Zevita Venisha Furtado1, Meena Dias2
BACKGROUND
Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of reports of systemic and mucosal yeast infections. These infections have a direct impact on the choice of empiric antifungal therapy and clinical outcome.
The aim of the study is to determine the risk factors and characterisation of the yeasts from various clinical specimens.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In a prospective study, a total of 200 yeasts isolated from various clinical specimens were processed and identified up to species level by germ tube test, growth on corn meal agar, sugar fermentation and assimilation test, India ink preparation, urease test and Candida differential agar. The demographic data and risk factors were recorded.
Statistical Analysis- The data was analysed in terms of frequency percentage.
RESULTS
Candida species was the most predominant (97%) among the yeasts. Majority of the isolates were C. tropicalis (44%) followed by C. albicans (34%), C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, Cryptococcus neoformans, C. dubliniensis, C. kefyr and Trichosporon asahii. Diabetes, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, prematurity, malignancy, steroids and AIDS were the risk factors.
CONCLUSION
There is increase in prevalence of non-albicans Candida species and increase in incidence of disseminated cryptococcosis in HIV seropositive patients. Thus, early isolation and speciation will aid the clinicians to institute proper antifungal therapy, thus decreasing morbidity and mortality.
