Abstract

Background:
Candida albicans is an opportunistic yeast located in the avian digestive system. It is the causal agent of candidiasis, an important yeast infection.

Aim:
This study aims to identify C. albicans from mouth sores in yellow-vented Bulbuls using standard and advanced techniques.

Methods:
This study included 50 oral swabs from white lesions in yellow-vented Bulbul birds, which were analyzed analysed using standard methods.

Results:
Candida albicans was found in 15 out of 50 samples (30%). Candida albicans identification was confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the 18S rRNA gene was found in 15 isolates (100%). The antifungal profile of C. albicans was evaluated according to the antifungal disc diffusion method against clotrimazole, ketoconazole, amphotericin B, itraconazole, and fluorcytosine. Fourteen C. albicans isolates were sensitive to clotrimazole (93.3%), ketoconazole, and fluorcytosine 10 (66.6%), while they were resistant to amphotersin B (15/100%). The commercially important probiotic, Lactobacillus acidophilus, was identified phenotypically and molecularly by PCR (16SLAuni) in 5 of 50 sheep milk samples (10%). The antifungal activity of the L. acidophilus against isolated C. albicans was evaluated using the agar well diffusion method. Lactobacillus acidophilus cell-free neutralized supernatant was used at concentrations (105, 106, 107). The most effective inhibition zone was at (107), and it was suppressed to 12 C. albicans isolates.

Conclusion:
It is also concluded that the antifungal activity of both clotrimazole and L. acidophilus is not significantly different, the significance rate for all experiments was considered as p values under 0.05, which presented as average ± SEM. Regarding the uniqueness of our research in terms of the host from which the pathogenic fungi were isolated, further studies are recommended.

Key words: Candia albicans; Lactobacillus acidophilus; Antifungal; Pycnonotus goiavier; Thrush.