Adherence of Candida albicans to human vaginal epithelial cells

The adherence capacity of Candida species to female vaginal epithelial cells was examined. The results showed that in four groups of patients studied, the highest adherence was with epithelial cells collected from pregnant diabetic women (47% adherence, and 1,700 adherent yeasts). Pregnant or diabetic women had 39% each of adherence to epithelial cells but differed in the number of adherent yeasts (1,400 and 1,000 respectively). The diabetic and pregnant women therefore appeared differential attachment to epithelial cells from different physiologically adapted women.