Experimental Cutaneous Candidiasis in Rodents

• Of six species ofCandidaapplied epicutaneously to rodents, onlyC albicansandC stellatoideapenetrate the stratum corneum and produce inflammation. The role of the stratum corneum in experimental murineCandidainfections was studied, therefore, by intraepidermal injection of blastospores in mice that received a prior injection of staphylococcal epidermolysin. All six species caused accumulation of neutrophils if placed within an intraepidermal cleft in contact with viable epidermis. The role of serum complement in cutaneous candidiasis was also studied in vivo in rodents depleted of complement with cobra venom factor or deficient in the fifth component of complement. These animals failed to develop neutrophilic inflammatory responses to the sixCandidaspecies tested in contrast to control animals.Candida albicans,C stellatoidea, andC tropicalisdeveloped extensive hyphal proliferation with invasion of the entire cutis and subcutis in these animals. The stratum corneum provides an effective barrier to some, but not allCandidaspecies. When this barrier is penetrated, complement mediates an acute neutrophilic pustular response that restrictsCandidaproliferation and prevents deep invasion of tissue. (Arch Dermatol114:539-543, 1978)