Evaluation of Disseminated Candidiasis on an Experimental Animal Model: A Fourier Transform Infrared Study

Abstract

Invasive candidiasis, defined as candidemia and disseminated candidiasis, is the most common fungal infection in hospitalized patients. In the current study, we used Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as a rapid, non-perturbing technique to investigate the effects of disseminated candidiasis on mouse liver tissues at the molecular level. The results revealed that the infection caused compositional changes in the tissues by decreasing the lipid content and the ratio of the saturated lipids to unsaturated lipids. An increase in the lipid/protein ratio was also observed. In addition, investigation of the olefinic band at 3014 cm−1 showed that lipid peroxidation took place in the infected samples. These results indicate that FT-IR spectroscopy is a promising technique for the evaluation and diagnosis of disseminated candidiasis.