Urinary Isolates and Antifungal Susceptibility Pattern of Candida species Isolated from Patients in Tertiary Care

Community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs) are fastidious growing infections caused by Candida fungal overgrowth that frequently occur in immunosuppressed hospital patients. Although many factors account for the increases in these fungal infections, the leading causes include the rise in medical device usage, immunosuppressant drugs, and interventional procedures. The emergence of drug resistant in Candidal species, which is largely attributed to use of prolonged and inappropriate empirical therapy, has further complicated patient management. The regularity of urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to Candida species is growing and these infections are most common clinical outcome, particularly in hospitalized patients. The microbiological invasions in any tissue of the urinary tract extend from the renal cortex to the urethral meatus. Candida UTI or candiduria is a common finding in hospitalized patients. To find out the ratio of Candida albicans to non- albicans Candida species to correlate the risk factors to the Candida species associated and to analyze the speciation of Candida isolates using the Chrom agar is a differential culture media, with sugar assimilation test. Constant surveillance of candiduria is important as C. tropicalis is more invasive, can lead to fatal candidemia. Identification of Candida up to species level is essential, as it can give an idea to the clinicians about appropriate antifungal therapy. Our study showed a predominance of non-albicans Candida spp. of about 86%. C. tropicalis (62%) was the most common isolate obtained followed by C. albicans (14%), C. glabrata (10%), C. krusei (9%) and C. parapsilosis (5%). Indwelling urinary catheter was an important associated risk factor for non-albicans candiduria.