Candida Albicans

Candida albicans is the most prevalent cause of fungal infections in people. Its species name, albicans, comes from the Latin word for "white. The yeast appears white when cultured on a plate. And in the case of certain infections, like thrush, it can create white patches. Candida albicans is part of the normal mucosal, respiratory, gastrointestinal and female genital microbiota. However, when the host immune system is impaired or the competing bacterial microbiota is altered, C. albicans can overwhelm the host defences and gain access to the bloodstream, invading tissues, or contaminating medical devices, causing life threatening infections. These infections are often associated with the formation of biofilms, and one of the major concerns with disease management is the fact that C. albicans biofilm cells display reduced susceptibility against azoles and polyenes in comparison to planktonic cells.

This intrinsic property of biofilms is likely to be multifactorial and has been associated with factors such as cells physiological state, activation of drug efflux pumps, and a protective effect of the extracellular matrix (ECM) namely β-glucans that have been shown to bind fluconazole and amphotericin B. As an organism moves through its environment it leaves behind a treasure trove of data waiting to be unlocked and harnessed. Recently, eDNA has been harnessed to detect rare or invasive species and pathogens in a broad range of environments. eDNA is improving accuracy, reducing cost, and streamlining work-flows across many fields and industries including paleontology, agriculture, public health, and ecology. Bacterial biofilms endure high concentrations of biocides, and new strategies for biofilm control must therefore replace or complement the use of antibiotics, for example, by targeting the extracellular matrix to cause dispersal or increased antimicrobial susceptibility.

Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is a matrix component of most biofilms, and is therefore an attractive target. In this process, billions of copies of a target sequence are synthesized from template DNA (the purified eDNA sample, which can be present at very low levels) and then detected in real-time via fluorescent signal amplification. At the end of the reaction, if significant amplification of fluorescent signal is detected, the environmental sample is considered positive for the species of interest. Deoxyribonuclease I DNase I is a versatile enzyme that nonspecifically cleaves DNA to release 5'-phosphorylated di-, tri-, and oligonucleotide products. A powerful research tool for DNA manipulations, DNase I is used in a range of molecular biology applications. Some of its uses include: 1. The research was led by Guillermo Quindós, professor of microbiology at the UPV/EHU's Faculty of Medicine.

This study opens up an alternative for treating vaginal candidiasis. Nearly one in five women who suffer a bout of vaginal candidiasis becomes a chronic carrier of the Candida fungus, and goes on to suffer fresh bouts of this unpleasant infection. These repeat bouts of candidiasis tend to be resistant to the usual treatments, and this research could provide hope for patients. The conditioned medium of uterine stem cells (hUCESC-CM) inhibits the growth of various sensitive strains of Candida isolated from the vagina, but it also inhibits the growth of Candida albicans in nearly 80 percent of cases in patients with treatment-resistant chronic vaginal candidiasis. Reviewed by Saurabh(Seth) Sethi, MD MPH https://www. medicalnewstoday. com/articles/322722. php Spygen: what is EDNA: http://www. spygen.