Candida species

species represent a major problem in hospitals worldwide [1 -3] with a high attributable mortality rate despite antifungal therapy [4 -7] . The frequency of Candida varies geographically, which might refl ect differences among patients, hospitals, health care assistance, and hospital epidemiology [8 -11]. Several local publications [12 -14] showed that non-C. albicans Candida species caused more candidemia than C. albicans . Candida parapsilosis was indicated as the second most important Candida species, after C. albicans , causing candidemia in Brazilian hospitals, and it has been

Realizou-se um estudo observacional, prospectivo, de base laboratorial, para investigar a incidência de candidemia, distribuição de espécies e condições clínicas entre setembro 2003 e março 2004, em um hospital privado terciário em Recife, Nordeste do Brasil. Um caso de candidemia foi definido como isolamento de Candida spp de hemocultura. A taxa de incidência foi calculada por 1.000 admissões. Um total de 5.532 pacientes foram admitidos no hospital durante o período de estudo, e 1.745 culturas de sangue foram processadas. Foram observados 21 episódios de candidemia em 18 pacientes. A taxa de incidência de candidemia foi de 3,9 episódios por 1.000 admissões. Espécies não-albicans representaram mais de 50% dos casos, predominando Candida parapsilosis (33%) e Candida tropicalis (24%). Onze (61%) pacientes morreram. A incidência de candidemia foi mais alta que aquela observada em estudo multicêntrico brasileiro. Candidemia foi predominantemente causada por espécies não-albicans.

Background: Oral candidiasis (OC), frequently caused by Candida albicans, is the most common opportunistic infection in HIV/AIDS patients. Topical treatment for OC is limited. In vitro study revealed rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil has an antifungal effect. However, the essential oil is volatile and is not recommended to be applied to the skin and mucosa; therefore, emulsion gel (emulgel) is made. Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the antifungal activity of rosemary emulgel 6.25%, 25%, 37.5%, and 50% compared to nystatin. Methods: This study is an in vitro test using the disk diffusion method to d etermine the antifungal activity shown by the inhibitory zones of rosemary emulgel at 6.25%, 25%, 37.5%, and 50% compared to nystatin to stored isolates of C. albicans from HIV/AIDS patients with OC. Result: Rosemary emulgel 6.25% dan 25% did not show antifungal activity because no inhibitory zone was shown. The inhibitory zone diameter provided by rosemary emulgel 37.5%; 50%; and nystatin against C. albicans isolates were 3.17±3.763 mm; 7.00±4.107 mm; and 30.13±5.319 mm respectively. Significant differences in antifungal activity were shown by the inhibitory zone diameter provided between rosemary emulgel 37.5%, 50%, and nystatin (p<0,05). Conclusion: Rosemary emulgel 37.5% dan 50% had antifungal activity showed by the formation of inhibitory zone against Candida species isolates in disk diffusion method even though it was weaker compared to nystatin as a standard antifungal.

Introduction: Candidemia, a common invasive fungal infection in hospital settings, remains associated with high mortality despite medical advancements. Candida albicans is the predominant species in intensive care units, promoted by several risk factors such as prolonged hospitalization, immunosuppression and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Early diagnosis and appropriate antifungal treatment are crucial. This study aims to describe the epidemiological profile of Candida albicans candidemia in the intensive care unit, identify associated risk factors and assess susceptibility to commonly used antifungal agents. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study conducted over a 5-year period from January 2020 to January 2024, involving 480 blood culture samples from the intensive care units of the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez, whose mycological analysis (direct examination, culture and identification) revealed the presence of Candida Albicans. All patients admitted to the intensive care unit for a medical or surgical pathology, hospitalized for more than 48 hours and presenting a clinical or biological infectious syndrome or clinical signs suggestive of a Candida sp infection and having a risk factor for the development of a fungal infection were included in the study. Antifungal susceptibility was then tested by MIC measurement using 4 antifungal agents with the ETEST technique (fluconazole, flucytosine, voriconazole, caspofungin). Results: During the study period, 480 blood culture requests were sent out, 93 of which were positive; 29 patients were diagnosed with Candida Albicans candidemia, a percentage of 31.18%. The average age of the patients was 28 years, with extremes ranging from 4 months to 73 years. A slight male predominance was noted, with a M/F sex ratio of 1.07. Sensitivity to antifungal agents revealed resistance to fluconazole and flucytosine and particularly to voriconazole, with a 72% resistance rate, compared with only 18% sensitivity. Caspofungin, on the other hand, showed a better balance between sensitivity and resistance, with almost half the strains being sensitive, i.e. a rate of 45.45%. Discussion and conclusion: Candidemia is an invasive form of candidiasis. Most cases occur in intensive care units, where the incidence is generally higher than in other departments. They rank fourth among healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) (10-15%) and have been on the rise in recent years with the emergence of non-albicans Candida.

As the epidemiological distribution of Candida species changed in recent years and also to decide proper antifungal agents, the rapid and reliable identification of Candida species is essential. The conventional methods are labour intensive and take longer time to identify the Candida species and to judge proper antifungal agent. The automated systems proved to be considerably expensive. Many workers in their studies have been shown that chromogenic agars can identify Candida clearly to species level based upon the characteristic coloured colonies. The present study is carried out to prove the utility of HiCrome Candida differential agar in identification of Candida species. A total of 127 Candida strains, including 77 C. albicans, 23 C. tropicalis, 18 C. parapsilosis and 9 C. krusei identified by standard techniques were subcultured on HiCrome Candida differential agar and then incubated at 37 0 c for 48 hours to study their characteristics. The HiCrome Candida differential agar sh...

As the epidemiological distribution of Candida species changed in recent years and also to decide proper antifungal agents, the rapid and reliable identification of Candida species is essential. The conventional methods are labour intensive and take longer time to identify the Candida species and to judge proper antifungal agent. The automated systems proved to be considerably expensive. Many workers in their studies have been shown that chromogenic agars can identify Candida clearly to species level based upon the characteristic coloured colonies. The present study is carried out to prove the utility of HiCrome Candida differential agar in identification of Candida species. A total of 127 Candida strains, including 77 C. albicans, 23 C. tropicalis, 18 C. parapsilosis and 9 C. krusei identified by standard techniques were subcultured on HiCrome Candida differential agar and then incubated at 37 0 c for 48 hours to study their characteristics. The HiCrome Candida differential agar sh...

