Investigation of a candidemia outbreak caused by C. parapsilosis in a pediatric hematology/oncology center

Abstract

Objective. To investigate a candidemia outbreak caused by C. parapsilosis in a clinical unit of the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology (NMRC PHOI). Materials and Methods. A total of 35 isolates of C. parapsilosis obtained from clinically significant specimens and swabs, including hands of nursing staff of the NMRS PHOI, over the 2018-2020 were genotyped in this retrospective study. Identification of C. parapsilosis isolates was performed by microbiological methods. The clonal structure of C. parapsilosis isolates was investigated by polymerase chain reaction followed by fragment analysis of microsatellite repeats (short tandem repeats, STR markers). Results. The results of the study showed genetic diversity of the population of C. parapsilosis isolates over the 2018–2020 in the NMRC PHOI. A total of 27 genotypes were identified, one of which caused candidemia in 6 patients. Conclusions. The study results confirmed the nosocomial candidemia outbreak and showed the fragment analysis of STR-markers may be used for epidemiological investigations of outbreaks in hospital settings.