Deposition of complement in the lesions of experimental cutaneous candidiasis in guinea pigs.

Deposits of C3 have been demonstrated at the dermo-epidermal junction in the lesions of experimental cutaneous candidiasis in guinea pigs. The deposits were granular in character and similar to those previously found in the lesions of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis in humans. Immunoglobulin, C4 and candida antigen were not detected in the lesions. C3 was also found in a similar pattern at the dermo-epidermal junction of candida-infected skin from homozygous C4-deficient guinea pigs. From these observations, it is postulated that complement deposition occurs in these lesions as a result of alternative pathway activation, perhaps by cell wall components from the infecting organisms.