Prevalence of Candida dubliniensis among isolated samples from children with AIDS: phenotypic and genotypic characterization

• Grant number: 10/20637-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2011
• End date: February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Carina Domaneschi
• Grantee: Carina Domaneschi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Claudete Rodrigues Paula Gandra

Abstract

The oral candidosis is a lesion of the oral mucosa considered the first diagnosis of pediatric aids, with prevalence ranging between 20% and 72%. Although Candida albicans is the opportunistic fungal species most frequently isolated from patients with aids, a new species, C. dubliniensis has been getting considerable attention for the association with HIV+/AIDS. It differs from C. albicans in relation to isolation frequency, pathogenic characteristics and resistance to antifungal agents. The purpose of this study is to measure the prevalence of C. dubliniensis between isolated samples from children with aids. Fifty-four samples of C. albicans isolated from oral mucosa of children with aids enrolled in the outpatient clinic of Infectology of the Child's Institute, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil, and stored in fungal collection will be re-evaluated and characterized. To differentiate between the species albicans and dubliniensis will be used phenotyping techniques (chromogenic medium, thermotolerance and Staib medium) and genotype confirmation by PCR method (Polymerase Chain Reaction). The statistical analysis of this study will be done in a descriptive and qualitative. It is estimated that the results of this study and the fast identification of Candida species be relevant for planning health services referred for children, and allows the physician to choose an appropriate medicine for their patients' treatment. (AU)