Molecular epidemiology of Candida albicans isolates from AIDS and cancer patients using a novel standardized CARE‐2 DNA fingerprinting technique

Abstract

A total of 277 Candida isolates from various body sites of 149 AIDS and cancer patients treated in four different university clinics in Würzburg, Germany were collected over a period of 27 months and phenotypically and genotypically characterized. The fingerprinting patterns of 194 Candida albicans isolates obtained with the moderately repetitive, C. albicans-specific DNA fragment CARE-2 were digitized and retrospectively compared with a highly accurate computer-assisted standardization method. A total of 168 different genotypic patterns (< 100% identity) could be differentiated using this technique. Although comparative analysis of C. albicans subsets revealed a pronounced tendency of C. albicans isolates from HIV patients to form clusters, the mean genetic variability in HIV and cancer patient isolates was virtually identical. Patients with a specific disease condition or in a certain age group were not found to harbour C. albicans isolates displaying a characteristic "signature genotype". Micro-evolutionary changes were detected by CARE-2 fingerprinting in temporal successive isolates of one patient, but nosocomial transmission of identical isolates between unrelated patients was never seen. Genotyping showed that patient isolates can replace one another; occasionally also species switches were observed. Secreted aspartic protease (SAP) production was not correlated with a specific C. albicans banding pattern; isolates obtained from HIV patients and from an internal control group secreted comparable amounts of SAP. Candida dubliniensis isolates in this study showed an elevated level of SAP production. When used under standardized conditions, CARE-2 fingerprinting is an efficient, reproducible and sensitive technique to characterize C. albicans isolates.

Usage of Natural Volatile Organic Compounds as Biological Modulators of Disease

“…A total of 434,000 mosquito-borne diseases were reported worldwide in 2015, thus highlighting the serious threat that these insects pose to human health [52]. Camphor has been used as a mosquito repellent in topical application, cosmetics, incense, fumigants, or sprays [53] and to inhibit the growth of some pathogenic microorganisms such as Candida albicans, a representative opportunistic pathogenic yeast that causes severe health complications, particularly in immunodeficient or cancer patients [54]. This compound also inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive bacterium linked to skin abscesses and food poisoning [55], and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium that infects plants and animals including humans [56] and has reportedly acquired mulita-antibiotic resistance [57].…”

“…NVOCs are promising modulators of disease, as each NVOC has a potency to control diseases such as insomnia via sleep-enhancing by (+)-3-carene [20], cancer proliferation via induction of cancer cells' apoptosis by camphene [22], microbial infection by camphor [54], chronic disease through suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation and asthma/COPD via modulation of NF-κB activation and TNF-α secretion by 1,8-cineol [64][65][66][67], cancer proliferation via cancer cells' death and cancer pain by p-cymene [75], mental disorder via antidepressant-like effects of limonene [79], allergy through controlling MAPKs/NF-κB pathway by linalool [85], pain via TRPV1 regulation by myrcene [88], skin damage through controlling inflammation by α-phellandrene [93], allergic rhinitis 136. 23 Embryofoetal toxicity [119] Terpinolene Linalool 154.…”

“…NVOCs are promising modulators of disease, as each NVOC has a potency to control diseases such as insomnia via sleep-enhancing by (+)-3-carene [20], cancer proliferation via induction of cancer cells' apoptosis by camphene [22], microbial infection by camphor [54], chronic disease through suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation and asthma/COPD via modulation of NF-κB activation and TNF-α secretion by 1,8cineol [64][65][66][67], cancer proliferation via cancer cells' death and cancer pain by p-cymene [75], mental disorder via antidepressant-like effects of limonene [79], allergy through controlling MAPKs/NF-κB pathway by linalool [85], pain via TRPV1 regulation by myrcene [88], skin damage through controlling inflammation by α-phellandrene [93], allergic rhinitis through NF-κB controlling and caspase pathway by α-pinene [100], hypertension via modulation of Ca2+ influx by β-pinene [105], antibiotic-resistance of Staphylococcus aureus through NorA efflux pump inactivation by α-terpinene [109], and Microcystis aeruginosa propagation through induction oxidative stress and carbonyl stress by terpinolene [115]. However, characterizing the mechanisms by which NVOCs inhibit disease progression is critical for their wide application in clinical contexts.…”