DIFFERENCES IN ADHERENCE TO BUCCAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS, IN PHAGOCYTOSIS AND IN KILLING BY NEUTROPHILS BETWEEN HUMAN AND NONHUMAN STRAINS OF CANDIDA-ALBICANS

The adherence of strains of Candida albicans to buccal epithelial cell s as well as the phagocytosis of these organisms by human polymorphonu clear leucocytes (PMNL) was studied. The strains of C. albicans were o btained from patients' urine, from bird faeces and from soil. The stra ins of C. albicans obtained front patients and the environment display ed greater adhering ability (23.8 +/- 6.4 and 27.5 +/- 5.2 respectivel y) than the avian strains (14.4 +/- 2.2) (P <0.01). Strains obtained f rom the environment were resistant to phagocytosis (81.6 +/- 0.2 organ isms ingested per 200 PMNL) and killing (8.4 +/- 2.6%) by PMNL as comp ared to human and avian strains (P <0.01). These observations indicate that environmental strains of C. albicans may be more virulent for hu man beings.