Rapid identification of clinically important yeasts can facilitate the initiation of anti-fungal therapy, since susceptibility is largely speciesdependent. We evaluated melting peak and melting curve analysis of the internally transcribed spacer region 2 fragment (ITS2-MCA) as an identification tool for distinguishing between 16 Candida spp., i.e. Candida albicans,

Context: Secreted aspartyl proteinase (SAP) is considered to be an important virulence factor in the Candida species. Its production in candidiuria patients is not well studied. Recently there has been increased incidence of urinary tract infection due to Candida species.

Aim: In our study, we have compared the performance of two media for detection of secreted aspartyl proteinase i.e. bovine serum agar (BSA) and bovine haemoglobin agar BHA).

Methods and Material: From January 2009 to January 2010 a total of 150 urine samples, which were positive for budding yeast cells on gram stain, were included in the study. Bovine serum albumins (Himedia), bovine hemoglobin agar (Himedia) are used as a sole source of nitrogen. Bovine haemoglobin agar and Bovine serum albumin is prepared. Yeast cells freshly grown on saborouds dextrose agar for 48 hours were used for inoculation. After inoculation on both BSA and BHA, they are incubated for 7 days at 370 C. But zone of clarification is looked for every 2, 4, 6 and 7 day and noted diameter of clarification.

Results: Out of 150 candida species isolated from clinical urine samples 86.6% were C. tropicalis, followed by C. albicans (11.3%), C. glabrata (1.33%) and C. dubliniensis (0.6%). SAP detection using Bovine serum agar was 29.3% where as using bovine haemoglobin agar was 18.6%.

Conclusions: So we conclude that the bovine serum agar is far superior to bovine haemoglobin agar for detection of SAP.

Background and Aims: Candida, is a fungal flora in human that can be colonized on the skin and mucosal surfaces. Various factors are involved in causing disease by candida, one of the most important of these factors, are secreted hydrolytic enzymes and aspartyl proteinase enzymes are as a potential factor, but other secretion of hydrolytic enzymes such as phospholipase and lipase are also important pathogen factors. In this study, gene expression of LIP2, LIP3 and LIP5 were studied in isolated C. albicans in 100 samples from patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 strains of C. albicans was isolated in 2015-2016 years by morphology and molecular methods, from clinical samples. After extracting RNA from them by RNX-Plus kit, expression of LIP2, LIP3 and LIP5genes was evaluated by using RT-PCR test. Results: From 100 clinical isolates of C. albicans, LIP2 gene expressed 55%, LIP3 gene 41% and LIP5 gene 48%. Among the positive samples, 24 cases (33.80%) were expressed three genes at the same time. Conclusions: In this study, frequency of lipase genes was different in strains of C.albicans. Lipase gene was not expressed in 30% of cases. It can be concluded that other genes than lipase gene can be involved in the pathogenesis.

Introduction: The incidence of fungal infections has increased significantly, contributing to morbidity and mortality. Candida albicans remains the most common species causing human infections but recent epidemiological data reveal shift from C. albicans to non albicans Candida species. The aim of our study is to detect the clinical distribution of Candida species in a tertiary hospital.

Materials and Methods: Study of identification of Candida species was carried out at tertiary care hospital of Ahmedabad from 1st January 2016 to 30th June 2016.Total 102 candida isolates were identified from various clinical samples.. Identification of Candida species was done by standard techniques which include growth on Sabouraud dextrose agar and Chrom agar, Sabouraud dextrose broth, Germ tube test, slide culture on Cornmeal agar ,urease test and Carbohydrate utilization pattern by sugar assimilation test.

Results: Out of 102 Candida isolates collected 58% were from males and 42% from females. The distribution of the clinical samples was urine 51.96%, exudates 14.70%, respiratory 13.72% and blood 19.60%. In this study most frequently isolated Candida species was C. tropicalis 43 (42.15%) followed by C. albicans 37 (36.27%), C. guillermondii 14 (13.72%), and C. parapsilosis 4 (3.92%). C. kruzei 4 (3.92%). C.tropicalis was mainly isolated from urine samples.

Conclusions: The present study shows increased incidence of non albicans Candida as compared to Candida albicans.

This research aimed to assess the biodegradation potential of phenanthrene in a simulated aqueous solution using an isolated bacterial strain, Rhodococcus sp., with the assistance of a Box-Behnken design matrix. To gauge the impact of key operational factors, pH (6.0 to 9.0), temperature (20 to 40°C), initial phenanthrene concentration (50 to 100 ppm) and incubation time (7 to 21 days), the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to design the biodegradation experiment. The experimental findings highlighted incubation time as the most influential variable followed by initial phenanthrene concentration, pH and temperature via Box-Behnken Design (BBD) matrix. To determine the maximum phenanthrene biodegradation, the Desirability Function Methodology (DFM) was applied. Within the designated parameter ranges, the highest phenanthrene biodegradation (70.0%) was observed at pH 7.3, temperature of 30°C and an initial phenanthrene concentration of 70 ppm on the 19 th day of incubation. The model's fitness was thoroughly validated, with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.9899 and a "Prob>F" value below 0.0500, affirming its suitability for optimization purposes. This study underscores the utility of the RSM in optimizing operational variables, ultimately resulting in significant time and cost savings for experimentation.

The clinical demand on rapid microbiological diagnostic is constantly increasing. PCR coupled to electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, PCR/ESI-MS, offers detection and identification of over 750 bacteria and Candida species directly from clinical specimens within 6 hours. In this study, we investigated the clinical performance of the IRIDICA BAC LRT Assay for detection of bacterial pathogens in 121 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples that were received consecutively at our bacterial laboratory for BAL culture. Commensal or pathogenic microorganisms were detected in 118/121 (98%) BAL samples by PCR/ESI-MS, while in 104/121 (86%) samples by routine culture (P<0.01). Detection of potentially pathogenic microorganisms by PCR/ESI-MS was evaluated in comparison with conventional culture-based or molecular methods. The agreement between positive findings was overall good. Most Staphylococcus aureus-positive PCR/ESI-MS results were confirmed by culture or species-specific PCR (27/33, 82%). The identity of Streptococcus pneumoniae could however be confirmed for only 6/17 (35%) PCR/ESI-MS-positive samples. Non-cultivable and fastidious pathogens, which were not covered by standard culture procedures were readily detected by PCR/ESI-MS, including Legionella pneumophila, Bordetella pertussis, Norcadia species and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. In conclusion, PCR/ESI-MS detected a broad range of potential pathogens with equal or superior sensitivity compared to conventional methods within few hours directly from BAL samples. This novel method might thus provide a relevant tool for diagnostics in critically ill patients.

