Candida parapsilosis: molecular characterization, biofilm formation and sensitivity to antifungal agents.

• Grant number: 11/11854-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: August 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Claudete Rodrigues Paula Gandra
• Grantee: Claudete Rodrigues Paula Gandra
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Eriques Gonçalves da Silva ; Luciana da Silva Ruiz Menezes

Abstract

Isolates of C. parapsilosis has been reported to be physiologically indistinguishable, but genetically heterogeneous. It has been suggested that C. parapsilosis is a complex composed of three genetically distinct groups, based on this analysis relet through molecular techniques relevant. It was proposed then that each of the three groups was considered a new species, named as C. parapsilosis, C. orthopsilosis and C. metapsilosis.Neste context, little is known about the frequency of C. orthopsilosis and C. metapsilosis in yeast strains isolated from blood cultures. Few studies in the literature provide sufficient data to assess the prevalence of these three species in bloodstream infections, infections in other sites or even colonization. The genetic differentiation among these species may represent different behaviors in the face of antifungal therapy or may be responsible for different clinical pictures. (AU)