Species Distribution and Drug Susceptibility of Candida Isolates from Various Clinical Specimens at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kashmir
Asifa Nazir *
Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Farhath Kanth
Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Anjum Farhana
Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The aim of our study was to identify the distribution of Candida species among clinical isolates and their sensitivity pattern for common antifungal drugs.
Study Design: Prospective observational study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College Srinagar, Kashmir, India, from December 2014 to January 2016.
Methodology: Identification of hundred and five different Candida species as well as antifungal sensitivity testing was performed with Vitek2 Compact (Biomerieux France) using vitek 2 cards for identification of yeast and yeast like organisms (ID-YST cards).
Results: Among the 105 culture positive isolates, 35 (33.3%) were C. albicans and 70 (66.6%) were Non Candida albicans (NCA). Among NCA, 35 (50%) were C. tropicalis followed by other species. All the Candida isolates were sensitive to micafungin and capsofungin whereas the susceptibility pattern of amphotericin B varied from 75.6% to 100% and the highest rates of resistance were seen for fluconazole.
Conclusions: Infections caused by Candida sp are on the rise. Hence accurate identification and susceptibility pattern is necessary for management of all Candida infections.
Keywords: Candida, antifungal susceptibility, Non Candida albicans, fluconazole, amphotrericin B.