Quantitative cidal activity of hyperbaric oxygen for opportunistic yeast pathogens.

Cidal activities of 24-h exposures to 100% O2 and 95% O2 + 5% CO2 were assayed at 1 and 3 ATA. Studied were 21 yeasts isolated from humans: Candida albicans (8 strains), C. tropicalis (3 strains), C. krusei (3 strains), C. parapsilosis (2 strains), C. guilliermondii (2 strains), and one strain each of C. pseudotropicalis, C. stellatoidea, and Torulopsis sp. Generally, these were extremely sensitive to hyperbaric oxygen, although species and strain differences were observed. Indices of kill from 80-100 (total kill) characterized 17 of the 21 yeasts (81%). Hyperoxia (O2 +/- CO2 at 1 ATA) was not lethal. Deprivation of CO2 as a consequence of hyperbaric exposure to 100% O2 enhanced cidal activity for only 2 of 21 yeasts, whereas hyperbaric exposure to the mixture enhanced activity against four yeasts. Cidal activities were not significantly different for the remaining 15 yeasts. This response to deprivation of CO2 is different from that of bacteria, and manifests fundamental differences between procaryotic and eucaryotic cells.