Characterization of Candida species from Intensive Care Unit Isolates in a Tertiary Care Centre in North-East India: A retrospective study

Wihiwotvalarie Lyngdoh,Ishani Bora,Prithwis Bhattacharyya,Basabdatta Choudhury,Anniebakorlin Khyriem,Vikramjeet Dutta

doi:10.4103/2230-8598.165961

Wihiwotvalarie Lyngdoh, Ishani Bora + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4103/2230-8598.165961

Copy DOI

Abstract

Background: Fungi have emerged as major causes of human diseases. Intensive Care Units (ICU), harbor almost all the risk factors for opportunistic fungal infections. Among these, Candida infections are very common with recent trends being rise in the non- Candida albicans (NCA) species along with an increase in resistance of these species to antifungal drugs. Aims: To characterize the Candida species from the clinical specimens of patients admitted in the ICU of Tertiary Care Centre in North-East India and to perform their antifungal susceptibility. Settings and Design: This retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology from January 2011 to December 2011. Materials and Methods: The following techniques were employed to characterize the isolates in the study - KOH mount, Gram's stain, India ink preparation, culture on Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar, Germ Tube test, Urea hydrolysis, morphology in Cornmeal Agar and chromogenic agar media, sugar fermentation and sugar assimilation tests and automated identification system, and the results were interpreted using standard protocols. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS version 17.0 was used for all statistical computations and P Results: Out of 85 Candida isolates, Candida tropicalis (38%) was the most common, in all age groups. Infections were more common in patients above 40 years and males were affected more than females. NCA species were more resistant to fluconazole than C. albicans . Conclusions: The study highlights the change in epidemiology in the species distribution of Candida and a rise in infections by NCA species as compared to those by C. albicans . Knowledge of the local species distribution of Candida along with their antifungal susceptibility is essential to initiate and optimize therapy and outcome, especially in an ICU setup, which harbors patients susceptible to fungal infections.

Highlights

Fungi have emerged as major causes of human diseases and fungal infections have led to important public health problems since the early 1980s
A retrospective study was undertaken with the Candida isolates obtained from clinical specimens of patients admitted in the Intensive Care Units (ICU) for a period of 1-year from January 2011 to December 2011, in the Department of Microbiology in a tertiary care set-up in North-East India
Candida isolated from the samples collected from ICU were subjected to speciation using the following techniques according to standard protocols[11,12] – KOH mount, Gram’s stain, India Ink preparation, culture on Sabouraud’s Dextrose Agar, Germ Tube test, Urea hydrolysis, Cornmeal Agar (CMA) morphology (Dalmau technique), morphology in chromogenic agar media, Sugar fermentation test, Sugar assimilation test (Auxanographic Plate Method) and subjected to automated identification system (Vitek 2 Compact, Biomerieux), using protocols prescribed by the manufacturer

Summary

Introduction

Fungi have emerged as major causes of human diseases and fungal infections have led to important public health problems since the early 1980s. Among the immunocompromised and those hospitalized with serious underlying diseases, opportunistic fungal infections bring about a substantial increase in morbidity and mortality.[1] Among the various risk factors for developing.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion