Abstract: Objective To assess the genotype similarity of Candida albicans isolated from different body locations of patients with cutaneous candidiasis,in order to investigate the possible pathogenesis of cutaneous candidiasis of multiple sites.Methods Specimens were collected for fungal culture.DNA was extracted from the isolates,and amplified by PCR using primers P-Ⅰand P-Ⅱto determine the 25S rDNA and specific repeptive sequence (RPS)-based genotype of the strains.Also,the specific 870 bp-long RPS fragment was digested by restricted endonucleases EcoRⅠand ClaⅠ.Results Forty-one strains of C.albicans were isolated from 19 patients,and classified into 6 genotypes with the above technique.The genotypes of C albicans were identical from different body sites of the same individual,but varied among different patients. Conclusion The genotypes of C.albicans isolates from multiple body locations of a same individual with cutaneous candidiasis are identical,indicating that the pathogenesis of cutaneous candidiasis of multiple sites might be unrelated to an exogenous reinfection with a new species of pathogen.

Key words: Candidiasis, cutaneous, DNA finger printing, Infection route