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PubMed1991

Rapid clearance of Candida albicans mannan antigens by liver and spleen in contrast to prolonged circulation of Cryptococcus neoformans antigens.

Clearances of mannan antigen from Candida albicans and glucuronoxylomannan antigen from Cryptococcus neoformans were examined in nonimmune rabbits by using self-prepared latex agglutination tests. Injected intravenously, 20 mg of Candida mannan antigen was cleared from the serum with a half-life of approximately 2 h. In contrast, 20 micrograms of Cryptococcus glucuronoxylomannan antigen had a half-life in serum of approximately 24 h. At the latest, 9 h after injection, both antigens were no longer detectable without pretreatment of serum samples with protease and heating to 100 degrees C, thus indicating rapid binding by serum proteins other than immunoglobulins. Candida mannan antigen clearance was also examined in nonimmune mice after intravenous injection of (i) 200 micrograms of Candida mannan antigen, which accumulated in the liver and spleen and persisted for 97 days; (ii) 2 x 10(7) ethanol-killed Candida blastospores, which was accompanied by rapid clearance of mannan from the blood but accumulation of mannan in the liver and spleen and slow clearance from these organs; (iii) 6 x 10(6) viable C. albicans cells (lethal infection), which resulted in a rapid decrease of Candida CFU in the blood, liver, and spleen during the first 8 h, after which blood cultures were negative on day 2 and viable Candida burdens in the liver and spleen persisted at 10(5) CFU/g, whereas Candida mannan antigen continued to circulate in the bloodstream and accumulated in the liver and spleen.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Colony morphotype on Sabouraud-triphenyltetrazolium agar: a simple and inexpensive method for Candida subspecies discrimination.

A new method of Candida subspecies discrimination on Sabouraud-triphenyltetrazolium agar is reported. Five hundred sixty-two strains of Candida and Torulopsis glabrata, previously identified by conventional mycological methods, were studied. Each strain received a three-letter code and a number based on its colonial morphology. Sixteen morphotypes were found for Candida albicans, 6 were found for Candida parapsilosis, 4 were found for both Candida guilliermondii and Candida krusei, and 12 were found for Candida tropicalis. None of the 56 T. glabrata strains studied grew on this agar. A reproducibility of 95% was found for C. albicans. The simplicity and low cost could make this method useful for typing Candida spp.

Agar↗
PubMed1993

Comparison of restriction enzyme analysis versus pulsed-field gradient gel electrophoresis as a typing system for Torulopsis glabrata and Candida species other than C. albicans.

Candida species have recently emerged as important nosocomial pathogens. Because of the lack of a reliable system for detecting differences within the same species, little is known about the epidemiology of infection with Candida species. We describe a typing system for Torulopsis glabrata and the non-C. albicans Candida species that uses contour-clamped homogeneous electric field electrophoresis (CHEF), a version of pulsed-field gradient gel electrophoresis, and compared it with restriction enzyme analysis (REA) of genomic DNA. One hundred seventeen clinical isolates from 40 patients were evaluated. CHEF and REA were performed on each of the isolates, and the results of the two procedures were compared. The REA procedure revealed 8 different types of Candida lusitaniae, 20 of Torulopsis glabrata, 5 of Candida tropicalis, 3 of Candida parapsilosis, and 7 of Candida kefyr, whereas the CHEF method revealed 14 different types of C. lusitaniae, 16 of T. glabrata, 10 of C. tropicalis, 10 of C. parapsilosis, and 7 of C. kefyr. The CHEF technique yielded unique patterns of electrophoretic karyotypes that could be used to distinguish intraspecies variations. When compared with REA, CHEF demonstrated greater sensitivity in recognizing subtle strain-to-strain variations in most isolates and will be a useful epidemiologic tool for studying non-C. albicans Candida species and T. glabrata.

Candida↗
PubMed1996

Species-specific identification of Candida krusei by hybridization with the CkF1,2 DNA probe.

