| Grant number: | 08/09231-7 |
| Support Opportunities: | Regular Research Grants |
| Start date: | March 01, 2009 |
| End date: | February 28, 2011 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology |
| Principal Investigator: | Eduardo Bagagli |
| Grantee: | Eduardo Bagagli |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil |
Abstract
Yeasts of the genus Candida are the main agents of systemic opportunistic fungal infections worldwide and its incidence has increased over the last two decades, due to the increasing number of hosts with some degree of impairment of the immune system. Although Candida albicans remains as the most prevalent, the occurrence of other species of the genus is gradually being seen in different clinical cases. Considering that the various species normally present different clinical and epidemiological profiles as well as different sensitivity to antifungal drugs and biofilm production, the correct identification of them is a necessity and a growing challenge for laboratories. In this project, we are proposing the incorporation of molecular methodologies considered to be highly sensitive and discriminatory for the identification of these microorganisms such as the sequencing of regions of ribosomal DNA, in association to traditional methods already employed. The biofilm production will also be evaluated in the same collection of isolates, considering its importance as complicating factor, especially when associated to the presence of catheters and other hospital devices, which increase the yeast virulence. Biofilms also confer greater resistance to antifungal drugs than the planktonic cells, turning such infections very difficult to treat. The genetic basis of yeast biofilm production is relatively complex, but it has already established the involvement of genes of the family ALS, which code glycoproteins for adhesion. Among the genes of this family ALS3 and ALS1 have received more attention and will be investigated in this project, in order to correlate their polymorphic patterns with greater or lesser biofilm production, as well as with the susceptibility profiles to the main antifungal drugs (fluconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B). The data to be obtained, besides providing a better knowledge of the species panel and the molecular patterns of the yeasts that cause infection in our region, will also contribute with laboratory information that promote the rational therapy with the drugs already available, as well as in the search for new alternative therapies. (AU)
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