Prevalence and Antifungal Susceptibility Pattern of Yeast Species Isolated from the Diverse Samples at Dr Lal Path Labs, Delhi, India

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed at determining the prevalence and antifungal susceptibility pattern of Candida albicans and Nonalbicans Candida species from various clinical specimens tested in microbiology department of Dr Lal Path Labs, Delhi. Materials and Methods:This retrospective study conducted on 2240 samples, tested between January2019 to July 2019, performed at Microbiology department of Dr. Lal Path Labs. Yeast species were cultured by Conventional (culture) and identified by MALDI-TOF which followed by antifungal susceptibility testing was done using Vitek 2 YST YS07 card.Results: 737 Candida isolates of 16 diverse species were isolated from 2240 various clinical specimens. Candida albicans (54.9%) was predominant followed by C. tropicalis (14.7%), C. glabrata (11.7%), C. parapsilosis (4.3%), and C krusei (3.5%).Uncommon Candida species such as Candida auris, Rhodoturula mucilaginosa, Trichosporon asahii, Malassezia pachydermatitis, Kodameae ohmeri were also isolated. The most predominant age group infected with yeast isolates were elderly adults >=60 years of age which constituted 45.5% of the fungal culture positive cases. Alarming antifungal resistance noticed in Nonalbicans Candida species as compared to Candida albicans. In the present study, Candida albicans showed high resistance to newest generation Azole, Voriconazole (42.2%) whereas the burden of Echinocandin resistance is still alarming in Nonalbicans Candida infections. Conclusion:The fungal pathogens has changed over a period with new species emerging as well as old species increasing become more virulent and resistant to primary antifungal drugs. We should be concern about the national emergence of resistance among varying Candida species obtained in diverse clinical situations.