Detection of pulmonary candidiasis in immunocopromasied Iraq patients by conventional polymerase chain reaction technique

Abstract

Candida species was possible to cause pulmonary candidiasis, this infection commonly occurred in" immunocompromised patients. This study aimed to isolate and diagnose of pulmonary candidiasis by using molecular method (Conventional PCR). This study was included a total of hundred and fifty (n=150) samples of bronchoalveolar lavage were collected from 100 immunocompromised patients with underlying diverse diseases and control group included 50 bronchoalveolar lavage from immunocompetent individuals were composed from in-and out patients who attended of Al-Imammian Al-Kadhmain Medical City, Baghdad teaching Hospital, Baghdad, during the period from May 2014 to March 2015. Samples were cultured on CHROMagar and after that detected by using API 20 Candida stripe for initial identification of Candida isolates. Germ tube test, chlamydospore formation were also performed to reinforce identification them DNA isolates was extracted for conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Results showed that all apparently healthy individuals samples were negative by conventional PCR. Concerning immunocompromised patients with underlying different diseases, 60 out of 100 samples revealed negative results by each of conventional and molecular methods Only 38 (38%) immunocompromised patients had positive results by molecular and conventional methods and two samples (2%) positive result by molecular methods also "show that CHROMagar was a good tool for initial identification of Candida isolates. This study concludes that candidasis may be as opportunistic infection among immunocompromised patients and PCR method confirmed more suitable diagnosed other than culture on CHROMagar medium and other phenotypic technique".