The species specificity of the Candida krusei DNA fingerprinting probe CkF1,2 has been investigated. A total of 149 pathogenic and nonpathogenic fungal and bacterial DNAs were screened with CkF1,2. The probe was cold labeled with peroxidase, and its specificity was assessed by using Southern blot, dot blot, and colony blot hybridization. Its sensitivity was determined by dot blot hybridization. The CkF1,2 probe proved to be species specific. It hybridized with DNA for the 112 C. krusei strains studied, whereas it failed to hybridize under low-stringency conditions to 37 DNAs from 27 different yeast species, including Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida norvegensis, Candida inconspicua, Candida tropicalis, Candida valida, Candida zeylanoides, and Yarrowia lipolytica, as well as DNAs from the filamentous fungi and bacteria tested. However, CkF1,2 hybridized strongly with DNA of the yeast species Issatchenkia orientalis, the putative ascogenous perfect state of C. krusei. Amounts as small as 60 to 120 ng of C. krusei target DNA were detected by dot blot hybridization with CkF1,2. It permitted the direct screening of colony blots for early identification. The CkF1,2 probe has potential value as a diagnostic reagent for identifying C. krusei.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed1997

Rapid identification of Candida species in blood cultures by a clinically useful PCR method.

Widespread use of fluconazole for the prophylaxis and treatment of candidiasis has led to a reduction in the number of cases of candidemia caused by Candida albicans but has also resulted in the emergence of candidemias caused by innately fluconazole-resistant, non-C. albicans Candida species. Given the fulminant and rapidly fatal outcome of acute disseminated candidiasis, rapid identification of newly emerging Candida species in blood culture is critical for the implementation of appropriately targeted antifungal drug therapy. Therefore, we used a PCR-based assay to rapidly identify Candida species from positive blood culture bottles. This assay used fungus-specific, universal primers for DNA amplification and species-specific probes to identify C. albicans, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, or C. glabrata amplicons. It also used a simpler and more rapid (1.5-h) sample preparation technique than those described previously and used detergent, heat, and mechanical breakage to recover Candida species DNA from blood cultures. A simple and rapid (3.5-h) enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA)-based format was then used for amplicon detection. One hundred fifty blood culture bottles, including 73 positive blood culture bottle sets (aerobic and anaerobic) from 31 patients with candidemia, were tested. The combined PCR and EIA methods (PCR-EIA) correctly identified all Candida species in 73 blood culture bottle sets, including bottles containing bacteria coisolated with yeasts and 3 cultures of samples from patients with mixed candidemias originally identified as single-species infections by routine phenotypic identification methods. Species identification time was reduced from a mean of 3.5 days by routine phenotypic methods to 7 h by the PCR-EIA method. No false-positive results were obtained for patients with bacteremias (n = 18), artificially produced non-Candida fungemias (n = 3), or bottles with no growth (n = 20). Analytical sensitivity was 1 cell per 2-microl sample. This method is simpler and more rapid than previously described molecular identification methods, can identify all five of the most medically important Candida species, and has the potential to be automated for use in the clinical microbiology laboratory.

Candida↗
PubMed2006

In vitro susceptibilities of Candida spp. to caspofungin: four years of global surveillance.

Caspofungin is being used increasingly as therapy for invasive candidiasis. Prospective sentinel surveillance for emergence of in vitro resistance to caspofungin among invasive Candida spp. isolates is indicated. We determined the in vitro activity of caspofungin against 8,197 invasive (bloodstream or sterile-site) unique patient isolates of Candida collected from 91 medical centers worldwide from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2004. We performed antifungal susceptibility testing according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI, formerly NCCLS) M27-A2 method and used a 24-h prominent inhibition endpoint for determination of the MIC. Of 8,197 invasive Candida spp. isolates, species distribution was as follows: 54% Candida albicans, 14% C. glabrata, 14% C. parapsilosis, 11% C. tropicalis, 3% C. krusei, and 4% other Candida spp. Overall, caspofungin was very active against Candida (MIC50/MIC90, 0.03/0.25 microg/ml; 98.2% were inhibited at a MIC of < or = 0.5 microg/ml and 99.7% were inhibited at a MIC of < or = 1 microg/ml). Results by species (expressed as MIC50/MIC90 and the percentage inhibited at < or = 1 microg/ml) were as follows: C. albicans, 0.03/0.06, 99.9; C. glabrata, 0.03/0.06, 99.9; C. parapsilosis, 0.5/0.5, 99.0; C. tropicalis, 0.03/0.06, 99.7; C. krusei, 0.12/0.5, 99.0; and C. guilliermondii, 0.5/1, 94.4. Of the 25 isolates with caspofungin MICs of >1 microg/ml, 12 isolates were C. parapsilosis, 6 isolates were C. guilliermondii, 2 isolates were C. rugosa, and 1 isolate each was C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. lusitaniae, and C. tropicalis. There was no significant change in caspofungin activity over the 4-year study period. Likewise, there was no difference in activity by geographic region. Caspofungin has excellent in vitro activity against invasive clinical isolates of Candida from centers worldwide. Our prospective sentinel surveillance reveals no evidence of emerging caspofungin resistance among invasive clinical isolates of Candida.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed2006

