Evaluation of esterase and hemolysin activities of different Candida species isolated from vulvovaginitis cases in Lorestan Province, Iran

Abstract

Background and Purpose:Annually affecting millions of women, vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is commonly described by signs and symptoms of vulvovaginal inflammation in the presence of Candida species. Today, the detection of the virulence factors plays a major role in the understanding of pathogenesis of candidiasis and helps produce new anticandidial drugs to improve its treatment efficiency. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the esterase and hemolysin activities of the vaginal isolates of Candida and their relationship with the presence of VVC.Materials and Methods:One-hundred vaginal clinical specimens were randomly collected during September-December 2016. The target population consisted of married women suspected of VVC who presented to health centers in Lorestan Province, Iran. In this study, the esterase activity and hemolysin production of Candida clinical isolates were evaluated using the Tween 80 opacity test and the plate assay, respectively.Results:The most frequent Candida species was C. albicans (66; 66%), followed by C. glabrata (11; 11%) and C. tropicalis (11; 11%). The highest esterase activity was found in C. krusei (75%), followed by C. albicans (68.2%) and C. glabrata (54.5%). The greater part of the positive esterase isolates had Pz 4+ scores. Among the Candida species, C. albicans (22.7%), C. glabrata (63.6%), and C. krusei (50%) were found to have the highest rates of alpha, beta, and gamma hemolysin production, respectively. The level of hemolytic activity in 51% of the Candida species was Pz 4+ scores.Conclusion:According to our results, the higher expression rates of both enzymes in C. albicans species relative to those of non-albicans Candidate species can partly reflect the role of the virulence factors involved in C. albicans pathogenicity.

Comparison of Virulence Factors of Different Candida Species Isolated from the Oral Cavity of Cancer Patients and Normal Individuals

“…Recently, Noori et al in a study on Candida species isolated from individuals with vulvovaginal candidiasis showed no sig-nificant relationship between esterase production and the presence of VVC. Their results are similar to our study findings (38). Most Candida species isolated from humans secrete three groups of hydrolytic enzymes including phospholipase, proteinase, and esterase following the mycelial growth, which can facilitate their active penetration into host cells; they can be identified by quantitative and qualitative methods as virulence factors (39,40).…”

Non-Candida albicans Candida Species: Virulence Factors and Species Identification in India

“…Hemolysin is important for pathogenicity as it imparts the survival capacity to the Candida. Based on the findings of a previous study [ 32 ], the highest hemolytic activity was observed in C. glabrata (72.7%), C. tropicalis (72.7%), and C. albicans (66.6%), while in the present study, it was the highest in C. albicans (85.5%), C. glabrata (70%) and C. tropicalis (59.4%). As it was a laboratory-based study, the actual prevalence of Candida infection in the community could not be determined, and it was further supplemented by the COVID-19 pandemic and lock downs throughout India.…”

Species distribution and susceptibility profiles of Candida species isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis, emergence of C. lusitaniae

“…The VVC is a highly common problem in diabetic women, owing to a number of factors, such as increase of vaginal mucosa due to the high deposition of glycogen in vaginal tissue [6]. According to the results of the research conducted around the world, the most common causative agent of VVC is Candida albicans (77-95%), followed by non-albicans Candida (NAC) species (20-30%) [7][8][9]. However, the results of the recent studies are indicative of the growing increase of NAC species [10,11].…”