High variability within Candida albicans transcription factor RLM1: Isolates from vulvovaginal infections show a clear bias toward high molecular weight alleles

Abstract

Previous studies have correlated the severity of recurrent vulvovaginal Candida infections (VVC) and balanitis in patients from China with the presence of some dominant genotypes at the ORF RLM1. Here we tested VVC vs non-VVC isolates from Portugal, Brazil and Greece and, although the same genotypes were identified in VVC isolates, they were present in only five out of 150 strains. However, this analysis showed that VVC isolates presented a higher percentage of genotypes with similar high molecular weight alleles, in comparison with strains isolated from other biological sources.