Gastrointestinal Candida colonisation promotes sensitisation against food antigens by affecting the mucosal barrier in mice.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: Controversy still exists as to whether gastrointestinal colonisation by Candida albicans contributes to aggravation of atopic dermatitis. We hypothesised that Candida colonisation promotes food allergy, which is known to contribute to a pathogenic response in atopic dermatitis. We tested this using a recently established murine Candida colonisation model. METHODS: Candida colonisation in the gastrointestinal tract was established by intragastric inoculation with C albicans in mice fed a synthetic diet. To investigate sensitisation against food antigen, mice were intragastrically administered with ovalbumin every other day for nine weeks, and antiovalbumin antibody titres were measured weekly. To examine gastrointestinal permeation of food antigen, plasma concentrations of ovalbumin were measured following intragastric administration of ovalbumin. RESULTS: Ovalbumin specific IgG and IgE titres were higher in BALB/c mice with Candida colonisation than in normal mice. Gastrointestinal permeation of ovalbumin was enhanced by colonisation in BALB/c mice. Histological examination showed that colonisation promoted infiltration and degranulation of mast cells. Candida colonisation did not enhance ovalbumin permeation in mast cell deficient W/Wv mice but did in congenic littermate control +/+ mice. Reconstitution of mast cells in W/Wv mice by transplantation of bone marrow derived mast cells restored the ability to increase ovalbumin permeation in response to Candida colonisation. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that gastrointestinal Candida colonisation promotes sensitisation against food antigens, at least partly due to mast cell mediated hyperpermeability in the gastrointestinal mucosa of mice.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

A surprisingly large RNase P RNA in Candida glabrata.

We have found an extremely large ribonuclease P (RNase P) RNA (RPR1) in the human pathogen Candida glabrata and verified that this molecule is expressed and present in the active enzyme complex of this hemiascomycete yeast. A structural alignment of the C. glabrata sequence with 36 other hemiascomycete RNase P RNAs (abbreviated as P RNAs) allows us to characterize the types of insertions. In addition, 15 P RNA sequences were newly characterized by searching in the recently sequenced genomes Candida albicans, C. glabrata, Debaryomyces hansenii, Eremothecium gossypii, Kluyveromyces lactis, Kluyveromyces waltii, Naumovia castellii, Saccharomyces kudriavzevii, Saccharomyces mikatae, and Yarrowia lipolytica; and by PCR amplification for other Candida species (Candida guilliermondii, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, Candida stellatoidea, and Candida tropicalis). The phylogenetic comparative analysis identifies a hemiascomycete secondary structure consensus that presents a conserved core in all species with variable insertions or deletions. The most significant variability is found in C. glabrata P RNA in which three insertions exceeding in total 700 nt are present in the Specificity domain. This P RNA is more than twice the length of any other homologous P RNAs known in the three domains of life and is eight times the size of the smallest. RNase P RNA, therefore, represents one of the most diversified noncoding RNAs in terms of size variation and structural diversity.

Ascomycota↗
PubMed1998

Candida sepsis and association with retinopathy of prematurity.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of Candida sepsis with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in extremely low birth weight infants. METHODS: We prospectively identified 253 infants admitted to the Critical Care Nursery at Georgetown University Hospital with birth weights </=1000 g born between January 1, 1994, and June 30, 1996. Of these 253 infants, 62 died and 55 were transferred to other institutions before ophthalmologic screening for ROP. Clinical data on 98% (133/136) infants were reviewed. Candida sepsis was defined as a positive blood culture for Candida species. Severity of ROP was staged by the International Classification for ROP. Data were analyzed using the chi2 test for nominal data, unpaired t test for continuous data, Mann-Whitney U test for ordinal data, and logistic regression. RESULTS: The mean birth weight (+/-SD) of the population studied was 777 g (+/-136 g), and the mean gestational age at birth was 26.0 weeks (+/-1.8 weeks). The overall incidence of ROP was 74%, and it correlated significantly with birth weight, gestational age, days on supplemental oxygen, and 5-minute Apgar scores. The incidence of ROP was significantly higher in the infants who had Candida sepsis (21/22 [95%]) compared with those who did not (77/111 [69%]). Using logistic regression to control for the influence of birth weight, gestational age, days on supplemental oxygen, and 5-minute Apgar scores, Candida sepsis was an independent predictor of stage 3 or worse ROP. In addition, 9 (41%) of 22 infants with Candida sepsis required laser surgery compared with 10 (9%) of 111 infants without Candida sepsis. This difference was significant independent of birth weight, gestational age, days on supplemental oxygen, and 5-minute Apgar scores. CONCLUSIONS: Candida sepsis is independently associated with increased severity of ROP and the need for laser surgery in extremely low birth weight infants.

