Sabouraud Dextrose Agar Agar Research Articles

Incidence of Candida Species Biofilms in Pediatric Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Treatment

The oral thrush due to biofilms of Candida species is a common infection for the oral cavity of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, leading to oral infections. These biofilms, composed of Candida organisms, pose challenges in terms of diagnosis and treatment due to their increased resistance and ability to persist in the oral environment. This study aimed to determine the frequency of Candida species biofilm colonization in the oral cavity of pediatric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. By examining the incidence of Candida sp. biofilms, this research provides valuable insights into the oral health challenges specific to children with cancer, emphasizing the need for targeted preventive and management strategies to address these infections effectively. In this study, a total of 100 oral cavity swabs were collected, with 50 swabs obtained from cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and suspected to have oral candidiasis, and the other 50 swabs collected from non-cancer healthy individuals serving as control. All swabs were cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose agar (SDA) media, followed by microscopic examination of positive samples. The API identification candida system was utilized for the identification of Candida species, along with the implementation of biochemical tests to further study the characteristics of the identified species.The findings demonstrated that out of the 50 cancer patients, approximately 47% (23 patients) exhibited positive yeast growth on SDA agar. Among the 50 non-cancer control cases, approximately 30% (15 cases) showed positive growth on SDA agar. Furthermore, using the API candida system, we confirmed the presence of candida species in 25 cases. Candida albicans was identified as the most prevalent species, followed by Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which were detected less frequently.In conclusion, there were a significant increase in Candida species among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment in comparison to non-cancer control individuals. This finding highlights the impact of chemotherapy on the prevalence of Candida infections in cancer patients, emphasizing the need for heightened attention and appropriate management strategies in this vulnerable population.

Prevalence and virulence factors of Candida spp. associated with blow flies

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of Candida spp. and the virulence factors of Candida albicans (C. albicans) isolated from external surfaces of blow flies collected from Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand. MethodsThe blow flies were collected by sterile sweep nets from three areas in Mae Sot. Yeast isolation was first performed on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) supplemented with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide. The yeast isolates were then identified by using chromogenic agar, a yeast identification test kit, a germ tube formation test and a carbohydrate utilization test. The β-hemolysis was determined on 7% sheep blood agar, while phospholipase activity was measured on SDA agar supplemented with 10% egg yolk suspension. Antifungal susceptibility testing was determined by broth micro-dilution testing against ketoconazole and amphotericin B. ResultsThe prevalence rate of Candida spp. on the external surfaces of the blow flies was 78.1%. All C. albicans isolated from the blow fly demonstrated β-hemolysin and potent phospholipase activities and 47.1% of C. albicans were resistant to ketoconazole with MIC values 128 μg/mL. ConclusionsThe results indicate that blow flies could play an essential role in the transmission of potentially pathogenic and antifungal resistant C. albicans into the environment. Further investigation on other virulence factors and genetic relatedness among isolates from the blow flies, the environment and clinical specimens is required to confirm this role.

Control of microbial contamination of Franz diffusion cell receptor phase in the development of transcutaneous breast cancer therapeutics

To determine the micro-organism contamination of excised porcine (pig) ear, and evaluate the use of Cyclopore track-etched membranes (CTEM) for preventing ingress into Franz-type diffusion cells. Swabs were taken from four locations and used to inoculate Tryptone Soya Agar (TSA) and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) plates. Diffusion cells were assembled to include porcine skin with and without CTEM, and the receptor phase sampled periodically and spread onto plates. Five distinct colony types were isolated after incubation of all swabs on TSA plates at 37 degrees C; on SDA plates, one fungal colony was found at 30 degrees C and one at 37 degrees C. The SDA agar plate incubated at 30 degrees C resulted in the growth of a large diffused white fungal colony. No regional differences were observed. Without the CTEM, the receptor phase became contaminated within 6 h. With the CTEM present, microbial ingress was substantially retarded with visible presumptive fungal growth occurring at 24 h and detectable contamination on both microbiological media at 48 h. As expected, the native porcine ears were considerably contaminated. The ingress of contamination into the diffusion cell receptor phases can be largely, but not entirely, eliminated using CTEM. The addition of antimicrobial agents was necessary to eliminate micro-organisms that were observed at later time points. This article, while highlighting the presence of a high number of micro-organisms on native porcine skin, presents a practical means to reduce the risk of microbial contamination in transdermal/transcutaneous permeation studies, particularly in the study of cell cultures grown within Franz diffusion cell receptor compartments.