Epithelial adherence of Candida albicans is enhanced by passage through rat small intestine

Seven Candida albicans isolates (four from patients with diarrhoea and three from healthy persons) underwent two passages through rat ileal loop (RIL) to see the effect of consecutive passages on the adherence to rat intestinal epithelium. The isolates from patients with diarrhoea showed a significant enhancement in adherence after the first passage (1.95 x 10(4) cfu/cm2 versus 3.67 x 10(4) cfu/cm2). There was no further increase between the first passage (3.67 x 10(4) cfu/cm2) and the second one (3.61 x 10(4) cfu/cm2). A similar pattern was observed with the three nondiarrhoeal isolates. Animal passage of this fungus probably leads to better interactions between the cell surfaces causing the enhanced adherence.