Gastrointestinal colonization has been considered as the primary source of candidaemia; however, few established mouse models are available that mimic this infection route. We therefore developed a reproducible mouse model of invasive candidiasis initiated by fungal translocation and compared the virulence of six major pathogenic Candida species. the mice were fed a low-protein diet and then inoculated intragastrically with Candida cells. oral antibiotics and cyclophosphamide were then administered to facilitate colonization and subsequent dissemination of Candida cells. Mice infected with Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis exhibited higher mortality than mice infected with the other four species. Among the less virulent species, stool titres of Candida glabrata and Candida parapsilosis were higher than those of Candida krusei and Candida guilliermondii. the fungal burdens of C. parapsilosis and C. krusei in the livers and kidneys were significantly greater than those of C. guilliermondii. Histopathologically, C. albicans demonstrated the highest pathogenicity to invade into gut mucosa and liver tissues causing marked necrosis. Overall, this model allowed analysis of the virulence traits of Candida strains in individual mice including colonization in the gut, penetration into intestinal mucosa, invasion into blood vessels, and the subsequent dissemination leading to lethal infections. Candida species are the fourth leading cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections in the United States 1. Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, and Candida guilliermondii comprise the main pathogens responsible for invasive candidiasis 2 , accounting for 93% of cases according to results from the ARTEMS DISK Global Antifungal Surveillance Study 3 , with C. albicans being the most frequently isolated species 2. Candida species represent ubiquitous commensal yeasts that constitute part of the normal human skin and gut microbiota. Candida species can be detected on the mucosal surfaces of approximately 50-70% of healthy humans 4. Candida colonization is regarded as a prerequisite for endogenous infection, with the gut serving as an important source in the development of candidaemia 5. The major pathogenetic mechanisms of invasive candidiasis include (1) disruption of the normal gastrointestinal microbiota (e.g. use of broad-spectrum antibiotics), which allows overgrowth of Candida species in the gut; (2) damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier (e.g. anticancer chemotherapy), which allows direct invasion of Candida cells into the bloodstream and abdominal cavity; and (3)