The fate of experimental cutaneous candidiasis in guinea pigs under the suppressed polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis by colchicine.

Experimental cutaneous Candida albicans infections in guinea pigs are histologically characterized by intense epidermal polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) accumulation. To study the role of PMNs in vivo, we injected 250 microgcolchicine/kg i.p., a strong inhibitor of PMN chemotaxis, and observed the influence of reduced PMN migration in experimental cutaneous candidiasis with special interest in the elimination course of the organisms. There was a significant delay in the clearance of the organisms in the colchicine-treated group with decreased epidermal PMN infiltration and prolonged visible scaling process. Our data suggest that the delay of epidermal PMN migration parallels the disappearance of the organisms from the infected skin and that PMNs play an important part in defense against candida infections especially in the elimination process.