GLASS SURFACE AS POTENTIAL IN VITRO SUBSTRATUM FOR CANDIDA FAMATA BIOFILM

The biofilm of Candida spp. is a three-dimensional structure consisting of a dense network of yeasts, blastospores and/or filamentous elements (hyphae or pseu-dohyphae). All species of Candida are able to form biofilm. The aim of this paper is to present data concerning biofilm formation under static conditions by oropharyngeal isolates of C. famata on a glass surface using non-invasive confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM). The changes in five parameters calculated using the CSLM technique, i.e. areal porosity (%), fractal dimension (D), length of edge line (mm/mm2), length of skeleton line (mm/mm2), number of cell clusters/mm2, describing the biofilm structure of C. famata isolates after 1 h incubation (the adhesion step), 24 h incubation (biofilm formation) and 72 h incubation (mature biofilm), indicate the morphological reorganization of biofilm during maturation. The thickness of biofilm C. famata isolates after 72 h incubation ranged from 35.2 to 81.2 |im