Anjana Gopi1, Neetha S. Murthy2
ABSTRACT: Background and Objective: Candida is yeast like fungus and is the most common fungal pathogen causing disease in human beings. Although Candida albicans remains the most common cause of human Candidiasis, the frequency of infection attributed to other members of the genus is also increasing.(1,2) Speciation of candida can be done using CHROM agar, which is a differential culture medium and facilitates the isolation and identification of some clinically important species. The objective of this study was to isolate and identify Candida from various clinical samples using standard yeast identification protocols and rapid identification methods. To study the antifungal susceptibility pattern associated with the isolates thus obtained and to bring out the various risk factors associated with candidiasis. METHOD: Positive samples for candidiasis were collected from 250 patients in our institute from August 2013 to February 2014. Standard yeast identification protocols, CHROM agar media and Rapid HicandidaTM Identification Kits were used for speciation. Antifungal susceptibility testing was done by Modified Kirby Bauer Disc diffusion technique on Muller Hinton agar with 2% glucose and Methylene blue as per CLSI guidelines to detect the sensitivity to amphotericin B, fluconazole, and voriconazole. RESULTS: Among the 250 culture positive cases, 118 (47.2%) C.albicans, 64 (25.6%) C.tropicalis, 27 (10.8%) C.dubliniensis, 25 (10%) C. glabrata, 16 (6.4%) C. parapsilosis were obtained. The antifungal susceptibility pattern suggested 14% of the isolates were resistant to fluconazole, 12% to voriconazole and 1.2% isolates were resistant to amphotericin B. CONCLUSION: Among the 250 isolates, non-Candida albicans (NCA) species were 132 (52.8%). Candida tropicalis was predominant among the non-Candida albicans isolates. The antifungal susceptibility pattern suggested that a major portion (62.85%) of the fluconazole resistant isolates were NCA species. The risk factors for candidiasis noted in this study were diabetes mellitus, antibiotic therapy, low birth weight and pregnancy.
