Objective To investigate the changes and significance of dendritic cell-associated C-type lectin-1 (Dectin-1) in rat lung tissue as well as interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interleukin-23 (IL-23) in rat serum and alveolar lavage fluid by establishing rat invasive Candida glabrata(C. glabrata) infection model. Methods 54 SD rats were randomly divided into group A, B and C, with 18 rats in each group. Group A didn't receive any treatment, group B was directly intratracheally perfused with heat-treated C. glabrata solution, group C was first immunosuppressed and then intratracheally perfused with equal dose of heat-treated C. glabrata. On the 1st, 3rd, and 5th day after infection, pathological changes in rat lung tissue were observed, expression of Dectin-1 protein in rat lung tissue, as well as concentration of IL-17 and IL-23 in rat serum and alveolar lavage fluid were detected and compared. Results Inflammatory lesion and lung injury were most serious in group C, followed by group B, and no inflammatory changes were found in group A. Concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 in serum and alveolar lavage fluid as well as expression of Dectin-1 protein in lung tissue of group A were the lowest at all time points; levels of IL-17 and IL-23, as well as expression of Dectin-1 protein in lung tissue of group B and group C increased progressively with time, concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 as well as expression of Dectin-1 protein in group C were all higher than group A and B at different time points. Multivariate regression analysis showed that immunosuppression, fungal infection and the duration of infection in rats had effect on concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 in rat serum and alveolar lavage fluid as well as expression of Dectin-1 protein in lung tissue respectively, application of immunosuppressive agents had the greatest effect on the concentrations of IL-17 and IL-23 in rat serum and alveolar lavage fluid as well as expression of Dectin-1 protein in lung tissue, followed by fungal infection and the duration of infection in rats. Conclusion Dectin-1 is an important receptor for identifying heat-treated C. candida infection, which induces IL-17 and IL-23 involving anti-fungal immune response and may lead to lung injury.