男性尿道炎和包皮龟头炎致病真菌的分布与药敏分析

目的了解男性念珠菌性尿道炎和包皮龟头炎的菌群分布及体外抗真菌药敏试验情况。方法菌株分离均来自复旦大学附属华山医院皮肤性病门诊临床症状轻重不一、真菌直接镜检阳性的61例患者。用科玛嘉念珠菌显色培养基及API 20C AUX鉴定系统进行菌种鉴定;采用CLSIM27-A2肉汤微量稀释法对61株临床分离念珠菌作了氟康唑、两性霉素B、氟胞嘧啶、伊曲康唑、伏立康唑、特比萘芬6种抗真菌药物敏感性测定。结果对培养阳性的61例菌株,通过科玛嘉念珠菌显色培养基及API 20C AUX鉴定系统作菌种鉴定,白念珠菌52例（85.2%）,近平滑念珠菌3例,光滑念珠菌2例,热带念珠菌2例,季也蒙念珠菌1例,克柔念珠菌1例。对52株白念珠菌的药敏试验显示氟康唑98.1%敏感,1.9%剂量依赖性敏感;氟胞嘧啶96.2%敏感,3.8%耐药;伊曲康唑44.2%敏感,40.5%剂量依赖性敏感,15.3%耐药;伏立康唑84.6%敏感,15.4%耐药;两性霉素B全部敏感;特比萘芬的MIC范围为1-64μg/ml,MIC50和MIC90皆为64μg/ml。结论在男性念珠菌性尿道炎和包皮龟头炎中,白念珠菌仍是第一位致病菌,体外药敏试验显示氟康唑、伏立康唑、氟胞嘧啶、两性霉素B对男性念珠菌性尿道炎均有较好的敏感性。     

广西地区隐球菌感染的临床特征、菌种鉴定及体外抗真菌药物敏感性CSCD

目的分析广西地区隐球菌感染的临床特征、致病菌种鉴定及其体外药物敏感性。方法收集86例确诊隐球菌病患者(14例为HIV阳性,72例为HIV阴性)中分离出103株隐球菌及其患者资料并对其临床特征进行分析,使用MALDI-TOF MS和ITS区测序分子鉴定方法,92株被鉴定为新生隐球菌grubii变种,11株被鉴定为格特隐球菌。使用CLSI M27-A4方法对菌株进行常用抗真菌药物氟康唑、两性霉素B、5-氟胞嘧啶、伊曲康唑、伏立康唑、泊沙康唑和艾沙康唑体外药物敏感性测试。结果①86例患者(男性59名,女性27名),年龄为21~84岁,其中55人无基础疾病,31人有基础疾病。②由于目前对于隐球菌尚无泊沙康唑、艾沙康唑和两性霉素B的折点,因此参考了念珠菌属的数据,所有菌株对大多数抗真菌药物敏感。抗真菌药物对新生隐球菌grubii变种最低抑菌浓度范围为:氟康唑0.05~4μg/mL,两性霉素B 0.25~1μg/mL,5-氟胞嘧啶0.0625~2μg/mL,伊曲康唑0.0625~0.25μg/mL,伏立康唑0.0078~0.25μg/mL,泊沙康唑0.0313~0.5μg/mL,艾沙康唑0.0020~0.125μg/mL。抗真菌药物对格特隐球菌最低抑菌浓度范围为:氟康唑1~16μg/mL,5-氟胞嘧啶0.125~1μg/mL,两性霉素B 0.25~1μg/mL,伊曲康唑0.0625~0.25μg/mL,伏立康唑0.0156~0.125μg/mL,泊沙康唑0.0156~0.25μg/mL,艾沙康唑0.0078~0.125μg/mL。结论MALDI-TOF MS是一种快速可靠的鉴定隐球菌的方法。广西地区分离隐球菌对临床抗真菌药物敏感,抗真菌药敏试验有助于早期发现耐药菌株,对有效地治疗隐球菌病具有重要意义。     

