveira; José Martinez-de-Oliveira; Teresa Gonçalves; Ana Palmeira-de-Oliveira; Joana Rolo Journal: Life (Basel) Date: 2022-06-04