PHENOTYPIC INVESTIGATION OF VIRULENCE PROFILES IN SOME CANDIDA SPP. STRAINS ISOLATED FROM DIFFERENT CLINICAL SPECIMENS

Candida species great versatility may explain their wide range of infections occurred in a great variety of hosts. Even though many modern molecular techniques arise, phenotypic assays still provide valuable information and can guide the diagnosis and the treatment of infections. The phenotypic investigation of virulence determinants in some recent nosocomial isolates of Candida spp. revealed that the fungal clinical strains may develop specific virulence profiles depending on the taxonomic affiliation of the tested strains and the source of infection. Our data support the usefulness of phenotypic assays in predicting the clinical outcome of the fungal infections and in the adjustment of the antifungal treatment.