云南省艾滋病患者新生隐球菌药物敏感性与临床分析CSCD

目的了解云南省艾滋病患者中新生隐球菌病的病原分离部位、耐药性及临床治疗效果。方法对2010年1月至2020年12月临床总共分离的424株新生隐球菌,用VITEK2 Compact全自动微生物分析仪鉴定菌种,ATB FUNGUS 3检测5种抗真菌药物的敏感性,并对临床资料进行分析。结果424株新生隐球菌以脑脊液检出比例最高,占62.50%(265/424);血液次之,占30.90%(131/424);第三是痰液,占2.83%(12/424)。424株新生隐球菌对唑类抗真菌药物伊曲康唑和伏立康唑MIC范围均≤2μg/mL,多烯类的两性霉素B MIC范围≤4μg/mL,氟康唑及5-氟胞嘧啶的MIC范围≤64μg/mL。对两性霉素B、氟康唑、5-氟胞嘧啶的敏感性分别为95.28%(404/424)、80.66%(342/424)、75.71%(321/424)。5种抗真菌药物的流行病学折点分别为:5-氟胞嘧啶和氟康唑16μg/mL;两性霉素B、伊曲康唑和伏立康唑0.5μg/mL。结论新生隐球菌对两性霉素B的敏感性较好,而氟康唑及5-氟胞嘧啶在多年的临床用药过程中已慢慢出现非敏感菌株,伊曲康唑和伏立康唑MIC范围≤2μg/mL。新生隐球菌药敏试验结果为临床医生用药提供参考依据。新生隐球菌病治疗首选两性霉素B与5-氟胞嘧啶联合治疗。隐球菌作为临床重要的致病真菌,实验室及临床均应给予高度重视。     

新疆首次临床分离新生隐球菌菌株分子鉴定、基因分型及体外药物敏感性研究

目的对新疆首次临床分离的5株新生隐球菌进行分子鉴定、RAPD-PCR基因分型及体外药物敏感性研究。方法5株新生隐球菌分子鉴定采用核糖体DNA大亚基(LSU rDNA)D1/D2基因区域分子鉴定。分子分型采用引物SEQ-6结合RAPD-PCR法扩增5株新疆临床分离新生隐球菌菌株及5株由上海长征医院提供分离自上海新生隐球菌菌株,根据扩增产物带型进行基因型判定。采用临床实验室标准化协会(CLSI)的酵母微量液基稀释法(M27-A3)测定5株新疆临床分离新生隐球菌菌株对6种抗真菌药(伏立康唑、伊曲康唑、两性霉素B、特比萘芬、氟康唑、5-氟胞嘧啶)的体外敏感性。结果 5株新疆临床分离隐球菌菌株经过D1/D2区域序列分析在基因Bank中比对后鉴定为新生隐球菌。5株新疆临床分离新生隐球菌和5株上海新生隐球菌菌株经RAPD-PCR法扩增,带型显示分为A、B、C、D 4个基因型,其中新疆5株菌株A型1株、其余4株均为B型,上海菌株B型为1株,C型3株、D型1株,5株新疆临床分离新生隐球菌株对伏立康唑、伊曲康唑、两性霉素B、特比萘芬的MIC值(μg/mL)范围依次为:0.062 5~0.25、0.25~1、0.125~0.5、1~2,对氟康唑、5-氟胞嘧啶MIC值较高,MIC值范围依次为:4~16、8~32。结论新疆临床分离5株隐球菌株采用D1/D2基因序列鉴定为新生隐球菌。RAPD-PCR分型显示新疆临床分离5株新生隐球菌株以B型基因型为主。A型和B型对伏立康唑、两性霉素B敏感,对伊曲康唑、特比萘芬剂量依赖型敏感,对氟康唑、5-氟胞嘧啶耐药。     

