Comparison of virulence factors of oral Candida dubliniensis and Candida albicans isolates in healthy people and patients with chronic candidosis

We determined differences in the expression of certain virulence factors be tween oral Candida dubliniensis and Candida albicans species. In addition, clonal differences were sought among C. albicans isolates recovered from pa tients with and without compromised immune system. The material comprised 9 3 clinical yeast isolates originated in 40 subjects (1-5 isolates per subje ct). All 26 C. dubliniensis isolates and 46 C. albicans isolates originated from healthy routine dental clinic patients. Additionally, 21 C albicans i solates were collected from patients with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-can didosis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED), who have chronic candidosis as one m anifestation of their immunocompromising disease. Polymerase chain reaction amplification using the random sequence primer OPE-03 enabled grouping of the C. dubliniensis isolates in 2 genotypes (I and II) and C. albicans isol ates in 15 genotypes (I-XV). No significant difference was found in the dis tribution of genotypes between the patients with APECED and the healthy sub jects. C. dubliniensis isolates exhibited high-frequency phenotypic switchi ng significantly more frequently than did C albicans isolates, and vice ver sa regarding phospholipase and proteinase production. Proteinase production was significantly more frequent among C. albicans genotype V than genotype IX isolates. No significant difference was found in expression of virulenc e factors of C albicans isolates between the patients with APECED and the h ealthy subjects.