Adherence, colonization and dissemination of Candida dubliniensis and other Candida species

Adherence to host cells is essential for yeasts to develop their full pathogenic potential since it triggers the process that leads to colonization and enables their persistence in the host. The aim of this work was to study the in vitro adherence of Candida dubliniensis and other Candida species, as well as the relation of adherence with the colonization and dissemination of these yeasts in an experimental mice model. Clinical isolates of Candida dubliniensis, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis were tested for their in vitro ability to adhere to buccal epithelial cells and in vivo to colonize and disseminate in an experimental infant mice model. Although C. dubliniensis isolates showed variable adherence values, their ability to colonize and disseminate in mice tissue was almost null. All C. albicans strains showed high levels of adherence and a prolonged gastrointestinal (GI) tract colonization. Both C. glabrata and C. krusei, showed a minor in vitro adherence and limited colonization time in infant mice GI tract. C. albicans and C. parapsilosis demonstrated a higher ability to disseminate, but the other non-C. albicans Candida strains showed a lower ability to disseminate. This study demonstrates that C. dubliniensis has a low GI tract colonization ability, as well as low dissemination ability in relation to C. albicans.