Aim: Candiduria is very common in hospitalized patients. It poses a clinical challenge for the physicians since it is usually asymptomatic. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with nosocomial candiduria in urinary tract infection (UTI) suspected patients in Methodology: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and to determine their antifungal sensitivity profile. The urine specimens (168) were collected, microscopically screened for presence of yeast, cultured and analyzed for counting, isolation, phenotypic identification of Candida albicans. and testing antifungal resistance profile. Data regarding age, gender, use of catheter, use of antibiotics, diabetes mellitus among patients was also recorded. Results: Out of 168 specimens, C. albicans were isolated from 69 specimens, whereas 20 specimens showed other Candida spp. Age &gt;45 years, gender female, previous use of antibiotics, urinary catheterization, stay in ICU &gt;1 week were found the main predisposing factors (...

Background: Candiduria is a common finding in hospitalized patients. The isolation of Candida from urine is challenging for both clinician and microbiologist as to whether the candiduria represents colonization or, lower or upper urinary tract infection including ascending pyelonephritis and renal candidiasis with sepsis. Although Candida albicans is the major cause of candiduria, non-albicans Candida (NAC) has emerged as an important opportunist pathogen. The NAC spp. are not only well adapted to the urinary tract but also are difficult to eradicate than C. albicans. Aims & Objective: The present study aimed to determine the clinico-mycological profile of candiduria in a tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods: A total of 218 Candida spp. isolated from urine samples were included in the study. Speciation of Candida was done by conventional methods and colony colour on HICHROM Candida agar. Antifungal susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed by disc diffusion method on glucose methylene Mueller-Hinton agar (GM-MH). Results: In both the sexes maximum patients belong to age group >50 years. Urinary catheterization, use of broad spectrum antibiotics and diabetes mellitus were the major risks. Isolation of NAC spp. was more. Maximum resistance was seen to fluconazole. Conclusion: The shift towards the NAC spp. as the causative agent of candiduria has generated the concern. Since several NAC spp. are inherently resistant to common antifungal agents, the rapid identification of Candida isolates upto species level along with its in-vitro antifungal susceptibility pattern is important for treatment and management of candiduria.

Candidemia is defined as being a yeast infection confirmed by the presence of at least one positive Candida blood culture. It is a life threatening infection causing high mortality. The clinical signs are generally compatible with the causative agent (whether there is a deep venous catheter or not). On the other hand and according to the 2012 Revised Chapel Hill Classification, granulomatosis with polyangiitis GPA is classified as a vasculitis associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies ANCA. It is a systemic disease characterized by the anatomopathological aspect of granuloma. We report the case of a patient who presented an atypical and a very rare revealing mode of GPA which was a bronchopulmonary candidiasis complicated by candidemia. Despite its controversy, the combination in the acute phase of antifungal treatment based on intravenous voriconazole and glucocorticoid therapy has made it possible to control candidemia and calm vasculitis.

The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of Candida vaginitis in women of reproductive age in Onitsha metropolis and its environs. A retrospective (survey) study of 811 high vaginal swabs (HVS) recorded samples and results of patients with symptomatic C. vaginitis were done between 2007 and 2012. The study also attempted to ascertain if relationships existed between certain bio-social characteristics (e.g. age, marital status, physiologic state, location and occupation and the prevalence of C. vaginitis). The results showed that the different age groups recorded different prevalence rates of C. vaginitis with 22 to 26 years having the highest with 28.9% (234/811). Higher prevalence rate of 76.8% (623/811) was recorded for non pregnant women against 23.2% (188/811) recorded for pregnant women. Similarly, significant relationships were established between variables like marital status, location, occupation of the subjects and the prevalence of C. vaginitis (P<0.05). The authors concluded by recommending compulsory high vaginal swab (HVS) screenings on all women of reproductive age. HVS culture test should be done to confirm or exclude involvement of Candida albicans for any observation of vaginal discharge on any woman before treatment. The authors went ahead to advise the health planners to use the findings of this study in their future plans.

Administration of phenytoin can been associated with severe adverse reactions such as hypersensitivity reactions. Lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) can be a useful method for determination of the drug, which has caused hypersensitivity reaction. This study was done to evaluate the results of lymphocyte transformation test in patients with delayed hypersensitivity reactions following phenytoin administration and control group. Methods: In a case-control study, four patients with hypersensitivity reactions following administration of phenytoin and ten patients, who had used phenytoin without hypersensitivity reactions, were included. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated. The cells were stimulated with Phenytoin, PHA (Phytohaemagglutinin) as a mitogen and candida as an antigen. Lymphocyte proliferation was measured using Brdu proliferation assay kit (Roche, Germany). The stimulation index was calculated by dividing OD of stimulated to unstimulated cells. Stimulation index more than 2 was considered as positive. The results in case and control groups were compared, using Fisher's exact test. Results: Out of 4 patients in the test group, 3 had positive LTT results and one had negative test result. Among patients in control group, none of them had positive LTT result. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.002). The mean time between development of drug reactions and perform the LTT was 16±6.9 months in the test group with positive result and 38 months in test group with negative test result. This difference was not statistically significant (p=0.174).

Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence, inductive agents, potential risk factors, and prognosis pertaining to the specific risk factors of fungal infections in the hospitalized children in the northwest of Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical, retrospective study was conducted on all the children who were hospitalized in the Pediatric Hospital of Tabriz, Iran due to positive fungal culture during 23 August 2010-23 September 2013. The culture samples were collected from various positive fungal body fluids, secretions, and/or catheters. Results:In total, 40,638 patients were hospitalized during the study period, 191 of whom had fungal cultures and were enrolled in the study. Among the studied patients, 58% were male, and 42% were female. The prevalence of fungal infections in the pediatric healthcare center was 0.47% (approximately four infections per 1,000 cases). The most common comorbidities in the hospitalized children with positive...

Background: To evaluate the in-vitro antifungal activity of various essential plant oils against yeast species.Methods: The present study was a prospective study conducted in Department of Microbiology along with Department of Pharmacology at Tertiary care teaching hospital. Various clinical samples from ICU patients were inoculated on Sabourauds Dextrose Agar (SDA) in accordance with the standard methods. Yeast isolates were recovered and identified as per standard recommended procedure. The antifungal activity of plant oils against these isolated yeasts was determined using disc diffusion method. The results were interpreted as &lt;9mm-inactive, 9-12mm-partially active, 13-18mm-very active. Fluconazole and Itraconazole were taken as control drugs.Results: The various yeast isolated were C. albicans, C. tropicals, C. krusei, C. glabrata, C. gulliermondi, C. keyfr, Cryptococcus and Tricosporon. Among essential plant oils, Cinnamon oil and clove oil showed high activity against all i...

