ISSN: 2642-6250
Authors: Uchegbu UN*, Onyemelukwe NF, Amah HC, Uche-Uchegbu N, Uduji HI, Ndukwe CK and Oparaocha SC
Candida species are excessively abundant in nature as free living organisms with the ability to infect humans and animals worldwide. They are notorious for their unbending resistance to the common azoles used in the treatment of Candidiasis in immunocompromised patients, hence making correct identification indispensable. In this study, 315 clinical specimens were collected from patients with one form of immunosuppression or the other while 150 swab samples were collected from the patients’ immediate environment. The samples were cultured on SDA and ChromAgar for identification of Candida species. The isolates were further identified to the species level using conventional methods based on their Gram reactions and Germ tube test. 158 biological specimens yielded Candida species; which represents an incidence rate of (50.2%), while 34(22.7%) of the environmental samples yielded Candidal growth. The identified isolates are; Candida metapsilosis, C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. orthopsilosis and C. tropicalis. These findings about the environmental pathogens are essential as they will help in developing effective preventive and therapeutic strategies against invasive candidiasis from the C. albicans and nonalbicans Candida (NAC) pathogens. More so, the identification of the Candida species from the environment gives an idea of the development of possible re-infection of the immunocompromised patients by the organisms in the environment. The environmental candidiasis may also account for the much talked about resistance to the common antifungal drugs.
Keywords: Candida Species; Patients’ Beds; Hospitals; Humans
