Changes of virulence factors accompanying the phenomenon of induced fluconazole resistance in Candida albicans

We investigated a fluconazole-sensitive (MICflu = 5 mu g ml(-1)) clinical i solate and a fluconazole-resistant (MICflu > 80 mu g ml(-1)) laboratory mut ant Candida albicans strain developed from the sensitive one. We studied pu tative virulence factors including germination, adherence ability to either buccal epithelial cells or acrylate surface, the secreted aspartic protein ase, and the extracellular phospholipase activity of the two strains as wel l as their growth. The fluconazole-resistant strain proved to be superior t o the original strain in all the virulence traits tested. The higher virule nce of the fluconazole-resistant strain was also supported by a mouse model . These results suggest that the development of fluconazole resistance can be accompanied by serious morphological and physiological changes: several putative virulence traits, moreover the in vivo virulence can increase simu ltaneously.