Standard strains and clinically isolated strains of Candida albicans were tested for their virulence for mice. Lethal effects of yeast forms of clinical isolates were stronger than those of germ tube-forming cells in all except one strain. The germ tube of C. albicans JCM1542 killed mice earlier than the yeast form. Proteinase activity of the clinically isolated strains from patients with dental caries and xerostomia was negatively correlated with median survival time (MST) of mice which were injected with 1 X 106 yeast form cells. The yeast forms of the standard strains had a weak lethal effect on mice compared with their proteinase activity and the yeast forms of the clinical isolates from patients with acute pseudomembranous candidiasis and denture stomatitis had a highly lethal effect with relatively low proteinase activity. These results indicate that the virulence of C. albicans in partially due to proteinase activity.

A total of 282 strains of Staphylococcus were isolated from University Hospital ward environment from April 1991 to January 1992 and drug-susceptibility tests were performed. The main isolates were 84 strains of S. epidermidis (30%), 65 strains of S. aureus (23%), and 58 strains of S. haemolyticus (21%). One hundred and thirty-six strains of all staphylococci (48%) and 13 of 65 strains of S. aureus (20%) were methicillin (DMPPC)-resistant. The DMPPC-resistant strains of S. aureus were multiple drug-resistant to three to seven antibiotics; ampicillin. cephaloridine, cephametazole, tetracycline, erythromycin, gentamicin, and methicillin, while the DMPPC-susceptible strains were resistant to less than two drugs. These results indicate that this routine testing, along with testing of the anterior nares of the medical staff, is necessary to prevent nosocomial transmission.

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