Comparison of the growth of virulent and attenuated strains of Candida albicans in the kidneys of normal and cortison-treated mice by chitin assay.

Candida albicans strain 22114 was avirulent for mice compared with strain 19321 in that, administered intravenously, 10(6) blastospores of 22114 failed to kill whereas 10(6) blastospores of 19321 produced 100% mortality. Cortisone treatment rendered mice susceptible to killing by 22114. Chitin assay showed that cortisone stimulated the growth of both strains in the mouse kidney. Growth of 19321 was increased up to five-fold and 22114 up to forty-fold. The strains may have differential susceptibility to cortisone-sensitive host defences which control fungal growth in vivo.