AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF IDENTIFICATION OF CANDIDA SPECIES IN VARIOUS CLINICAL SAMPLES & THEIR ANTIFUNGAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN IN SMS HOSPITAL, JAIPUR

Abstract

Introduction: Candida is the most important fungal opportunistic pathogen, though it is a normal commensal ora then also it can cause infections in the immunocompromised hosts. As non-albicans Candida have replaced Candida albicans as the predominant pathogen which is more life- threatening, more resistant to antifungal drugs so speciation of Candida is important. To identify & speciate Candida isolates fromObjective: various clinical samples and to nd out their antifungal susceptibility pattern. Samples were screened for budding yeastMaterial and method: cells with the help of Gram stain & KOH mount and then inoculated on SDA with gentamycin and chloramphenicol. For speciation, Germ tube testing was done followed by CHROM agar and chlamydospores on Cornmeal agar. Out of 100 Candida isolates, 19 were CandidaResults: albicans and 81 were non-albicans Candida. Among four antifungals tested, Amphotericin B showed the best efcacy with 83% strains sensitive to it and uconazole showed the least efcacy with 47% strains resistant to it. Though Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida areConclusion: closely related but differ from each other with respect to epidemiology, virulence factors, and antifungal susceptibility. As non-albicans Candida is more life-threatening and more resistant to antifungal agents; speciation of Candida becomes mandatory so that mortality and morbidity of the patients can be overcome.