Studies on the pathogenesis of experimental<i>Candida albicans</i>infections in mice

Abstract

After intravenous infection with six strains of Candida albicans , the kidney was the only tissue in which infection progressed. More virulent strains of C. albicans could grow out of viable leukocytes after phagocytosis, and produce death in the absence of demonstrable fungal multiplication. Renal infection appeared to be related to penetration of and growth within the renal tubular lumen. In addition, the inflammatory response in the kidneys appeared four hours later than in other tissues. If confirmed, this may be of considerable importance in the well-documented susceptibility of the kidneys to infection with many microorganisms. There was no evidence that invasiveness could be correlated specifically with either the mycelial or the yeast phase; transformation into the mycelial phase was followed by progressive infection only in the kidney.