Candida↗
PubMed2004

Use of molecular methods in identification of Candida species and evaluation of fluconazole resistance.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of one of the molecular typing methods such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction) following by RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis in the identification of Candida species and then to differentiate the identified azole susceptible and resistant Candida albicans strains by using AP-PCR (arbitrarily primed-polymerase chain reaction). The identification of Candida species by PCR and RFLP analysis was based on the size and primary structural variation of rDNA intergenic spacer regions (ITS). Forty-four clinical Candida isolates comprising 5 species were included to the study. The amplification products were digested individually with 3 different restriction enzymes: HaeIII, DdeI, and BfaI. All the isolates tested yielded the expected band patterns by PCR and RFLP analysis. The results obtained from this study demonstrate that Candida species can be differentiated as C. albicans and non-C. albicans strains only by using HaeIII restriction enzyme and BfaI maintains the differentiation of these non-C. albicans species. After identification Candida species with RFLP analysis, C. albicans strains were included to the AP-PCR test. By using AP-PCR, fluconazole susceptible and resistant strains were differentiated. Nine fluconazole susceptible and 24 fluconazole resistant C. albicans were included to the study. Fluconazole resistant strains had more bands when evaluating with the agarose gel electrophoresis but there were no specific discriminatory band patterns to warrant the differentiation of the resistance. The identification of Candida species with the amplification of intergenic spacer region and RFLP analysis is a practical, short, and a reliable method when comparing to the conventional time-consuming Candida species identification methods. The fluconazole susceptibility testing with AP-PCR seems to be a promising method but further studies must be performed for more specific results.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed2004

Effects of oral environment stabilization procedures on counts of Candida spp. in children.

The effects of oral environment stabilization procedures on counts of Candida spp. have rarely been discussed, and no conclusive results are found in the literature. The aim of this study was thus to ascertain the effects of oral environment stabilization procedures with glass ionomer and zinc oxide-eugenol cements on counts of Candida spp. in the oral cavity of children. For this purpose, oral rinses of sterile phosphate-buffered saline were initially collected from 30 boys and 30 girls, positive for Candida in the saliva and aged from 4 to 10 years. Data on the initial quantity of CFU/ml of Candida were obtained. Then, the children were randomly divided into two groups and oral environment stabilization procedures were performed using zinc oxide-eugenol cement or glass ionomer cement. One week after the procedures were performed, oral rinses were collected again and final Candida counts were obtained. An expressive reduction in Candida counts was observed in both groups. The zinc oxide-eugenol and glass ionomer cements were efficient in the reduction of Candida counts and statistically significant differences were observed between initial and final counts in both groups. Considering the percentage of reduction, the zinc oxide-eugenol cement presented more favorable results, with a reduction of 70%. A reduction of 46% was observed with the use of the glass ionomer cement. According to the obtained results, we concluded that oral environment stabilization procedures were efficient in reducing Candida spp. counts, especially when the zinc oxide-eugenol cement was employed.

Candida↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Four new yeasts in the Candida mesenterica clade associated with basidiocarp-feeding beetles.

We isolated five yeasts related to Candida mesenterica from the digestive tract, frass, and habitat of beetles in six families inhabiting basidiocarps. Based on rDNA sequence comparisons and phenotypic characters, the yeasts were identified as Kodamaea ohmeri and four undescribed taxa. Phylogenetic analysis of combined small and large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences placed the five taxa in a statistically well supported clade with C. mesenterica, Candida suecica and other yeast species known from basidiocarps, including 'Endomyces scopularum' (CBS154.92 and 155.92), Candida fukazawae, Candida fungicola and Candida sagamina. Only one of the new taxa produced ascospores; the other three reproduced only asexually. The yeasts appear to be less closely associated with beetles than with the beetle habitat. The new species and their type strains are Kodamaea laetipori (type strain NRRL Y-27713 T), Candida derodonti (type strain NRRL Y-2771 1 T), Candida arcana (type strain NRRL Y-27712 T) and Candida plutei (type strain NRRL Y-27715 T).

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence and sensitivity of Candida albicans in cultures obtained at an oncologic hospital].

