Enzymatic activity of fungi of the genus Candida isolated from the skin and the digestive tract in people and from municipal sewage

Abstract

Enzymatic activities of C. albicans, C. guilliermondii and C. tropicalis from the skin and the digestive tract and from municipal sewage were compared using the API ZYM system (bio Méricux). Aclivities were examined in relalion to potential pathogenicity of these fungi strictly connected with their enzymatic properties, especilly the production of proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes, as well as acidic and basic phosphatase. The proteolytic activity was high in strains of C. albicans from the digestive tract and from municipal sewage, as we~ as in C. guilliermondii isolated from sewage. The highest lipolytic activity was recorded in the case of C. guilliermondii from sewage, and C. albicans and C. tropicalis from the digestive tract. Acidic and basic phosphatases and phosphohydrolase were secreted by strains of all species isolated from municipal sewage in the greatest degree (the only exception is a high activity of acidic phosphatase of C. albicans and C. tropicalis in the digestive tract). A higher enzymatic activity was observed in the same species in municipal sewage than in the human body.