AUTHOR=Shing Samuel R. , Ramos Anissa R. , Patras Kathryn A. , Riestra Angelica M. , McCabe Sinead , Nizet Victor , Coady Alison 

TITLE=The Fungal Pathogen Candida albicans Promotes Bladder Colonization of Group B Streptococcus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00437

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2019.00437

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Group B <italic>Streptococcus</italic> (GBS) is a common cause of bacterial urinary tract infections (UTI) in susceptible populations, including pregnant women and the elderly. However, the factors that govern GBS persistence and disease severity in this niche are not fully understood. Here, we report that the presence of the fungus <italic>Candida albicans</italic>, a common urogenital colonizer, can promote GBS UTI. Co-inoculation of GBS with <italic>C. albicans</italic> increased bacterial adherence to bladder epithelium and promoted GBS colonization <italic>in vivo</italic> in a <italic>C. albicans</italic> adhesin-dependent manner. This study demonstrates that fungal colonization of the urogenital tract may be an important determinant of bacterial pathogenesis during UTI.</p>