Species of Candida Spp. in Clinical Isolates and Susceptibility for Antifungals used at Hospital Level

Keywords: Candidiasis, Cross Infection, Microbial Sensitivity Tests

Abstract

The Candida yeast belongs to normal microbiota and can cause serious infections especially in the hospital environment. The various degrees of pathogenicity and sensitivity to antifungal presented by several species, combined with the increased frequency of infections caused by Candida spp. and the high morbidity and mortality rates indicate the importance of species identification as well as performing susceptibility testing for the successful treatment of candidiasis. In this study Candida species were identified in clinical isolates of patients treated in a hospital in the western region of Santa Catarina, Brasil, using CHROMagar Candida method and evaluated their susceptibility profiles to antifungal agents used in hospitals by disk diffusion agar method. Of the 43 samples analyzed, the highest prevalence of candidiasis was found in patients aged between 51 and 70 years old and male. Most of the isolates were obtained from urine samples (n = 25) and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (n = 22). The most common species were C. albicans (n = 24) and C. glabrata (n = 13). Most isolates were sensitive to amphotericin B (86.05%) and the minority (13.95%) sensitive to fluconazole. The ICU sector, urine samples and cultures identified as C. albicans showed several isolates resistant to all tested antifungals. The high number of isolates resistant to azole antifungal mainly from ICU patients indicate the importance of antifungal susceptibility test to select the most appropriate antifungal and dose in the treatment of candidiasis in critically ill patients.

Author Biographies

Vanusa Aparecida Althaus, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó - UNOCHAPECÓ
Farmacêutica, Pós-graduanda em Análises Clínicas (UNOCHAPECÓ)
Alissara Regginato, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó - UNOCHAPECÓ
Farmacêutica, Pós-graduanda em Farmacologia Clínica (UNOCHAPECÓ)
Vanessa Bossetti, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó - UNOCHAPECÓ
Farmacêutica (UNOCHAPECÓ)
Juliana Cristina Schmidt, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó - UNOCHAPECÓ
Farmacêutica Industrial e Bioquímica (UFPR), Mestre em Bioquímica (UFPR), Doutora em Biologia Celular e Molecular (UFPR).Professora da Área de Ciências da Saúde e da Pós-graduação em Diagnóstico Clínico Laboratorial e Farmacologia da UNOCHAPECÓ.
Published
2015-06-22
Section
Artigos Originais