Acquired ichthyosis is a scaly skin disease that usually affects the trunk and limbs, commonly on the extensor surfaces. It is a nonhereditary disorder usually appears during adulthood and is seems to be associated with large number of disease and medications. In this paper we report an extremely rare a case of bilateral acquired localized ichthyosis on breast in a 19-year-old girl. She had not any past medical and special drug history. The diagnosis has confirmed by exact physical examination and pathologic evaluations and now the lesions are improving by suitable treatment.

Introduction: Invasive candidiasis is considered as one of the major opportunistic fungal infections in PLHA patients causing significant morbidity and mortality in these patients with low CD4 cell count. This study was conducted to isolate and identify the various Candida species involved in invasive infections with their antifungal susceptibility pattern and to establish a correlation of opportunistic clinical presentations with patient immune status defined by CD4 cell count. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 231 HIV positive adult (>18yrs) patients with clinically suspected invasive fungal infections with CD4 cell count <500 cells/µl attending the (Antiretroviral therapy) ART centre. Samples were collected aseptically according to clinical presentations and were subjected to standard methods of identification to isolate and identify various Candida species. Further, antifungal susceptibility pattern was determined by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. Results: Majority of patients in the study group were males in age group of 26-30yrs. Most of the invasive fungal infections in HIV positive patients were established to be Candidiasis among which oropharyngeal candidiasis followed by pneumonia were the most common clinical presentations. Most of the patients suffering from candidiasis belong to CD4 cell count ranging between 100-200cells/μl. Candida albicans followed by Candida tropicalis were the common isolates which were highly sensitive to Voriconazole and most resistant to Fluconazole. Conclusion: A detailed understanding of epidemiology, immune status and antifungal sensitivities among HIV positive patients suffering from invasive candidiasis can alert the clinicians and help in timely diagnosis with appropriate treatment.

The upsurge of candidemia in the past years has been an immense encumbrance on public health and the number of deaths caused by candidemia particularly in critical care unit patients is devastating. Candida species harbor a 30%-60% mortality rate and compared to stable people or those with less serious illnesses, this ranges from 60% to 80% of those who are chronically ill patients. Grounded on a recent report from a tertiary care hospital in Kenya showing the emergence of previously unobserved species: Candida auris, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, species distribution, and antifungal susceptibility profile of candidemia in critical care unit patients of the hospital. 378 Critical Care Unit patients were enrolled for the study from January 2019 to January 2020. Positive archived isolates were sub-cultured using Saboraud Dextrose Agar. Candida species were identified utilizing API20C AUX and Vitek-2. Antifungal susceptibility testing was conducted using the Liofilchem MIC Test strip. Out of 378 patients, thirty-one presented a positive culture for Candida species. The prevalence of Candidemia was 8.2% with 9 (29.03%) Candida auris, 8 (25.81%) Candida albicans, 6 (19.35%) Candida parapsilosis, 3 (9.68%) Candida famata, 3 (9.68%) Candida tropicalis, 1 (3.23%) Candida duobushaemolumonii, and 1 (3.23%) Candida lusitaniae. A resistance pattern to Fluconazole was observed among Candida auris and Candida parapsilosis, and resistance to Flucytosine was observed in Candida tropicalis, whereas susceptible MIC values were obtained for the other drugs. There is an increase in candidemia among critical care unit patients in the health facility posing a public health challenge. Moreover, the onset of new species Candida auris which is unprecedented in Kenya warrants enhanced infection control, and the uniform resistance of Candida auris, Candida pa

Candidiasis is one of the most important opportunistic fungal infections, caused by over 20 species of Candida. After the genus Candida, Trichosporon is the most common agent of yeast disseminated infections. In routine laboratory, yeast species are identified on the basis of culture, germ tube production, carbohydrate fermentation and chlamydospore formation. These conventional methods often lack specificity. These are time consuming methods involving microscopic examination that requires considerable skill and experience. Delayed identification leads to delay in empirical therapies of such infections. The objective of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the reliability of oxidase and coagulase tests for the rapid identification of Candida and Trichosporon species.

Mastitis is frequently brought on by a wide range of microorganisms, which results in significant economic consequences and impairment to the dairy processing industry (Bakr et al., 2015). The use of injectable tools, cannulas, or antibiotic preparations (intramammary infusions) during the treatment of animal disorders is frequently linked to mycotic mastitis. Teat injuries may also increase the risk of the development of fungal infection (Farag and El Said, 2012). Yeasts are typically the cause of mycotic mastitis; however sporadic incidences of Aspergillus species-related mastitis, which affect a limited number of animals, have been described (Abd El Razik et al., 2011). Numerous species of yeasts have been stated to cause mastitis (Staroniewicz et al., 2007). Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans are definitely the most common causes of mycotic mastitis, but other Candida species have also been associated with bovine mastitis (Dworecka-Kaszak et al., 2012). Recently, efflux pump transporters (ABC1, ABC2), 14demethylases, aspartyl proteinases (SAPP1 and SAPP2), ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, Candida drug resistance gene (CDR), major facilitator superfamily transporter (MFS), multi-drug resistance gene (MDR), and others have been identified in C. parapsilosis and C. krusei. These elements favor the development and survival of Candida species in the mammary glands of cows (Du et al., 2018). Fluconazole, an antifungal from the azole class, is the most often prescribed medication used to treat most C. albicans infections. Azoles block the activity of the ERG11 geneencoded enzyme 14-sterol demethylase, which is necessary for the manufacture of the membrane ergosterol, which is unique to fungi (Whaley et al., 2017). The cells that make up the biofilms organize themselves into structured communities which are submerged in an extracellular matrix. Typically, the composition of biofilm matrix consists of water, phosphate, proteins, carbohydrates, glucose, and hexosamines. The Candida species can more easily adhere to the tissue and colonize forming biofilms

Introduction: Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is an annual plant that is not only one of the most popular seed species but also one of the oldest and most cultivated aromatic and herbaceous natural products with numerous medicinal, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical properties. It is widely used in the beverage, food, liquor, medicine, perfume, and toiletry industries. The objective of this work was to provide a precise and up-to-date review of the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and biological activities of cumin. Methods: Information was gathered from the review of relevant literature obtained from various databases, such as Science Direct, Springer, PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar. Results: The various parts of the cumin plant (leaves, shoot, root, and flowers) contain similar and different chemical compounds. Conclusion: The medicinal and health potential of cumin is mainly attributed to its antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, insecticide, an...

