Evaluating Antifungal Drug and Reactive Species Susceptibility in Candida albicans

Authors: Meli Perez, James Konopka, Kaela Teele

SUNY Campus: Stony Brook University

Presentation Type: Poster

Location: Old Union Hall

Presentation #: 32

Timeslot: Session D 3:00-4:00 PM

Abstract: Candida albicans is a commensal yeast that resides on the mucosal surfaces and skin of humans. Although typically harmless, disruptions in pH, antibiotic use, and implantation of medical devices can promote overgrowth of C. albicans and lead to pathogenic infections. Milder mucosal conditions include, oral thrush and vulvo-vaginal candidiasis, whereas severe systemic infections occur when C. albicans enters the bloodstream, causing candidemia and multi-organ dissemination, usually associated with a mortality rate exceeding 40%. Effective treatment relies on antifungal agents, but differences in susceptibility among C. albicans strains make treatment outcomes variable. This study evaluates the effects of key immune defense mechanisms, reactive oxygen species(ROS) and reactive species(RS), alongside antifungal drugs on various C. albicans isolate samples to assess clinical strain-dependent variations in drug response and oxidative stress tolerance. Using disk diffusion assays, the zones of growth inhibition were measured to determine susceptibility patterns across isolates. Our findings reveal significant differences in inhibition zones among clinical strains compared to the wild-type strain, indicating underlying genetic variations that may influence immune evasion and antifungal resistance. These results suggest that there are genetic differences between clinical strains in humans, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of strain-specific immune interactions and treatment responses in C. albicans infections.