Experimental Germ Tube Induction in Candida albicans: An Evaluation of the Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate on Morphogenesis and Comparison with Pooled Human Serum

OBJECTIVE: The potential of NaHCO(3) versus human serum to induce germ tube formation in Candida albicans was investigated. SPECIMENS: A total of 100 isolates were obtained from oral swabs of patients presenting with thrush. Approval for the study was granted by the Joint Research Ethics Committee (JREC/23/08). METHOD: Confirmed C. albicans isolates by routine methods were tested for germ tube induction using 5 different concentrations of Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO(3) and Tris-maleate buffer control. Standard control strains included were C. albicans (ATCC 10231) and C. krusei (ATCC 6258). Microculture was done in 20 μL inoculums on microscope slides for 3 hours at 37°C. The rate of germ tube formation at 10-minute intervals was determined on 100 isolates using the optimum 20 mM Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO(3) concentration. Parallel germ tube formation using human serum was done in test tubes. RESULTS: The optimum concentration of NaHCO(3) in Tris-maleate buffer for germ tube induction was 20 mM for 67% of isolates. Only 21% of isolates formed germ tubes in Tris-maleate buffer control. There was no significant difference in induction between human serum and Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO(3). CONCLUSION: Tris-maleate buffered NaHCO(3) induced germ tube formation in C. albicans isolates at rates similar to human serum.