Intestinal lesions associated with disseminated candidiasis in an experimental animal model

In human patients, disseminated candidiasis, a life-threatening disease for immunocompromised patients, is often associated with intestinal lesions, I n this study, we demonstrate that immunosuppressed gnotobiotic (IGB) piglet s orally inoculated with wild-type Candida albicans developed extensive int estinal lesions and disseminated infection. Severe ulceration of the ileal mucosa was observed overlying regions of colonization and necrosis of the g ut-associated lymphoid tissue. Despite the high susceptibility of IGB pigle ts to many microbial pathogens, an avirulent mutant strain of C. albicans f ailed to produce intestinal lesions and exhibited poor dissemination, demon strating that these effects required virulent organisms. It is likely that in IGB piglets, as in human patients, intestinal lesions provide the mechan ism for escape of C, albicans from the gastrointestinal tract, Multinucleat ed giant cells containing fungal organisms were observed within lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels, and as with other pathogens, such cells could provi de a mechanism for dissemination of C. albicans.