Effects of beta-glucan in a mice model of vaginitis by candida albicans
Fifty four Balb/C mice of 7 to 10 weeks old under influence of estrogen were inoculated
with 5×104 stationary-phase blastoconidia of C. albicans, intravaginally. The mice were divided in three groups, treated with glucan vaginally
(5mg/mL) and intraperitoneally (1mg/mL), and the control group that received saline,
intraperitoneally. Vaginal lavage was obtained on days 2, 5, 8 e 10 after inoculation
with C. albicans for the count of CFU by pour-plate method. Moreover, in the days 6, 9 and 11 after
inoculation, three mice from each group were sacrificed and the vaginas were removed
for histophatological analysis. The slides were stained by hematoxylin-eosin to evaluate
the infiltrate of neutrophils and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) for analyze of fungal
burden.