STUDY OF CANDIDA SPECIES ISOLATED FROM DIFFERENT CLINICAL SPECIMENS

Abstract

Background : Infections by Candida species have increased medical importance over the past few decades. It is the major cause of morbidity due to overuse of broad spectrum antimicrobials which enhance the opportunity to cause the disease hence accurate and early identification and study of drug resistance is necessary as an effective measure for the management of patients.

Objectives: To isolate, identify and to determine antifungal susceptibility pattern  of Candida species.

 Methods: A Total of sixty-six Candida species isolated  from various specimen were studied from Jan 2019 to April 2019.Identification and Antifungal susceptibility of Candida species  was performed with conventional and Vitek 2 Compact using ID and AST YS08  kits respectively.

 Results: In this study, out of 66 clinical specimen,  Candida species was most commonly isolated from sputum 23(34%) followed by urine 13(20%). Candida non-albicans 36  (55%) was found to be more common than Candida albicans 30(45%). Out of 36 Candida non-albicans species, C. tropicalis was most common species 13 (36%) followed by C.krusei 8(22%). Maximum antifungal sensitivity was found for Voriconazole, Caspofungin, Micafungin while least sensitivity was found for  Fluconazole.

 Conclusion: This study concludes that  species level identification of Candida species and their antifungal sensitivity testing should be performed to achieve better clinical results and changing trend of antifugal sensitivity.