Increased arabinitol levels in experimental candidiasis in rats: arabinitol appearance rates, arabinitol/creatinine ratios, and severity of infection.

Renal colony counts, total arabinitol appearance, and the arabinitol/creatinine ratios in the serum and urine of rats with lethal candidiasis were measured. Total arabinitol appearance and the arabinitol/creatinine ratios increased significantly after infection. The serum arabinitol/creatinine ratio was high (2 SD above the mean value in normal animals) in five of six infected rats at 24 hr, in eight of eight at 48 hr, and in none of the control animals. The urinary arabinitol/creatinine ratio was high in 14 of 19 infected rats by 24 hr, in 11 of 11 by 48 hr, and in none of the control animals. Total arabinitol appearance and the arabinitol/creatinine ratios were highly correlated with renal colony counts. Arabinitol production in vitro was sufficient to account for the increased arabinitol appearance observed in vivo in 12 of 14 rats. Thus it is concluded that the excess arabinitol that appeared in vivo was produced by the infecting fungus and that arabinitol is a quantitative marker substance for candidiasis.