Candida spp.

Sour Crop - Copyright Professor Andrew N. Rycroft, BSc, PHD, C. Biol.F.I.Biol., FRCPath

Candida - Copyright Professor Andrew N. Rycroft, BSc, PHD, C. Biol.F.I.Biol., FRCPath

Candida in vivo - Copyright Professor Andrew N. Rycroft, BSc, PHD, C. Biol.F.I.Biol., FRCPath

• Candidia albicans is the most important species
  • C. tropicalis and C. pelliculosa are other important species

• World wide distribution

• Usually an endogenous mycoses

• Noramlly present on skin, vagina and in the GI tract

• Immunocompromised animals may show symptoms

• Usually lesions on mucous membranes and at mucocutaneous junctions

• Many species have been implicated in bovine mastitis

• C. albicans has been isolated in porcine stomach ulcers

• C. rugosa has been implicated in pyometra in mares

• Infection of the crop, oesophagus and mouth occur in poultry and other birds leading to sour crop
  • White-grey lesions in mouth which adhere loosly to the mucous membrane
  • Crop wall may be thickened
  • Crop wall may be covered by a yellow-white necrotic material
  • Underlying tissue is inflammed

• Causes thrush in humans
• Affects the tongue
• C. albicans causes metritis and vaginitis in mares and genital candidiosis in stallions (and bulls)

• Skin scrapings in 20% KOH for microscopy

• Diphtheritic membranes, pus and fluids can be examined by Lactophenol Cotton Blue and stained by Gram or Methylene Blue stain

• Gram positive, oval, thin-walled budding cells with hyphal fragments

• Grow on Blood agar and Sabouraud's Dextrose agar producing soft, creamy colonies in 24-48 hours

• Grossly:
  • Exudative, papular, pustular to ulcerative dermatitis
  • Stomatitis and otitis externa may develop

• Microscopically:
  • Spongiotic neutrophilic pustular inflammation
  • Parakeratosis
  • Ulcerations
  • Superficial exudate containing organisms

• Candida spp. in candidiasis