DIFFERENTIATION OF SUGAR ASSIMILATION CHARACTERISTICS AND COLONY PHENOTYPES IN PATHOGENIC AND COMMENSAL ORAL CANDIDAL ISOLATES

A comparison of sugar assimilation patterns has been made using 72 ora l candidal isolates recovered from diseased and non-diseased patients. Significant differences were demonstrated between isolates recovered from diseased versus healthy mouths. In addition, significant changes in colony phenotype (switch frequency and morphologic predominance) we re found to relate to predictive data generated from carbon source uti lization data. These results suggest that biochemical properties and c olony phenotypic characteristics may hold promise in predicting the be havior of oral candidal isolates in disease.