Candida species are opportunistic yeasts that cause infections in immunocompromised individuals such as HIV and cancer patients. Recent studies show that 5-fluorouracil, a nucleoside analogue used for cancer treatment, increases Candida cell virulence. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of commonly used anti-HIV nucleoside analogue drugs on the virulence of Candida albicans, the predominant species associated with oral candidiasis. Oral swabs were collected from antiretroviral-naïve HIV-positive individuals. C. albicans was characterised from 39 of these swabs using standard microbiological techniques and polymerase chain reaction. The effect of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) zidovudine, stavudine, didanosine and lamivudine, at predicted drug peak concentrations in patients, as well as half and double these concentrations on select virulence factors of C. albicans isolates were studied. In addition, antifungal susceptibility to amphotericin B was assessed. Not all 39 isolates were used in the assays because of delays in obtaining reagents from respective manufacturers. Results show no change in the adherence and biofilm formation of 29 isolates upon exposure to NRTIs. In contrast, a steady increase in the number of viable cells was observed upon exposure to double the peak concentration of lamivudine to 23 of the clinical isolates. All 31 isolates tested were susceptible to amphotericin B (MIC≤1µg/ml). Although these results suggest that NRTIs may have little effect on the virulence of C. albicans it is postulated, that, in a dose-dependent manner, cytidine analogues act similarly to 5-FU by activating a signal-transduction pathway which stimulates proliferation.

In the present work, the phenolic compounds of Castanea sativa, Filipendula ulmaria and Rosa micrantha flowers from Northeastern Portugal were characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. Furthermore, it was performed a screening of their antifungal potential against Candida species (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis). C. sativa sample gave the highest amount of phenolic compounds (18973 ± 40 g/g, fw) and hydrolysable tannins (14873 ± 110 g/g). The highest amounts of phenolic acids (569 ± 20 g/g) and flavonoids (6090 ± 253 g/g) were obtained in F. ulmaria and R. micrantha samples, respectively. Hydrolysable tannins (e.g. tri and digalloyl HHDP glucose) were the main group of phenolic compounds in C. sativa and F. ulmaria samples, while flavonoids (e.g. (+)-catechin and procyanidin dimers and trimers) were the most abundant group in R. micrantha. Thus, the stronger effect showed by this latter against all the Candida species (MIC ≤ 0.155 mg/mL) and, particularly its fungicide effects in C. glabrata, might be related to the mentioned flavonoids that were inexistence in the other samples.

The life-threatening mycoses caused by opportunistic fungal pathogens (mainly species from the genus Candida) associated with nosocomial infections, are one of the major health problems in our days. Therefore, it is crucial to identify new compounds, especially natural ones, that are active against the most broaden spectrum of Candida species. Herein, a screening of the antifungal potential of a phenolic extract of Cistus ladanifer from Northeastern Portugal, against Candida species was performed. Furthermore, the extract was characterized by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. Phenolic acids and derivatives (3.96 mg/g extract), ellagic acid derivatives (30.34 mg/g extract), and flavonoids (4.15 mg/g extract), such as catechins, flavonols and flavones, were found in the sample. The most abundant group was ellagic acid derivatives in which punicalagin gallate, a derivative of punicalagin attached to gallic acid, was found in highest amount (15.99 ± 0.02 mg/g extract). These compounds (i.e., ellagitannins) could be related to the strong inhibition of Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis growth (MIC < 0.05 mg/mL). Moreover, the best antifungal activity was against C. glabrata, where the studied extract was able to cause at least 3 log of reduction at concentrations below 0.05 mg/mL and a total growth inhibition at concentrations above 0.625 mg/mL.

Introduction: Color blindness is a common disorder. The congenital type of tcolor blindness is sex-linked and the genes are located on the X chromosome. The prevalence of color blindness among males and females are 5-8 % and 0.5 %, respectively. Color blindness may affect daily activities and could be considered as a disability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of color blindness and its effect on contrast sensitivity and depth perception among school children in Mashhad. Methods: Four thousand four hundred school children (2408 males and 1992 females) were selected randomly and tested by Ishihara for color blindness detection. At the second step, students with color blindness were examined at optometry clinic by the Ishihara test again. Two hundred students were also selected randomly to allocate into a control group. Cambridge and Titmouse tests were taken on the case and control groups. Results: Among 4400 schoolchildren, 3% suffered from color blindness (5.1% in boys and 0.4% in girls). Ishihara test showed 2.2% deuteranopia, 0.8% protanopia and 0.6% suspect. The results indicate that the congenital color blindness has no significant effect on contrast sensitivity and depth perception. Conclusion: The present report provides valuable information regarding color vision defectiveness among schoolchildren. Effective detection of this anomaly is expected to prevent from substantial effects on their education and future job. It is strongly recommended to perform color vision test at the beginning of a child's education.

A series of 2-aryl-3-azolyl-1-indolyl-propan-2-ols was designed as new analogs of fluconazole (FLC) by replacing one of its two triazole moieties by an indole scaffold. Two different chemical approaches were then developed. The first one, in seven steps, involved the synthesis of the key intermediate 1-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl-1H-indole and the final opening of oxiranes by imidazole or 1H-1,2,4-triazole. The second route allowed access to the target compounds in only three steps, this time with the ring opening by indole and analogs. Twenty azole derivatives were tested against Candida albicans and other Candida species. The enantiomers of the best anti-Candida compound, 2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-(1H-indol-1-yl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-propan-2-ol (8g), were analyzed by X-ray diffraction to determine their absolute configuration. The (−)-8g enantiomer (Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = IC80 = 0.000256 µg/mL on C. albicans CA98001) was found with the S-absolute configurat...

