Correlative relationship between proteinase production, adherence and pathogenicity of various strains of Candida albicans.

Fifty-three isolates of Candida albicans, representing seven strain types, were tested for their proteinase production and this parameter was correlated with adherence to buccal epithelial cells in 23 isolates and lethality to mice for 14 isolates. Variation in proteinase production and adherence existed both among isolates of the same strain type and different strain types. All isolates tested, irrespective of strain type or source, excreted an inducible proteinase and showed a tendency towards epithelial adherence. A correlation was found between adherence, proteinase production and pathogenicity. The C. albicans isolates which adhered most strongly to buccal epithelial cells had the highest relative proteinase activities and were most pathogenic. This was obvious with strain type--C--, which had a higher prevalence than other strain types in both patients and control groups. These results emphasize the role played by some specific properties of certain strains of C. albicans in the pathogenesis of candidosis.