Novel strategies to fight Candida infections: natural honey

Abstract

The incidence of Candida infections (Candidosis) has increased remarkably in the last years, being attributed to the rise in the elderly population, the increasing number of immunocompromised patients, and the widespread use of indwelling medical devices. Candida albicans remains as the most prevalent species of these infections, but a clear rise in the proportion of non-Candida albicans Candida (NCAC) species has been noted. These species have an inherent level of resistance to certain antifungal agents higher than C. albicans though their virulence factors are much less understood. A major virulence factor is the ability to adhere and to form biofilms in medical devices and host tissues, because of a higher tolerance to antifungal therapy. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new strategies to fight these infections. Natural compounds are attracting increased interest in this field, among which honey. AIM: To evaluate honey as a novel strategy to fight C. tropicalis infections.