BACKGROUND: Prevalence Candida infections have increased and oncologic patients have risk factors for contacting them. They are associated with a long hospital stay and high mortality rate. Candida resistance to antifungal drugs has been reported. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of Candida grown in cultures from oncologic patients. To identify isolated species and to determine C albicans sensitivity to antifungal drugs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During one year, different species of Candida spp. were isolated. They were inoculated in API-C-20 at 48 h. and cultivated in RPMI-1640. RESULTS: Cultures of 5,820 patients were collected, 66.68% from outpatients and 33% from hospitalized patients. Candida spp grew in 394 Candida albicans obtained from 81 cultures was the most frequent species (46.3%). One hundred were susceptible to Amphotericin B, 63% to Fluconazol, 59% to Ketoconazol and 31% to Itraconazol. Candidemia accounted for 24.6% of bloodstream infections. CONCLUSIONS: C. albicans had significant resistance to imidazoles and 100% were susceptible to Amphotericin B. Identification of species and susceptibility of Candida infections a useful tools because of the high proportion of Candida non-albicans species (53.7%). Candidemia accounted for 5.076% of the infections.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed2002

Change in distribution & antifungal susceptibility of Candida species isolated from candidaemia cases in a tertiary care centre during 1996-2000.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: As a marked increase in the number of patients with candidaemia was reported in the first half (1991-1995) of the last decade at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India, the present study was aimed at determining further change if any, in the incidence and distribution of Candida species and their antifungal resistance pattern during the second half (1996-2000) of the same decade. METHODS: The patients with candidaemia were studied to determine the frequency of candidaemia and Candida species isolated during 1996-2000. One hundred Candida strains other than Pichia anomala (C. pelliculosa) were randomly selected from those isolates to evaluate antifungal susceptibility pattern against amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, ketoconazole, fluconazole and itraconazole. The results were compared with our previous study. RESULTS: An increase in the number of patients with candidaemia was observed during 1996 (538) and 1997 (421) compared to 1998-2000 due to P. anomala outbreak. With the control of the outbreak, a substantial decrease in the incidence of candidaemia was observed from 1998 (251 in 1998, 122 in 1999 and 165 in 2000). A higher isolation of non-C. albicans Candida species (89.8%) was observed, with C. tropicalis being the most common (541, 36.1%) agent. No major change in the isolation rate of other non-C. albicans Candida species (C. guilliermondii, C. krusei, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis) was observed. An emergence of resistance to amphotericin B in 15.4 per cent C. albicans, 8.1 per cent C. tropicalis and 33.3 per cent C. krusei strains was observed. An increase in resistance to ketoconazole (from 0% to 13%) and 5-fluorocytosine (from 1% to 8%) and a decrease to fluconazole (from 13% to 6%) were observed. Resistance to itraconazole was observed in 17 per cent of Candida strains by broth macro-dilution method. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: A change in the isolation of Candida species was observed i.e. in the incidence and isolation of non-C. albicans Candida species. Emergence of resistance to amphotericin B and increase of resistance to most other antifungals are cause for concern.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed2003

[Comparison of different methods for the identification of Candida species isolated from clinical specimens].

The aim of this study was to compare the different methods for the identification of Candida strains isolated from clinical specimens. The methods of germ tube examination, chlamydospore examination formed on the rice Tween-80 (RT-80) agar and evaluation of colony morphologies on the two chromogenic agars (CHROMagar Candida, Albicans ID), were compared with a reference API 20C AUX (bioMerieux, France) automated system based on the carbohydrate assimilation, for the identification of a total 255 Candida isolates. Of them, 173 (67.8%) were identified as C. albicans, 37 (14.5%) were C. glabrata, 23 (9%) were C. krusei, 9 (3.5%) were C. tropicalis, 9 (3.5%) were C. kefyr, 2 (0.8%) were C. guillermondii and 2 (0.8%) were C. parapsilosis, by API 20C AUX system. In the view of these results, 146 (84.4%) of C. albicans strains were identified by germ tube examination, 161 (93.1%) of C. albicans strains and 208 (81.5%) of total strains were identified by chlamydospore examination. 169 (97.7%) of C. albicans strains and 231 (90.6%) of total strains were identified by CHROMagar Candida method, and 168 (97.1%) of C. albicans strains were identified by Albicans ID method, correctly. In the CHROMagar Candida medium, 169 C. albicans isolates have produced bright green colored colonies, whereas 33 (89.2%) isolates which produced dark pink/purple colored colonies were identified as C. glabrata, 7 (77.8%) isolates which produced metalical blue colored colonies were identified as C. tropicalis and 22 (95.6%) isolates which produced pale pink colored colonies were identified as C. krusei. In the Albicans ID medium, four of the 172 isolates which were evaluated as C. albicans initially by producing blue colored colonies, have been identified as C. tropicalis by API 20C AUX system. The sensitivities and specificities of germ tube examination, RT-80, CHROMagar Candida and Albicans ID methods were found as follows, respectively; 84.4% and 100%, 93.1% and 100%, 97.7% and 100%, 99.4% and 95.3 percent. In conclusion, CHROMagar Candida medium seems the most favorable rapid and practical method with high sensitivity and specificity for the identification of Candida species, but its cost-effectiveness should be kept in view.

