Isolation, acid proteinase secretion, and experimental pathogenicity of Candida parapsilosis from outpatients with vaginitis.

Candida parapsilosis was isolated from the vaginas of several nonpregnant, nondiabetic, mostly premenopausal outpatients who presented the characteristic signs and symptoms of a frank vulvovaginal candidiasis (heavy discharge with cottage cheese appearance and intense itching, with or without vulvar erythema and dyspareunia). All isolates conformed morphologically, biochemically, and serologically to the standard description of the species. They showed high acid proteinase-secretory activity in vitro and were appreciably pathogenic for cyclophosphamide-immunodepressed mice.