Virulence of Candida tropicalis

Candida tropicalis is one of the most feared non-albicans C. species in the world (3 to 66% of isolates). The aim of the study was to assess the in vivo virulence of a telluric strain of C. tropicalis based on the G. mellonella model. The study was carried out in Burkina Faso.It was a prospective experimental study. Batches of 10 larvae of 280 to 320mg and a telluric strain of C. tropicalis identified by MALDI-TOF were used. Larvae were inoculated with 20?l of fungal suspension at increasing concentrations of 5105 1106 and 5106 CFU. A control group was injected with 20?L of sterile PBS. Melanisation and larval death were observed at 24 h over 12 days.In total 100% of the larvae melanised 30 min after inoculation at concentrations of 1106 and 5106 CFU/larva and mortality was 100% at H48 (p<0.001). There was no change in the control group.C. tropicalis causes serious infections. This experimental model could be taken as the gold standard for experiments on the virulence of fungal microorganisms.