Impact Factor (2025): 6.9
DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET
Immunocompromised
status of host creates an enabling environment for candida biofilm forming
organisms to strive. The study aims to speciate clinical isolates from
immunosuppressed subjects, detects their biofilm forming ability and antifungal
resistance. This study was a cross sectional prospective study which ran for a
period of 8months from January, 2023 to August, 2023. Isolates used in this study
were isolated from sputum and urine samples. Biofilm production was tested by
the Congo Red Agar method and Microtitre Plate Method. Antifungal
susceptibility was studied using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique was used to detect internal
transcribed spacer (ITS) gene. A total of 200 consenting subjects were enrolled
for the study. Candidiasis was significantly more prevalent among females than
males (P=0.015*). Out of 40 candida isolates tested for biofilm formation
21(52.5%) formed biofilm. Candida
albicans was the most encountered species 16(40%) among subjects and
11(52.4%) of Candida albicans
produced biofilm. There was a statistically significant association between Candida infection and the rate of biofilm
production (P=0.016*). The degree of biofilm formation by Candida isolates
significantly correlates negatively with host immune status (r = -0.309, p =
0.001*). Twenty (20) Candida isolates
were randomly selected and examined for Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) gene
sequence, Candida albicans had the
highest expression of the ITS genes of 11(55%) followed by C. tropicalis with 5(25%). The antifungal agents tested were
amphotericin B, fluconazole, nystatin, itraconazole and voriconazole. The range
of susceptibility of the isolates to antifungal agents was 10-90%. Isolates of C. dubliniensis were more susceptible to
fluconazole (90%) followed by voricanozole (65%). C. glabrata was notable for multidrug resistance to antifungal
agents tested. C. rugosa and C. akabanensis are emerging Candida
pathogens in the area mis-identified by conventional methods.
Country : Nigeria
IRJIET, Volume 7, Issue 9, September 2023 pp. 1-10