Isolamento de Candida dubliniensis da mucosa oral de um paciente com SIDA, no Rio Grande do Sul

Candida dubliniensis is a newly described species which is closely related phylogenetically to Candida albicans and which is commonly associated with oral candidiasis in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients. In this paper we relate the first isolation of C.dubliniensis in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) in an AIDS patient without oral candidiasis lesions. The phenotypic identification was based on germ tube emission, the hyperproduction of chlamydospores that were arranged in contiguous pairs and triplets, on the assimilation of sucrose but not xylose and on the lack of growth at 42-45°C. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD) analysis confirmed the distinct genetic nature of Candida dubliniensis. Problems related with isolation, identification and ease with which it is possible to induce stable fluconazole resistance in vitro, are also discussed.