1557株酵母菌的鉴定及其药敏试验分析

目的 研究临床分离的酵母菌种类及其对药物的敏感性。方法 采用API 20C、显色培养基对2004-2005年北京协和医院细菌室分离到的1557株念珠菌进行菌株鉴定,并对2005年收集的酵母菌采用ATB FUNGUS 2对氟康唑,伊曲康唑,两性霉素B,5-氟胞嘧啶进行药物敏感性试验;并以whonet 5．3软件进行结果分析。结果 在1557株酵母菌中自念珠菌为57．5％,热带念珠菌为17．0％,光滑念珠菌为14．8％,克柔念珠菌为2．8％,近平滑念珠菌为2．3％,葡萄牙念珠菌为0．9％,新生隐球菌为0．7％,季也蒙念珠菌0．4％,其他菌株共为3．6％。药敏结果显示：近平滑念珠菌、白念珠菌、热带念珠菌、光滑念珠菌、克柔念珠菌和其他念珠菌对氟康唑的敏感率分别为100％、97．6％、94．5％、81．1％、9．1％和75．0％;对5-氟胞嘧啶的敏感率分别为100％、98．0％、98．0％、99．0％、9．5％和88．0％。伊曲康唑对克柔念珠菌和未鉴定到种的念珠菌的MIC90为1μg／ml,光滑念珠菌为4μg／ml,热带念珠菌为0．5μg／ml,白念珠菌和近平滑念珠菌均为0．125μg／ml;两性霉素B对所有念珠菌的MIC50和MIC90均为0．5μg／ml。结论 白念珠菌比例最高,其次为热带念珠菌及光滑念珠菌。5-氟胞嘧啶和氟康唑对除克柔念珠菌之外的所有念珠菌敏感度都很高,两性霉素B对所有念珠菌的MIC90都很低,伊曲康唑对除克柔念珠菌和光滑念珠菌之外的其他菌株的MIC90较低。     

289株VVC致病菌的菌种分布和对9种抗真菌药物敏感性

外阴阴道念珠菌病（vulvovaginal candidiasis,VVC）是女性的常见病。本研究收集了2018年1月-12月苏州地区VVC患者分离的289株念珠菌进行了病原学鉴定和包括棘白菌素类、新三唑类药物在内的9种抗真菌药物体外敏感性分析。本文采用核糖体RNA的D1/D2基因进行念珠菌菌种鉴定。参照M27-A3方法检测其对9种抗真菌药物（包括棘白菌素类及新三唑类药物）的体外敏感性。结果表明,289株VVC念珠菌菌株中,白念珠菌259株、光滑念珠菌14株、克柔念珠菌10株、热带念珠菌4株、近平滑念珠菌2株。259株VVC白念珠菌对棘白菌素类体外敏感性好,对米卡芬净敏感性高于另外两种棘白菌素类;对两性霉素B、5-氟胞嘧啶、氟康唑敏感性好;但对伊曲康唑、伏立康唑敏感性差;对泊沙康唑敏感性好。光滑念珠菌株和克柔念珠菌分离株对卡泊芬净敏感性差,但对米卡芬净、阿尼芬净敏感性好;光滑念珠菌株对两性霉素B、5-氟胞嘧啶体外敏感性好,对伊曲康唑敏感性差,对泊沙康唑敏感性好;伏立康唑对光滑念珠菌分离株MIC₅₀/₉₀为0.5/1μg/mL;克柔念珠菌对伊曲康唑、伏立康唑50%耐药;4株热带念珠菌对伊曲康唑50%耐药,对卡泊芬净、氟康唑、伏立康唑100%耐药,对其余5种抗真菌药物敏感。近平滑念珠菌对9种抗真菌药物均敏感。白念珠菌仍为苏州地区VVC的主要病原菌,其次是光滑念珠菌和克柔念珠菌,它们对临床常用药物伊曲康唑、伏立康唑、卡泊芬净敏感性差。研究结果提示对VVC病人常规进行分泌物培养、菌种鉴定,对苏州地区临床医生制定VVC治疗方案具有重要参考价值。尽管棘白菌素类、两性霉素B、5-氟胞嘧啶、新三唑类药物尚未应用到VVC的临床治疗中,但是这些药物对VVC病原体总体敏感性较好,未来有望成为氟康唑、咪唑类药物治疗失败患者的新选择。     