Background: Malassezia Species are often commensal of the human skin and scalp that opportunistically in exist of particular predisposing factors, their proliferation increases; as, in dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis which both togather affect more than 50% of humans, the excess proliferation of yeast in scalp, leads to scalp-flaking and causes physical and mental disorder in peaple, spacially in youth that their health and hiar hygiene and beauty is more important for them. Thus, this survey has been done for rapid, easy and inexpensive method to diagnosis of abnormal proliferation and invasive condition of Malassezia yeast and can be more benefical for proper treatment. Methods: Sampling with scalpel scraping from scalp of volunteer persons that had not bathed at least two day ago were done and preparation of direct microscopic slides and staining with methylene blue were accomplished. Then, survey of morpholgic characteristics, yeast quantification and mycelium detection were done by direct microscopic examination. Results: From 140 scalp samples of adult persons of both gender (male and female) with different age groups, observation of malassezia yeast in 93.5% (131) were positive and 6.5% (9) were negative in direct microscopic examination. Results of yeast quantification in positive cases were: mild or normal flora 25.2%, intermediate 24.5%, severe 50.3%. Detection of mycelium in positive cases were 22.9% (30) (P=0.007 df=2). Conclusion: Application of an accessible, easy and inexpensive method and a determinated pattern (yeast quantification with direct microscopic examination) to distinguish normal flora from abnormal condition (excess proliferation and mycelium production) in cases of Malassezia yeasts can be more useful to rapid diagnosis of abnormal proliferation and invasive condition in order to initiate a proper antifungal treatment.

BACKGROUND: Oral candidiasis is a common problem in compromised patients. Although several non-albicans Candida species have emerged as pathogens the majority of candidal infections are caused by Candida albicans. Morphogenesis from the blastospore to filamentous phase, and production of secretory aspartyl proteinases (SAP) are two major virulence attributes of these opportunistic yeast. Histopathology of oral candidiasis is characterized by fungal invasion of the superficial epithelium although the invasive potentials of different Candida species vary. Computerized image analysis systems (IAS) utilizing immunohistochemistry have been successfully employed for quantification of such histopathological features. The purpose of this study was to evaluate quantitatively the in vitro invasive potential of C. albicans and its hyphal and SAP mutants, and five other non-albicans Candida species using a computerized IAS. METHODS: In vitro human oral candidiasis was produced using five wild type and one reference C. albicans isolates, hyphal and SAP mutants of C. albicans SC 5314, and one wild type and one reference isolate each of C. tropicalis, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. krusei in a reconstituted human oral epithelium (RHOE) model. The infected tissues were examined histologically at 12, 24 and 48 h. Invading fungal elements were visualized by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and quantitatively evaluated as a percentage of total tissue invasive area, using a computerized IAS. RESULTS: All C. albicans isolates including hyphal mutant cph1/cph1 and SAP mutants; sap 1-3, sap 4-6 produced hyphae and differentially (P < 0.05) invaded the tissue over 48 h. The invasive potential of hyphal mutant cph1/ cph1 and SAP mutants (sap 1-3, sap 4-6) were similar to the parent wild-type isolate at 12 h although after 24 h their invasion was dissimilar (P < 0.05). Non-albicans Candida species and hyphal mutants; efg1/efg1, efg1/efg1 cph1/cph1 were all non-invasive. CONCLUSIONS: RHOE model in combination with computerized image analysis permits for the first time, the assessment of invasive potential of Candida species in a quantitative manner. The differential tissue invasive patterns of various C. albicans isolates, their mutants and other Candida species are also described.

In the modern fast changing world, as the green and environment friendly methods are much required and preferred over conventional toxic methods, plant based nano synthesis plays a vital role in future developments of nanotechnology. In this research article, we discussed on the synthesis and characterization of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles by green synthesis method utilizing the leaves of Ocimum Tenuiflorum as reducing agent for Zn salt. ZnO NPs prepared by such a technique exhibit superior antibacterial efficacy against a range of bacteria compared to ZnO NPs produced through chemical methods, without developing resistance to antibiotics. Further the prepared ZnO NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy technique and the bandgap of particles was calculated by Tauc Plot method.

Editorial on the Research Topic Synergistic therapy for invasive fungal infection In recent decades, an invasive fungal infection has become a global threat to human health and contributes to 1.7 billion infections and 1.6 million deaths annually. Of note, this epidemiological data is inconsistent due to the lack of criteria for reporting fungal diseases and misdiagnosis problems. Advances in technology and medicine, as well as the use of more aggressive cancer treatments and transplantation for patients with underlying heart, kidney, and liver disease have changed the incidence and treatment of fungal infections. In particular, these advances and successful treatments have significantly increased the risk of fungal infections in people. Thus, the incidence of fungal pathogens has increased dramatically and may contribute to more human morbidity and mortality than is currently believed. Endemic dimorphic fungi such as Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus spp., Pneumocystis jirobesii, and Histoplasma capsulatum and Mucor fungi remain serious commensals. It is the primary fungal pathogen responsible for most cases of fungal disease. Candida albicans is a major cause of mucosal disease, Aspergillus fumigatus is responsible for most allergic fungal diseases, and Trichophyton, especially Rubrum, is responsible for skin infections. Fungal infections is noteworthy in rural areas and thus, becoming a localized problem in tropical and subtropical areas. Subcutaneous fungal infections such as sporotrichosis, chromoblastomycosis, eumycetoma are rampant fungal infection in these area. These fungal infections are invasive in nature as they weaken the host's immune system. However percentage of prevalence and morbidity rate is more in patients suffering from immunocompromised HIV, Cancers and Tuberculosis, etc. Azoles, echinocandins, allylamines and polyenes are the four major classes of antifungal agents used to treat candidiasis and other types of fungal infections in humans. Azoles such as fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole are considered a first-line drug for the treatment of intractable fungal diseases. Though less toxic but resistance development particularly for candida species limits its use. Resistance associated with polyenes are extremely rarely even on long time prescription but Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology frontiersin.org 01

Candida species are considered to be an opportunistic pathogen that leaves asymptomatically in warm blooded animals like human, birds etc. It can cause serious and lethal disease in healthy individuals. It generally causes infection of skin, oral cavity esophagus, gastrointestinal tract, vagina and vascular system of humans. It is a common cause of nosocomial infection in hospitals and most of the Candida infections occur in patients who are immunocompromised. Virulence factor like adhesion, morphogenesis, phospholipase are responsible for pathogenesis. Genus Candida include about 200 species but normally C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, and C. krusei are five species of Candida involved in 90% of invasive infections. Candida infections can be superficial or invasive. Superficial infections often affect the skin or mucous membrane and can be treated successfully with antifungal drugs whereas invasive fungal infections are often life-threatening. Different chemical drugs such as azoles, polyenes, echinocandins and nucleoside analogues are in use to treat the infection caused by C. albicans, but due to their regular use, C. albicans can show resistance to these drugs and mortality rate increases. Resistance to various drugs is due to multiple factors, viz., reduced accumulations of drug in the cells, decreased target affinity and counteraction of the drug effect. Biofilms production is the another major cause of resistance to different drug groups and to overcome this emergence, different strategies are improvise which include the new triazoles, peptides, use of natural compounds, vaccinations, antibodies, cytokines therapy, and low level laser therapy.

