Resumo

PANIZO, María Mercedes et al. Phospholipase and protease activity in clinical Candida spp. isolates. Rev. Soc. Ven. Microbiol. [online]. 2005, vol.25, n.2, pp.64-71. ISSN 1315-2556.

Abstract   The objectives of this work were to determine and to compare the phospholipase and protease activity of Candida spp. strains, and to correlate the enzymatic activity with the place of yeasts isolation. 95 Candida spp. strains isolated of different clinical samples were used. Phospholipase activity was performed according to Polak, using two egg yolk agar culture media. Protease activity was assayed according to Aoki et al., using bovine serum albumin agar plates. For the statistical analysis ANOVA test and paired samples Student’s t test were used. It could be settled down that Candida albicans strains posses more protease activity than Candida non albicans species, as well as a relationship between protease activity and yeasts isolation place. No statistically significant differences were obtained when Candida albicans and Candida non albicans phospholipase activity were evaluated and could not settled down a relationship between the phospholipase activity and yeasts isolation place. Solid culture media are a viable and easy-to-use alternative, to evaluate protease and phospholipase enzymatic activity in a mycology laboratory, for the identification of Candida species, together with routine tests like direct exam and culture, and would help to establish if a relationship exists between yeasts pathogenicity and enzymes production, associated with the isolation place of the same ones

Palavras-chave : Phospholipase; protease; Candida spp; culture media.