ABC typing and extracellular enzyme production of Candida albicans isolated from Candida vulvovaginitis

• Published in: Journal of clinical laboratory analysis Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. e24117 - n/a
• Main Authors: Gharaghani, Maral, Shabanzadeh, Mahbubeh, Jafarian, Hadis, Zarei Mahmoudabadi, Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.01.2022; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: ABC genotyping; Candida; Candida albicans; Enzymatic activity; Enzymes; Epidemiology; Esterase; extracellular enzymes; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; Genotyping; Pathogenesis; Proteinase; Virulence; Virulence factors; vulvovaginal candidiasis; Vulvovaginitis; Iran; United States > US; Germany; Candida albicans; vulvovaginal candidiasis; ABC genotyping; extracellular enzymes
• ISSN: 0887-8013; 1098-2825
• DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24117

Background Candida albicans is the most common and virulent genus Candida. Detection of virulence factors in this species plays an important role in the better understanding of pathogenesis and antifungal treatment. Molecular typing investigations are important in the epidemiological interpretation of infection. This study aimed to evaluate extracellular enzyme activity and genotyping of C. albicans species isolated from vulvovaginal samples. Methods One hundred and three vaginal C. albicans isolates were tested for esterase, phospholipase, proteinase, and hemolysin activities by specific media. Besides, the DNA of C. albicans isolates was extracted and amplified for ABC genotyping. Results The highest enzyme production of C. albicans isolates was for proteinase (97.1%) and esterase (95.2%), whereas 59.2% of C. albicans isolates were negative for hemolysin secretion. Genotype C (83.5%) was the most frequent genotype followed by genotype B (12.6%) and genotype A (3.9%). Conclusion It is concluded that genotype C was the predominant genotype in all examined vulvovaginal C. albicans isolates. Also, there was a significant difference between enzyme production in each genotype (except for proteinase). Using the presence or absence of an intron in the ITS1 region, Candida albicans has three genotypes, A (450 bp), B (840 bp), and C (450 and 840 bp).