Candida glabrata is a yeast fungus belonging to the Candida genus. For a long time, Candida glabrata was not considered pathogenic; however, it is becoming apparent that the pathogen is causing an increasing number of opportunistic infections.
What is Candida glabrata?
Candida glabrata belongs to the Candida genus. Candida are yeast fungi that belong to the class of tubular fungi (Ascomycota). There are a total of 155 different Candida species. Candida glabrata is a haploid yeast. It thus has only one set of chromosomes. On glucose-peptone agar, the yeast shows up as a cream-colored and smooth colony that forms longer yeast-like cells. These cells are also referred to as pseudomycelia. The individual yeast cells are between 2 and 4 µm in size. The GC content of Candida glabrata is 39.6 to 40.2 mol%. The GC content indicates the percentage of DNA bases formed from guanine and cytosine. The genetic information of Candida glabrata is present in the cell nucleus in the form of 13 chromosomes. The complete genome of the fungal strain was first completely decoded in 2004. It consists of more than 12 million base pairs and over 5000 genes. For a long time, Candida glabrata was primarily classified as a non-pathogenic organism. There were only a few infections with the yeast fungus. However, Candida glabrata has now been found to be a highly opportunistic pathogen. Opportunistic pathogens are parasites that use a weakened overall condition of the body and a weakened immune system to spread. As a result, they cause what is known as an opportunistic infection.
Occurrence, distribution, and characteristics
Candida glabrata is a pathogen that occurs ubiquitously. This means that the fungus colonizes a variety of different habitats. It is commonly found as a contaminant in fruit juices, but is also found on fruits and vegetables. Ready-prepared raw vegetable salads from the refrigerated counter show a particularly high level of contamination. They are often contaminated with millions of colonization-forming Candida fungi. Research shows that the pathogen is also able to survive outside the human body. At humidity levels between 30 and 50 percent, the fungi survive for at least 30 days. At higher humidity levels, survival increases to up to 12 months. Candida glabrata is the only Candida species that has a number of adhesins. Adhesins are factors that allow bacteria and fungi to attach to certain structures. In Candida glabrata, adhesin production is encoded by the EPA genes. EPA stands for epithelial cell adhesin. In the fungus, the EPA genes are located in the so-called subtelomeric region. They are able to respond to signals from the environment with mass expression. Thus, Candida glabrata is able to adhere to both biotic and abiotic surfaces in microbial mats. As a result, the fungus causes dangerous biofilms on urinary catheters, for example, so that urinary tract infections caused by Candida glabrata after catheterizations occur repeatedly in hospitals. Candida glabrata also attaches itself to dental products, such as dentures, and thus enters the body. Ingestion via contaminated food and juices is also possible.
Diseases and medical conditions
Candida glabrata is a pathogen that plays a role primarily in hospitals. There, it repeatedly causes infections of the urogenital tract. For example, urethritis (inflammation of the urethra) can develop as a result of Candida glabrata. In urethritis, the mucous membranes of the last section of the urinary tract (urethra) are inflamed. This causes pain during urination, whitish discharge from the urethra, and a constant urge to urinate. The bladder may also be affected by the inflammation. Inflammation of the urinary bladder is also called cystitis. Typical symptoms of cystitis include pain and burning during urination, frequent urination with small portions of urine, and bladder spasms. Furthermore, there may be blood in the urine. In severe cases, fever is also possible. Next to Candida albicans, Candida glabrata is the second most common cause of vaginal fungal infections. Colloquially, vaginal mycosis is called vaginal mycosis. The typical sign of a vaginal infection with Candida glabrata is an odorless, white and friable discharge from the vagina. Affected women often suffer from itching in the vulva area.Non-wipeable, white coatings form on the vaginal mucosa. These are called thrush coatings. In severe cases of infection, they can spread to the entire vulva. In addition, painful erosions may develop in the genital area. The skin lesions may extend to the mons veneris and the inner thighs. The soreness of the mucosa causes pain during urination and sexual intercourse. In severely immunocompromised patients, i.e. people with a lowered immune system, for example patients with AIDS or leukemia, fungemia can develop. In this case, the fungus travels through the bloodstream to all organs in the body. It is a systemic infection. The blood poisoning is accompanied by high fever, chills and increasing pallor. The general condition is poor. If the lungs are affected by Candida glabrata, severe pneumonia results. The heart may also be affected by the infection. Inflammation of the heart valves (endocarditis) is a serious complication of the fungal infection. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment is important. Cultures are usually grown from swabs or stool to establish the diagnosis. Additional monitoring of IgA in the blood may provide evidence of acute infection. Urine controls are also possible, but provide less accurate information. Treatment is with antifungal agents.
