Identification of Candida species isolated from patients in intensive care unit and in vitro susceptibility to fluconazole for a 3‐year period

Abstract

Species level identification of Candida and antifungal susceptibility testing is not generally performed in routine laboratory practice. There is limited information about the distribution of Candida species and antifungal susceptibility in Turkey. In this study, we aimed at identifying Candida isolates to species level from various samples obtained from patients treated in an intensive care unit between 2002 and 2005 and to evaluate fluconazole susceptibilities of the isolates. A total of 320 Candida isolates obtained from 270 patients were identified by conventional methods and using API (Candida and/or 20C AUX) system. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution method. Candida albicans was isolated with the highest frequency (65.6%) followed by C. parapsilosis (11.3%), C. glabrata (8.8%) and C. tropicalis (7.8%). Of all the isolates, 92.9% revealed susceptibility to fluconazole. Susceptibility to fluconazole was highest for C. albicans followed by C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata. The MIC(90) values for C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis were 1, 2, 8 and 4 mug ml(-1) respectively. Fluconazole remains effective against both C. albicans and the majority of non-albicans Candida species. In this study, we determine the distribution of Candida species and evaluate the susceptibilities of the isolates, particularly for the azoles.

Species distribution and antifungal sensitivity patterns of vaginal yeasts

“…yeasts were isolated: Trichosporon species and S.cerevisiae. C.albicans was the predominant species isolated in other studies (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) which concurs with the findings in this study. The distribution of the non-albicans species, however, differed in different studies.…”

“…The ARTEMIS Global Antifungal Surveillance study demonstrated C.glabrata susceptibility in the range 29.2-100%; the isolates from S. Africa had a susceptibility of 49.6% (21.1% resistant). The MIC 90 of fluconazole for C.albicans in the current study (Table 2) was 1 µgml 1 (range: 0.25-8) which was similar to that obtained by Comert et al (range: 0.125-8) (14). The MIC 90 for C.glabrata in the current study was 32µgml -1 (range: 0.25-128) which was much higher than that for the same species in the study by Comert et al of 8µgml…”

“…Most of the findings in this study were within these ranges except for C.famata, Trichosporon species and S. cerevisiae which were more frequent in this study. C.tropicalis was also isolated in these studies but was not found in the current study (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14).…”

“…The most commonly isolated non-albicans species differed as C.glabrata (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13) and C. parapsilosis (14). The second most common non-albicans species differed in the different studies as C.glabrata (14), C. tropicalis (8,10,11) C. parapsilosis (12), C. famata (9) and C.krusei (7). Most of the findings in this study were within these ranges except for C.famata, Trichosporon species and S. cerevisiae which were more frequent in this study.…”

Molecular Analysis of Candida species with Emphasis on Predisposing Factors in Cutaneous Candidiasis Patients

“…This diversity for Candida species has been frequently observed in prior studies. However, many comprehensive studies have shown the significant growth of the infections related to other non-Albicans Candida species (NACs) (7)(8)(9)(10).…”