RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This review was aimed to discuss the literature concerning the fingerprint methods for epidemiological studies of oral-borne Candida albicans. DISCUSSION: Interest in obtaining a better understanding of the pathogenesis, epidemiology, genetics and evolution of Candida albicans has led to the development of innumerable investigations. These studies have employed fingerprinting systems, such as multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, electrophoretic karyotyping, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, and restriction length fragment polymorphism, with and without hybridization. The efficacy of these systems has been examined at different levels of discrimination. A validation strategy has been delineated which compares two or more unrelated methods. Moreover, the different fingerprinting patterns produced could be registered in database programs and submitted to comparison with parameters of the host and characteristics of the pathogen. These procedures permit urrent and retrospective comparison of a selection of clinical and epidemiologically important strains, which could show one or several characteristics of the host or pathogen. Additionally, the sum of this growing amount of information could contribute even more to the understanding of the dynamics of infectious organisms in human populations, the complex relationship between commensalism and infection, and genetic and evolutionary mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple molecular systems are available for studies involving C. albicans. This growing amount of information contributes to the understanding of the dynamics of this fungus in human populations.
OBJETIVO: Esta revisão discute as informações existentes acerca dos métodos de caracterização para estudos epidemiológicos envolvendo Candida albicans de origem bucal. DISCUSSÃO: O interesse no melhor entendimento da patogênese, epidemiologia, genética e evolução de C. albicans tem levado os pesquisadores à condução de inúmeras investigações. Esses estudos empregam sistemas de caracterização molecular como eletroforese de enzimas multilocus, cariotipagem por eletroforese, amplificação do DNA polimórfico ao acaso e polimorfismo dos fragmentos de restrição com e sem hidridização. A eficácia desses sistemas tem sido avaliada nos seus diferentes níveis de discriminação. Uma estratégia de validação foi delineada, a qual compara dois ou mais métodos não relacionados. Ainda, os diferentes padrões de caracterização molecular produzem dados que podem ser avaliados por programas computacionais e permite a comparação comparâmetros do hospedeiro e características do patógeno. Tais procedimentos permitem comparações correntes e retrospectivas de cepas clínicas e epidemiologicamente importantes, que podem mostrar uma ou mais características do hospedeiro ou do patógeno. A somatória do montante de informação pode contribuir para o entendimento da dinâmica dos organismos infecciosos em populações humanas, as relações complexas entre comensalismo e infecção, e mecanismos genéticos e evolutivos. CONCLUSÕES: Vários sistemas de caracterização molecular estão disponíveis para estudos envolvendo C. albicans. Este aumento de informação contribui na compreensão da dinâmica deste fungo em populações humanas.
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Boca/microbiología , Candida albicans/clasificación , Candida albicans/genética , Hibridación Genética , Epidemiología Molecular , Tipificación de Secuencias Multilocus , Técnicas de Tipificación Micológica , Polimorfismo GenéticoRESUMEN
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty nine elders wearing complete dentures and living in retirement homes in Curitiba (southern Brazil), were divided into two groups: group #1, 26 patients with denture-induced stomatitis and group #2, 33 patients without denture-induced stomatitis. The two groups were evaluated in relation to the degree of denture-induced stomatitis, salivary fungal loads, and secretion of some histolytic enzymes. RESULTS: Patients from group #1 showed higher degrees of colonisation by Candida albicans (p = 0.031). Candida krusei, Candida tropicalis, and Candida parapsilosis were also isolated, but there were no differences between the groups (p > 0.05). Secretory aspartyl protease (Sap) and chondroitinase did not show significant differences among the isolated Candida spp. in the two groups. Phospholipase secretion rates were higher among the strains of C. albicans from group #2 (p = 0.036). The same behaviour was not detected for non-albicans Candida species. CONCLUSIONS: The results could infer that differences in the secretion rates of candidal histolytic enzymes should not be imputed as imperative for the progress of denture-induced stomatitis.
