Abstract

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF CANDIDA SPP. FROM DIFFERENT CLINICAL SPECIMENS AND STUDY THE VIRULENCE FACTORS.

Saif T. Jasim*, May T. Flayyih and Abdullah A. Hassan

ABSTRACT

Background: Candidiasis is one of the most common disease of human caused by several species of Candida spp. Several antifungal are available to treat such candida infection. During the last periods, resistance to antifungal especially to non-albicans candida species has increased. adherence to host tissues and hydrolytic exoenzymes are important virulence factors of candida species. Objective: the present study was done to determine phospholipase, lipase, proteinase and haemolysin activity and assess the susceptibility to antifungal drugs of candida species isolated from various clinical specimens. Methods: From April 2014 to July 2015, total of 55 candida spp. were obtained from various clinical species were isolated and identified by standard microbiological procedures Gram staining, colonial morphology, Lactophenol cotton blue, Germ tube formation, Chlamydospore formation assay and biochemical tests and were tested for extracellular hydrolytic enzyme activity and there susceptibility to some antifungal were tested. Result: 50 candida spp. Were isolated from different clinical specimens. C.albicans was isolated from 39(78%) samples. Non-albicans Candida (NAC) spp. were isolated from 11(22%) clinical specimens. Positivity of phospholipase activity was found in 40(80%) and positivity for proteinase activity in 38(76%) Candida isolates. Lipase activity was seen 32(64%) isolates. All isolates produced β-type of haemolysis. Most Candida species 42(100%) were susceptible to ITR, although among the Candida spp., C. albicans exhibited the highest rate of resistance to NYS, KET, CLO. Results showed that most C. tropicalis isolates were sensitive to all antifungal agents Conclusions: 39 C, albicans (78%) and 11NAC spp. (22%) were isolated from different clinical specimens and. Both C.albicans and NAC spp. produced extracellular hydrolytic enzymes. The candida species isolated from Iraq hospital had excellent sensitivity against ITR in vitro. Results showed that most C. tropicalis isolates were sensitive to all antifungal agents.

Keywords: C. albicans, non-albicans, exoenzymes, Chlamydospore.