• 1 January 1975
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 13  (NOV) , 263-273
Abstract
Nutritional competition between C. albicans and 6 bacteria frequently found in the gastrointestinal tract [Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus viridans], together with the influence of the bacterial supernatant on yeast growth, were studied. The amount of available carbohydrates in vitro was an important growth factor. Three of the 6 carbohydrates enhanced growth. The hypothesis of an antifungal substance produced by bacteria cannot be excluded, though a 10% concentration of bacterial supernatant had no inhibitory effect on fungal growth and germination. In the presence of bacteria, the percentage of germ tube formation was markedly reduced in horse serum after 4 h incubation at 37.degree. C.