Candida non albicans with a High amphotericin B resistance pattern causing candidemia among cancer patients.

Enayatollah Kalantar,Esfandiar Asgari,Shiva Hatami,Kourosh Kabir,Helen Pormazaheri,Seyed Mahmoud Amin Marashi,Maryam Agha Barari,Mojan Assadi,Elaheh Mahmoudi

doi:10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.24.10933

Enayatollah Kalantar, Esfandiar Asgari + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.24.10933

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Abstract

Many scientists have reported Candida species to be of great concern because of the high frequency that they colonize and infect human hosts, particularly cancer patients. Moreover, in the last decades Candida species have developed resistance to many antifungal agents. Based on this, we aimed to identify and determine the prevalence of Candida spp from blood culture bottles among cancer patients and their antifungal resistance pattern. From the blood culture bottles isolation and identification of the Candida spp were performed by conventional microbiological techniques. The in vitro antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was determined by CLSI guidelines. Genomic DNA was isolated and amplified. Each gene was separated by agar gel electrophoresis. Identification of Candida spp was based on the presence of yeast cells in direct examination, culture and DNA extraction. Of the 68 blood samples collected during the study period (April 2013 to October 2013), five (7.35%) were positive for the presence of Candida spp, 2 (40%) of which were identified as Candida albicans and 3 (60%) were Candida non-albicans. High resistance to amphotricin B was observed among all the Candida non-albicans isolates. Regular investigations into antifungal resistance will help us to get an updated knowledge about their antibiotic resistance pattern which may help the physician in selecting the antibiotics for empirical therapy.

Highlights

Cancer patients continue at substantial risk for developing serious infections like candidemia despite considerable advances in cancer therapy
Of the 68 blood samples collected during the study period (April 2013 to October 2013), five (7.35%) were positive for the presence of Candida spp, 2 (40%) of which were identified as Candida albicans and 3 (60%) were Candida non-albicans
High resistance to amphotricin B was observed among all the Candida non-albicans isolates

Summary

Introduction

Cancer patients continue at substantial risk for developing serious infections like candidemia despite considerable advances in cancer therapy. As cancer is the third cause of death in Iran (Mousavi et al, 2009); and many scientists reported (Edmond et al, 1999; Theoklis et al, 2005) candidemia among this kind of patients has increased markedly in hospitalized patients and based on our knowledge scanty information is available on non-albicans Candida causing candidemia and its antifungal resistance pattern in Iran we aimed to identify and determine the prevalence of Candida spp from blood culture bottles among cancer patients and their antifungal resistance pattern to get an updated knowledge about their antibiotic susceptibility pattern which may help the physician in selecting the antibiotics for empirical therapy. We aimed to identify and determine the prevalence of Candida spp from blood culture bottles among cancer patients and their antifungal resistance pattern. Regular investigations into antifungal resistance will help us to get an updated knowledge about their antibiotic resistance pattern which may help the physician in selecting the antibiotics for empirical therapy

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