In vivo visualization of Candida albicans infections

Candida yeasts are commensals of human skin and mucosal surfaces but can also cause fungal infections. Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen and causes life-threatening diseases especially but not limited to immuno-compromised patients. Candidiasis most often develops in the mouth or throat (called oropharyngeal candidiasis or thrush), the vagina (yeast infection) or as invasive candidiasis after entering the bloodstream and thus spreading throughout the body.
The efficacy of drugs to combat fungal infections is limited, as 40 – 60 % of infected patients still die from the disease.
There is a need for novel therapeutic approaches, and this necessitates a detailed knowledge of this fungal pathogens and of its pathogenesis (Sanglard and Odds, 2002). The In-Vivo Xtreme II proved to be a robust system to assess the progression of C. albicans disease in mice. The use of a Sealed Animal Tray is convenient and decreased risks of crosscontamination in our animal facility, especially when several types of pathogens were tested for BLI.

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