Acute neutropenia decreases inflammation associated with murine vaginal candidiasis but has no effect on the course of infection.

We have used a mouse model of vaginal candidiasis to determine the effect of neutrophil depletion on (a) the clearance of Candida albicans and (b) the degree of inflammation associated with infection. No differences in recoverable yeast number or rate of clearance were observed between normal and neutrophil-depleted mice; however, vaginal inflammation was significantly decreased in neutrophil-depleted animals.