Background: Within the past two decades, Candida species have emerged as major human pathogens and are currently the fourth most common cause of nosocomial infection. Propose of this study was to determine the occurrence of oral Candidiasis among cancer patients at Qods hospitals in Sanandaj. Materials and Methods: Sixty cancer patients were examined for oral candidiasis. For all patients, the clinical diagnosis had to be confirmed microbiologically by the presence of yeasts and / or hyphae or pseudohyphae on potassium hydroxidetreated smears of oral swabs. Oral samples were obtained and cultured on Sabouraud's dextrose agar and CHROMagar. Results: 25 out of the 60 patients (41.7%) were males and 35 (58.3%) were females ranging in age from 15 to 79 years. Gastrointestinal cancer and Breast cancer were the most frequent cancer in the studied group, accounting for 65 % and 18.4 % respectively. The mean weight of the patients was 52.67 Kg (range, 38-80 Kg). Similarly, the mean of hospital stay was 3.58 days (range; 1-9 days). From these patients, 19 Candida spp were isolated; C. albicans alone outnumbered other species and accounted for 73.68% episodes of trash. For C. albicans isolates, the MIC values ranges from 1 to 9 µ g / ml µg / ml for polyenes and from 0.03 to 16 µ g / ml for the azole antifungals. All the Candida albicans had closely related MFCs values. Conclusion: In conclusions, the finding of our study strongly suggest that oral candidiasis is a frequent complication among cancer patients, being C. albicans the main etiological agent.

The high levels of environmental pollutants like heavy metals and microplastics have prompted researchers to invent new remediation strategies, which might be accompanied by drawbacks, including the risk of secondary pollution, being costly, and inefficient. So, the aim of this study is the reduction of these environmental pollutants by the application of nanoparticle-producing bacteria. For this purpose, from 22 screened bacterial isolates of the Caspian Sea, the isolate (N1.5.2) was used to produce ZnO NPs, which were characterized by techniques like FTIR, XRD, Raman, SEM, EDX, UV-vis spectroscopy, Zeta potential, and DLS. Subsequently, different protocols of bacterial nanoparticle production (using supernatant, extract, biomass, and dilution) were compared by UV-vis spectroscopy. Then, the produced nanoparticles were applied to polystyrene microplastics to degrade them. This process was monitored by SEM and FTIR. The selected bacterial isolate (N1.5.2) was identified and its phyl...

Infections caused by Candida species have been increasing in the last decades and can result in local or systemic infections, with high morbidity and mortality. After Candida albicans, Candida glabrata is one of the most prevalent pathogenic fungi in humans. In addition to the high antifungal drugs resistance and inability to form hyphae or secret hydrolases, C. glabrata retain many virulence factors that contribute to its extreme aggressiveness and result in a low therapeutic response and serious recurrent candidiasis, particularly biofilm formation ability. For their extraordinary organization, especially regarding the complex structure of the matrix, biofilms are very resistant to antifungal treatments. Thus, new approaches to the treatment of C. glabrata's biofilms are emerging. In this article, the knowledge available on C. glabrata's resistance will be highlighted, with a special focus on biofilms, as well as new therapeutic alternatives to control them.

BACKGROUND Candida species, one of the most fungi, which isolated from clinical samples that cause many problems to humans, frequently isolated from stools of children with diarrhea. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study is, Isolation and identification of Candida spp. and genotype of Candida albicans infection, among children with diarrhea using conventional methods and PCR, and study distribution of Candida spp. and explore the effect of some relevant factors, in Diyala-province. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 100 children under three years, suffering from diarrhea were included in this study, over a two month period (from 1 st October 2016 to 3 rd November 2016), in AL-Batool Teaching Hospital. The stool was collected for microscope stool examination, Stool culture on SDA, germ tube test, Chlamydospore formation test, CHROM agar Candida (CAC) and PCR techniques. RESULTS The results showed that, infection rate by Candida spp., among the patients were (64%), (37.5%) of the total isolates were identified Candida as C. albicans, (62%) isolates was identified as non-albicans., of which (21.9%) isolates were C. glabrata, (17.2%) isolate C. parapsilosis, (12.5%) isolates was C. krusei (10.9%) isolates was C. tropicalis. PCR amplification 25S rRNA gene show three genotypes (A, B, C), results showed. (83.3%) for genotype A, (8.3%) for each genotype B and genotype C. the results showed, there are significantly (P< 0.05) higher Candida infection rate among children with previous antibiotic use and without previous antibiotic, actuality (73.1%), The higher infection rate among children consuming non-sterilization water and children consuming sterilization water, actuality 38(73.1%), Although, insignificant(P>0.05), the results showed Candida infection rate higher in male patients compared to female patients (66.7% vs. 60.5%) and high Candida infection rate in (≥2) months patients compared other age groups, actuality 7(77.8%) CONCLUSIONS C. albicans is the most common isolated from among the total Candida species, and Candida glabrata was the most frequent non-albicans species. C. albicans genotype A, is the most frequent genotype in patients, followed by genotype B and C with the equal rate.

Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) were determined for 38 oils of plant origin against Candida albicans. Four strains including one standard strain were used in this study. The antifungal agents, Fluconazole and Amphotericin B were used as positive controls. The standard strain (ATCC10231) used in this study was found to be highly resistant to Fluconazole: 3000 lg ml À1 of Fluconazole was required to inhibit the growth of this strain partially, and complete inhibition could not be achieved. Other Candida strains were sensitive to 5 lg ml À1 of Fluconazole. All the strains used were sensitive to Amphotericin B. Of the 38 oils tested, 23 were found effective and fifteen were ineffective. Based on their MFCs, effective oils were categorized into three categories. Seven oils, which exerted fungicidal effect at less than 0.15% concentration of oils, were grouped into the most effective class. The oils exhibiting MFCs in the range of 0.16-1.5% concentration were considered moderately effective. Nine oils, which required more than 1.5% concentration, were regarded as less effective. The Fluconazole-resistant strain (MTCC 227) was sensitive to at least 23 of the plant oils. Results of this study indicate that oils of plant origin may find use as potential anti-Candida agents.

