Animal Models of Candidiasis

Animal models are powerful tools to study the pathogenesis of diverse types of candidiasis. Murine models are particularly attractive because of cost, ease of handling, technical feasibility, and experience with their use. In this chapter, we describe methods for two of the most popular murine models of disease caused by Candida albicans . In an intravenously disseminated candidiasis (DC) model, immunocompetent mice are infected by lateral tail vein injections of a C. albicans suspension. Endpoints include mortality, tissue burdens of infection (most importantly in the kidneys, although spleens and livers are sometimes also assessed), and histopathology of infected organs. In a model of oral/esophageal candidiasis, mice are immunosuppressed with cortisone acetate and inoculated in the oral cavities using swabs saturated with a C. albicans suspension. Since mice do not die from oral candidiasis in this model, endpoints are tissue burden of infection and histopathology. The DC and oral/esophageal models are most commonly used for studies of C. albicans virulence, in which the disease-causing ability of a mutant strain is compared with an isogenic parent strain. Nevertheless, the basic techniques we describe are also applicable to models adapted to investigate other aspects of pathogenesis, such as spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression, specific aspects of host immune response and assessment of antifungal agents, immunomodulatory strategies, and vaccines.