Variations of enzymatic activity and biotypes of the yeast like fungi strains isolated from cancer patients.

Purpose: Determination of the enzymatic activity and enzymatic biotypes variations of the yeast like fungi strains isolated from cancer patients with oral candidiasis during last 5 years.

Material and methods: We evaluated enzymatic activity of 92 Candida albicans strains isolated from oral ontocenosis from cancer patients with candidiasis symptoms in 1999 and 2003. The enzymatic activity of the strains tested was assessed by the API ZYM (bioMerieux) method. Biotypes of the strains were determined according to Williamson's or Kurnatowska's and Kurnatowski's classifications.

Results: In 1999 Candida albicans 17 of 19 tested isolates had hydrolytic activity hydrolases and 87% of strains were assigned according to Wiliamson's. Only 8.7% of strains were classified according to Kurnatowska's and Kurnatowski's, but 4.3% strains according to Krajewska-Kułak et al. In 2003, 18 of 19 strains had hydrolytic activity and 93.5% of strains were classified according to Wiliamson's, but 4.3% according to Kurnatowska's and Kurnatowski's and 2.2% according to Krajewska-Kułak et al.

Conclusions: The results of present study indicate that most of tested strains were classified into Wiliamson's system. Our findings suggest that other Candida biotypes should be determined according to their different enzymatic activity and susceptibilities.