Infections caused by Candida species have been increased dramatically worldwide due to the increase in immunocompromised patients. For the prevention and cure of candidiasis, several strategies have been adopted at clinical level. Candida infected patients are commonly treated with a variety of antifungal drugs such as �uconazole, amphotericin B, nystatin, and �ucytosine. Moreover, early detection and speciation of the fungal agents will play a crucial role for administering appropriate drugs for antifungal therapy. Many modern technologies like MALDI-TOF-MS, real-time PCR, and DNA microarray are being applied for accurate and fast detection of the strains. However, during prolonged use of these drugs, many fungal pathogens become resistant and antifungal therapy suffers. In this regard, combination of two or more antifungal drugs is thought to be an alternative to counter the rising drug resistance. Also, many inhibitors of efflux pumps have been designed and tested in different models to effectively treat candidiasis. However, most of the synthetic drugs have side effects and biomedicines like antibodies and polysaccharidepeptide conjugates could be better alternatives and safe options to prevent and cure the diseases. Furthermore, availability of genome sequences of Candida albicans and other non-albicans strains has made it feasible to analyze the genes for their roles in adherence, penetration, and establishment of diseases. Understanding the biology of Candida species by applying different modern and advanced technology will de�nitely help us in preventing and curing the diseases caused by fungal pathogens.

Background: Candiduria is a rising condition among hospitalized patients and Candida albicans is the most common recovered agent. However, non-albicans Candida species (NACs) such as C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis are also important. Although most Candida species especially C. albicans are sensitive to routinely used antifungals, an increasing trend in resistance has been observed among NACs. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to detect the susceptibility of Candida strains recovered from candiduria in hospitalized patients against posaconazole and caspofungin. Materials and Methods: A total of 120 urine samples were taken from patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) (65) and urology (55) wards. All recovered yeasts were differentiated by using CHROMagar Candida medium and routine tests for identification of Candida species. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of all isolates towards posaconazole and caspofungin were determined using the microdilution method with serial dilutions from 8 to 0.0625 µg/mL (posaconazole) and 4 to 0.03125 µg/ mL (caspofungin). Results: In total, 41.7% of urine samples were positive for Candida isolation, including C. albicans (46%), C. glabrata (24%), C. tropicalis (16%) and C. krusei (14%). The MIC of caspofungin for 90% of the tested isolates was lower than 2 µg/mL. Furthermore, 94% of the tested isolates were inhibited by posaconazole at lower than 2 µg/mL after 24 hours, whereas 6% of isolates had MICs of more than 4 µg/mL. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of Candida species in urine samples from hospitalized patients in ICUs and urology wards. It showed that both tested antifungals had excellent effects on different species of Candida, however the strains from ICUs were found to be more sensitive to caspofungin than posaconazole.

Realizou-se um estudo observacional, prospectivo, de base laboratorial, para investigar a incidência de candidemia, distribuição de espécies e condições clínicas entre setembro 2003 e março 2004, em um hospital privado terciário em Recife, Nordeste do Brasil. Um caso de candidemia foi definido como isolamento de Candida spp de hemocultura. A taxa de incidência foi calculada por 1.000 admissões. Um total de 5.532 pacientes foram admitidos no hospital durante o período de estudo, e 1.745 culturas de sangue foram processadas. Foram observados 21 episódios de candidemia em 18 pacientes. A taxa de incidência de candidemia foi de 3,9 episódios por 1.000 admissões. Espécies não-albicans representaram mais de 50% dos casos, predominando Candida parapsilosis (33%) e Candida tropicalis (24%). Onze (61%) pacientes morreram. A incidência de candidemia foi mais alta que aquela observada em estudo multicêntrico brasileiro. Candidemia foi predominantemente causada por espécies não-albicans.

Background: Candiduria can represent a variety of conditions, from sample contamination, kidney and collecting system infections, to life-threatening disseminated candidiasis. The prevalence of candiduria is significantly higher in hospitalized patients and may be associated with an increased mortality rate. Until now, most candiduria research has been done in developed countries, while the prevalence varies widely in different parts of the world. Objective: This study aimed to determine the epidemiology and risk factors for candiduria in hospitalized patients at Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya from January to December 2020. Methods: This study is an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design using medical record data and a total sample of 301 samples consisting of 185 candiduria patients and 116 non-candiduria patients. Results: Among 185 candiduria patients, most patients were female (67.6%) and dominated by the age group 45-59 years (40.5%). Candida albicans was found most commonly (42.7%). No resistance of the studied Candida species to Amphotericin B was found. The prevalence of candiduria in hospitalized patients was 0.55%. Variables that had a significant relationship with candiduria were diabetes mellitus (p=0.005; PR=1.309; 95% CI=1.089-1.575), antibiotic use (p=0.006; PR=1.4; 95% CI=1.174-1.670), and the use of an Intraurethral Catheter (IUC) (p=0.008; PR=1.292; 95% CI=1.074-1.554). While old age, female gender, and corticosteroid therapy had no association with candiduria. Conclusion: The prevalence of candiduria is 0.55%. Diabetes mellitus, antibiotic use, and the use of an Intraurethral Catheter (IUC) have a significant relationship with candiduria in hospitalized patients.

Background: The demand for novel, useful, potential, and safe antifungal drugs and rapid fungal susceptibility test methods due to antifungal resistance and high prevalence of Candida albicans infection are continuing. Therefore, this study aimed to assess and compare the antifungal activity of lactoferrin, apolactoferrin, and oligosaccharides isolated from human, bovine, goat, and formula milk against C. albicans on Mueller-Hinton agar supplemented with 2% glucose and 5 µg/mL methylene blue and sabouraud dextrose agar.Methods: Lactoferrin, apolactoferrin, and oligosaccharides were extracted from human, bovine, goat, and formula milk. Lactoferrin was identified using the Bradford test and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis. Oligosaccharides were identified using Thin-Layer Chromatography. The antifungal activity of lactoferrin, apolactoferrin, and oligosaccharides against fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans ATCC 10231 was determined and compared using the d...

Background: Production of the biofilm may be considered as a virulence factor because it shows resistance towards many antimicrobial agents. Candida albicans is the most commonly isolated fungal pathogen and cause severe secondary infections in immuno-compromised population, including tuberculosis patients. This study was aimed to speciate Candida isolates, production of biofilm and its antifungal susceptibility pattern. Materials and Methods: Totally 178 sputum specimens were screened by RNTCP Unit were included in the study. The clinical isolates of candida were identified by using conventional methods and their ability to produce biofilm formation was detected by the tube method. Antifungal susceptibility testing was carried out by direct susceptibility method using CHROM agar. Results and Conclusion: Out of 178 sputum samples, Candida albicans 26 (72.2%) was the predominant species isolated. Strong biofilm production was seen with Candida albicans (47.2%), Candida parapsilosis (...