Oropharyngeal candidosis in AIDS patients: an epidemiological study using restriction analysis of Candida albicans total genomic DNA

This study investigates the epidemiology of Candida albicans strains isolat ed from oral and rectal swabs obtained before and after treatment with anti fungal drugs in hospitalized AIDS patients. Twenty-one health care workers from dir hospital unit were also studied. Samples were obtained from the or al cavity and hands, The molecular fingerprinting restriction endonuclease- digested genomic DNA technique was used. A total of 94 C. albicans strains were isolated: 76 from patients and 18 from the health care workers. Each s ample was digested independently with EcoRI and HinfI restriction enzymes, electrophoresed on 0.8% agarose gels and stained with ethidium bromide. The strains were sorted into groups according to patterns. Analysis of the dif ferent restriction patterns suggests that most of the infective strains had an endogenous source, whereas the recurrences of candidosis, after antifun gal therapy, could be considered as persistence or reinfection by a differe nt strain. Our data show that horizontal transmission by strains carried by health care workers does not play an important role in the overall epidemi ology of candidosis.