特康唑对常见念珠菌的体外敏感性试验

目的：研究特康唑对重度念珠菌性阴道炎常见念珠菌的体外敏感性。方法菌株分离自上海交通大学医学院附属仁济医院、上海市第六人民医院、上海市第一妇婴保健院妇科门诊外阴阴道念珠菌病（ VVC）患者的阴道分泌物。所有菌株均经念珠菌显色培养基（ CHROMagar Candida）、API 20C AUX鉴定,并采用CLSIM27?A3肉汤微量稀释法对213株临床分离念珠菌作了特康唑、克霉唑、咪康唑3种抗真菌药物敏感性测定。结果213株菌株经鉴定为白念珠菌192株（90．14％）,光滑念珠菌21株（9．86％）。特康唑对192株白念珠菌的MIC范围：0．024～12．5μg／mL,MIC50：0．39μg／mL,MIC90：1．56μg／mL,GM：0．248μg／mL;特康唑对19株光滑念珠菌的MIC范围：0．024～1．56μg／mL,MIC50：0．049μg／mL,MIC90：1．56μg／mL,GM：0．107μg／mL。结论目前阴道念珠菌病的病原菌仍以白念珠菌为主,并提示特康唑与克霉唑、咪康唑3种药物对213株念珠菌均具有良好的敏感性,特康唑对白念珠菌及光滑念珠菌有较强的抑制作用并未发现有耐药现象。     

耐氟康唑念珠菌和耐伊曲康唑烟曲霉对泊沙康唑的敏感性测定

目的：测定耐氟康唑念珠菌和耐伊曲康唑烟曲霉临床分离株对泊沙康唑的敏感性。方法参照美国临床实验室标准化研究所制定的 M27-A3和 M38-A2方案,测定从临床获得的11株耐氟康唑的念珠菌和3株耐伊曲康唑烟曲霉对泊沙康唑的 MIC 值。结果对于氟康唑耐药的念珠菌,泊沙康唑的 MIC 范围是0.125-1μg/ mL。对于伊曲康唑耐药烟曲霉,泊沙康唑的 MIC 范围是0.06-0.5μg/ mL。结论11株耐氟康唑的念珠菌和3株耐伊曲康唑烟曲霉均对泊沙康唑有效。     

中国临床球形孢子丝菌菌丝相药物敏感性分析

目的检测我国临床球形孢子丝菌菌丝相对5种抗真菌药物的体外敏感性,同时对比我国不同地区菌株药物敏感性的差异。方法将重庆、吉林、北京地区既往基因鉴定为球形孢子丝菌的100株临床菌株接种于2%马铃薯葡萄糖琼脂培养基(PDA)上,25℃恒温培养7d获得菌丝相。依据美国临床与实验室标准化委员会(CLSI)制定的M38-A2方案,采用微量液基稀释法检测菌丝相对碘化钾、伊曲康唑、特比萘芬、氟康唑、两性霉素B的体外最低抑菌浓度(MIC)。质控菌株为近平滑念菌ATCC22019。结果碘化钾体外无抗真菌活性,特比萘芬MIC几何均值为0.14μg/mL,伊曲康唑和两性霉素B MIC几何均值分别为0.79μg/mL和0.63μg/mL,氟康唑MIC几何均值为45.89μg/mL。发现7株对伊曲康唑耐药菌株,吉林地区相对较多,但不同地区菌株的药物MIC值差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论碘化钾无体外抗真菌活性,我国临床球形孢子丝菌对特比萘芬最敏感,其次为伊曲康唑和两性霉素B,对氟康唑敏感性最差,不同地区菌株对抗真菌药物的敏感性没有明显差异。     

