[Hydrophobic properties of Candida sp. comparing the two methods]

Abstract

Yeast-like fungi Candida albicans are still the main pathogen of candidiasis although in recent years the growth of infections caused by Candida non-albicans species such as C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis have been observed. The aim of the study was the assessment ofhydrophobic properties of Candida sp. on the basis of methods: salt aggregation test (SAT) and to p-xylene (MATH). 150 strains of Candida sp. were examined: 85 (56.7%) C. albicans and 65 (43.3%) C. non-albicans among which there were 14 (9.3%) strains of C. tropicalis, 13 (8.7%) of C. glabrata, 12 (8.0%) of C. parapsilosis, 8 (5.3%) strains of C. krusei and C. lusitaniae, 6 (4.0%) strains of C. famata, 2 strains of C. glabrata and 1 strains of C. kefyr and C. lipolytica. The assessment of hydrophobic properties was done in MATH method the higher percentage (38.7-53.3%) of the strains with hydrophobic properties was found in comparison with the method SAT--23.3-37.3%. Hydrophobic properties were more often observed in case of C. non-albicans strains than C. albicans depending on growth temperature.