Changing trend in the clinical distribution of Candida species in a tertiary care hospital

Aims: Candida albicans remains the most common species causing human infections but recent epidemiological data reveal shift from C. albicans to non C. albicans species. The aim of our study is to detect the clinical distribution of Candida species in a tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: Fifty Candida isolates from clinical samples were studied. The samples were inoculated on Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar (SDA) and Hichrom agar and incubated at 37°C. Growth on SDA were identified and speciated by standard methods. Candida species were identified on Hichrom agar by morphology and color of the colony and were compared with conventional methods. Anti-fungal susceptibility was performed by disc diffusion method using commercially available anti-fungal discs (HiMedia). Results: Out of 50 Candida isolates collected 62% were from males and 38% from females. The distribution of the clinical samples was urine 44%, exudate 32%, respiratory 14% and blood 10%. C. albicans (54%) was the most common species isolated from these samples. The distribution of non C. albicans were C. tropicalis (18%), - C. krusei (12%), - C. glabrata (10%),- C. rugosa (6%). Among the non-albicans C. tropicalis was seen predominantly in urine and exudates. The specificity and sensitivity of Hichrom agar was 98%. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern shows that about 38% of C. albicans and 17% C. krusei isolates were resistant to fluconazole. Conclusions: Percentage of non-albicans species (46%) are increased in the prevalence with C. albicans (54%) as the predominant species from clinical samples. Anti-fungal profile shows an increased percentage of resistance to fluconazole.