地塞米松影响念珠菌对抗真菌药物敏感性的实验研究

目的 探讨地塞米松在体外试验中是否影响念珠菌对抗真菌药物的敏感性,以了解糖皮质激素与抗真菌药物直接作用于念珠菌时是否存在相互作用。方法 用微量液体培养基稀释法分别测定26株白念珠菌与地塞米松（0．2mg／ml）共同孵育前、孵育24～48h及7d时氟康唑、伊曲康唑、两性霉素B的最低抑菌浓度（MIC）值,并作对照。结果 白念珠菌与地塞米松孵育24～48h后、孵育后第7d氟康唑和伊曲康唑的MIC值升高,分别与孵育前的MIC值存在统计学差异,但孵育24～48h后的MIC与孵育后第7d的MIC无统计学差异;白念珠菌与地塞米松共同孵育24～48h后两性霉素B的MIC值也较孵育前升高,但第7d的MIC值与孵育前无差异。结论 地塞米松可增加三种抗真菌药物对于白念珠菌的MIC,但三种抗真菌药物间存在差异,表明地塞米松对于氟康唑和伊曲康唑体外抗白念珠菌的活性有拮抗作用,但没有时间依赖性,地塞米松对于两性霉素B的影响较氟康唑和伊曲康唑小,且影响时间较短。     

白念珠菌临床分离调查及基因分型研究

目的 了解白念珠菌临床分离情况,并探讨其药敏结果与基因分型的相关性.方法 回顾性分析本院2011年3～11月间临床分离白念珠菌分布及耐药性;随机选取232株,采用PCR方法扩增白念珠菌25S rDNA基因内含子区进行基因分型研究;采用ATB真菌药敏试剂条进行药敏分析;统计分析药敏结果与基因分型的相关性.结果 期间共检出酵母样真菌973例,占病原菌阳性样本数比率为15.7％ (973/6196);其中分离白念珠菌562株,占58％ (562/973),主要分布科室为呼吸科(39.1％)、老年科(13.2％)、ICU(7.7％)、神经内科(7.5％)、免疫科(6.0％)以及其他科室(26.5％);标本类型以下呼吸道为主(81.7％),其次为尿路(9.4％)、血液(1.8％)等.对氟胞嘧啶、两性霉素B、氟康唑、伊曲康唑及伏立康唑的耐药率分别为0.9％、0％、1.4％、1.6％和1.1％.随机选取的232株白念珠菌经PCR方法可分为3型:A型125株,B型96株,C型11株.各型在5种药物的耐药性上并无差异.结论 临床分离酵母样真菌以白念珠菌为主,感染部位以下呼吸道为主;临床分离株对5种抗真菌药物敏感度较高,主要基因型为A和B型,不同基因分型间药敏结果并无统计学差异.     

Variation of cell surface hydrophobicity and biofilm formation among genotypes of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis under antifungal treatment

Candida infections are frequently associated with formation of biofilms on artificial medical devices. This work studied variation of cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and formation of biofilm in relation to Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis genotypes and an effect of some conventional antifungal agents on both CSH and biofilm. The 50 isolates of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis were classified into genotypes A, B, C, and D, genotype D being exclusively represented by C. dubliniensis. No significant differences between CSH of genotypes A and B and B and C were observed with respect to cultivation temperature 25 or 37 degrees C. Candida dubliniensis showed increased CSH in comparison with other C. albicans genotypes (p < 0.001) regardless of temperature used. Using XTT reduction assay and dry masses, genotypes B and C showed reduced ability to form biofilm in comparison with genotype A (p < 0.05) and C. dubliniensis (p < 0.001). Fluconazole reduced biofilm in C. albicans genotypes A, B, and C (p < 0.05) but not CSH. The opposite effect was observed in C. dubliniensis. Voriconazole effectively reduced both biofilm formation and CSH in all tested genotypes of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis (p < 0.05).     

