PCR fingerprinting of Candida albicans associated with chronic hyperplastic candidosis and other oral conditions

The purpose of this study was to genotype strains of Candida albicans to de termine whether specific types were associated with chronic hyperplastic ca ndidosis (CHC). A total of 67 candidal isolates from CHC patients (n = 17) and from patients with other oral conditions (n = 21) were genotyped by PCR fingerprinting employing two interrepeat primer combinations (1245 and 124 6 primers or 1251 primer) and a single minisatellite-specific M13 primer. T he most suitable primer for fingerprint analysis was found to be primer 125 1, yielding well-resolved banding patterns. For the 67 isolates tested, PCR fingerprinting delineated 25 (1245 and 1246 primers), 27 (1251 primer), an d 25 (M13 primer) profiles. The majority of C. albicans isolates from multi ple sites within the mouth produced identical profiles (six out of nine sub jects examined). For patients for whom a series of longitudinal isolates wa s available, strain persistence for up to 7 years was evident for five out of eight individuals, despite episodes of antifungal therapy. Computer-assi sted comparison of the interrepeat PCR fingerprints identified seven distin ct profiles that were shared among isolates from different individuals. How ever, no association was evident among isolates of C. albicans from specifi c clinical conditions. Eight isolates that were initially identified as C. albicans but having atypical PCR profiles were later confirmed as Candida d ubliniensis. In conclusion, the genotypic data do not indicate clonal restr iction of C. albicans with respect to CHC. Furthermore, these results have demonstrated that in the majority of individuals, colonizing populations of C. albicans are clonal in nature and exhibit strain persistence.