Comparison of virulence factors of oral <i>Candida dubliniensis</i> and <i>Candida albicans</i> isolates in healthy people and patients with chronic candidosis

We determined differences in the expression of certain virulence factors between oral Candida dubliniensis and Candida albicans species. In addition, clonal differences were sought among C. albicans isolates recovered from patients with and without compromised immune system. The material comprised 93 clinical yeast isolates originated in 40 subjects (1–5 isolates per subject). All 26 C. dubliniensis isolates and 46 C. albicans isolates originated from healthy routine dental clinic patients. Additionally, 21 C. albicans isolates were collected from patients with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy–candidosis–ectodermal dystrophy (APECED), who have chronic candidosis as one manifestation of their immunocompromising disease. Polymerase chain reaction amplification using the random sequence primer OPE‐03 enabled grouping of the C. dubliniensis isolates in 2 genotypes (I and II) and C. albicans isolates in 15 genotypes (I–XV). No significant difference was found in the distribution of genotypes between the patients with APECED and the healthy subjects. C. dubliniensis isolates exhibited high‐frequency phenotypic switching significantly more frequently than did C. albicans isolates, and vice versa regarding phospholipase and proteinase production. Proteinase production was significantly more frequent among C. albicans genotype V than genotype IX isolates. No significant difference was found in expression of virulence factors of C. albicans isolates between the patients with APECED and the healthy subjects