Isolation and identification of Candida albicans from clinical specimens received at tertiary care centre

Abstract

Background &Method: The aim of this study is to study Isolation and identification of Candida albicans and non candida albicans species in all clinical specimens received at Tertiary Care Centre.A detail history was taken with demographic details. Patient’s hospital records were used to know the use of any antifungal agents and past medical conditions. Result: 23.3% of the patients of age group < 1 year, followed by (16.6%) 41-50 years of age group and 6.6% of patients are 61-70 years of age group. 56.6% were male patients and 43.3% were female.53.4 % were Candida albicans and 46.6% were non-albicans Candida spp. By using unpaired t test, P value- 0.041, which is less than 0.05, hence it is statistically significant. Conclusion: C. albicans remains the main species but increasing incidence of non albicans Candida spp. has also been reported, and their antifungal drug susceptibility among patients visiting our tertiary care hospital. An increase in the predisposing conditions in recent years has resulted in an increasing incidence of Candida infections. Among 3000 of total samples processed during the study period, 30 isolates were positive for Candida infection. So prevalence rate was 0.81%.