Candida↗
PubMed2004

Species distribution and fluconazole susceptibility of Candida clinical isolates in a medical center in 2002.

Fluconazole disk-diffusion susceptibility was evaluated in 230 blood isolates and 344 non-blood clinical isolates of Candida spp. collected in 2002 at National Taiwan University Hospital. Up to 93.5% of blood isolates were susceptible to fluconazole, 3% were susceptible dose-dependent, and 3.5% were resistant. The minimum inhibitory concentrations at which 50% of tested isolates were inhibited (MIC50) of fluconazole against Candida blood isolates were highest for Candida glabrata (5 microg/mL), followed by Candida tropicalis (2.4 microg/mL), Candida albicans (2.4 microg/mL), and Candida parapsilosis (0.41 microg/mL). C. glabrata had less fluconazole-susceptible strains (76.7%) than C. albicans (98.2%), C. tropicalis (98%) and C. parapsilosis (93.8%) [p<0.05]. The proportions of fluconazole resistance in the non-blood isolates of C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis were similar to those of the blood isolates. However, the proportions of fluconazole resistance in the non-blood isolates of C. tropicalis surpassed those of the blood isolates (14.7% vs 2%, p<0.05). Comparison of species distribution of Candida blood isolates obtained in 2002 to those in 1981-2000 demonstrated that C. albicans remained the leading pathogen, and the proportion of C. albicans in blood isolates was lowest in 1996 (38%) and did not change significantly thereafter. However, the proportion of C. tropicalis increased from 14% during 1981-1993 to 22-23% during 1996-2002. Overall, the MIC50, MIC90 and the proportion of Candida blood isolates with fluconazole resistance remained stable during 1994-2002.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed2005

[Prevalence of Candida albicans in stool of hospitalized children in 2003 with or without diarrhea from the Bialystok region].

Candida species, predominantly Candida albicans strains, are part of the normal flora of gastrointestinal tract, but some authors suggest that faecal candida may cause diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of faecal Candida spp. isolates in 345 children with diarrhoea and 161 with other diseases, hospitalized in 2003. Overall 506 faecal specimens obtained before treatment and 98 after treatment of children for yeasts using routine culture method were examined. A total of 131 (101 before and 30 after treatment) strains isolated were identified as Candida albicans. Only 2 strains belonged to other species of Candida (C. parapsilosis and C. krusei). The sensitivity of Candida spp. strains to chemotherapeutic was also estimated. All strains of C. albicans were sensitive to nystatin. Incidence of faecal strains of C. albicans in children with acute diarrhoea (19,4%) and children with other disease (21,1%) was comparable (p>0,05). Candida albicans yeasts caused diarrhoea in small percent of studied children. Only in 2 (0,6%) children C. albicans as aetiological agent of diarrhoea was found. In 16 (16,3%) cases secondary fungal infections were acquired during hospitalization children (4 children with fungal diarrhoea). Resolution of diarrhoea caused by C. albicans in 6 children after treatment with nystatin was observed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Esterase activity of Candida species isolated from immunocompromised hosts.

A total of 149 clinical isolates of Candida species isolated from immunocompromised patients were examined to ascertain their esterase activity by the Tween 80 opacity test, which is a biochemical test used mainly to differentiate between Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis. Our results showed that C. albicans (92.3%), Candida tropicalis (92.3%), Candida parapsilosis (25%), C. dubliniensis (16.6%), Candida inconspicua (100%), and Candida lipolytica (100%) produced opacity halos through the 10-day post-inoculation period. The remaining Candida species did not produce a positive test response. These findings indicate that Tween 80 opacity test cannot be used as the sole phenotypic trait in the differentiation of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis.

Candida↗