Candida albicans in a neonatal intensive care unit: antifungal susceptibility and genotypic analysis

Invasive candidiasis in neonates has become an increasing problem over the past decade in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). From August 2005 to January 2006, six invasive candidiasis occurred in neonates in NICU of the S. Matteo hospital of Pavia. The study focused on the species involved and their in vitro antifungal susceptibility. Genotyping was conducted to determine clonal relatedness. A total of 22 yeasts were isolated from different biological samples of neonates during six months. The infants were infected with or colonized by Candida albicans and six patients developed C. albicans deep infections. The genotyping of the transposable intron region of C. albicans strains showed that they belonged to the genotype A (17 isolates) and genotype B (5 isolates). The RAPD confirmed these results. These data suggest that nosocomial transmission of C. albicans could be take into account as a mode of acquisition by neonates in NICUs at this hospital.     

Extracellular proteinase and phospholipase activity of three genotypic strains of a human pathogenic yeast,Candida albicans

Strains of a human pathogenic yeast, Candida albicans, have (A) intronless, (B) intron-containing, and (C) a mixture of intron-containing and intronless 26S rRNA genes. To elucidate the significance of these three genotypes in pathogenesis, we measured two major virulence factors, extracellular proteinase and phospholipase activity, in 56 clinical isolates of C. albicans, and investigated the relationship between genotype and enzymatic activity. The genotype B strains had significantly higher proteinase and phospholipase activities than genotypes A or C. These results suggest that to understand the pathogenesis of C. albicans, the genotypes should be considered.     

Proteolytic activity of clinical Candida albicans isolates in relation to genotype and strain source

Proteolytic activity is regarded as one of the most important virulence factors of Candida albicans. Several authors recently demonstrated that some karyotypes and genotypes harbouring a group I self-splicing intron (CaLSU) located in the gene encoding the large rRNA subunit showed a high level of proteinase production. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the level of proteinase production and the presence of the CaLSU intron in C. albicans isolates originating from the blood and respiratory tracts (sputum/pharyngeal swabs) of patients with and without oropharyngeal candidosis. The results revealed statistically significant differences in genotype distribution and the level of proteinase production between the C. albicans isolates obtained from blood and from the respiratory tract. Genotype A, without the intron, was prevalent in all groups of strains and its prevalence was higher among isolates from blood (75%) and from patients with candidosis (80%) compared with strains from colonisation (as opposed to infection) (57.8%). Isolates from blood produced significantly less proteinase than isolates from the respiratory tract (p<0.02), and this difference should be attributed to lower proteinase production of genotypes B and C from blood compared with genotypes B and C from the respiratory tract (p<0.01). The higher proteinase production of genotype B than of genotype A was found among respiratory tract isolates only. The presented data indicate that the association between proteinase production and the CaLSU intron depends on the strains' population. Further study is needed on well-defined groups of clinical isolates to elucidate whether the observed diversity in proteinase production plays a role in the selection of strains inducing bloodstream infections.     

Species distribution, antifungal susceptibility and clonal relatedness of Candida isolates from patients in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units at a medical center in Turkey

The aim of this study was to assess species distribution, antifungal susceptibility and clonal relationships among Candida strains isolated from a group of pediatric/neonatal intensive care (PICU/NICU) patients that had a very high mortality rate (76%). The cases of 21 patients (19 with candidemia, 2 with Candida meningitides) treated over a 1-year period in a Turkish hospital PICU and NICU were retrospectively analyzed. Twenty-eight Candida isolates were detected from blood (20), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (2) and other specimens (6). Candida species were identified using the API ID 32C System. Susceptibility testing was done (all 28 isolates) for amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole using the broth microdilution method. Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) was used for molecular typing of the 3 most common ones; C. albicans (15), C. parapsilosis (6), and C. pelliculosa (4). Electrophoretic karyotyping (EK) was done to check clonal identity obtained by AP-PCR. Of the 20 blood isolates, 8 (40%) were C. albicans, 12 (60%) were non-albicans Candida, and one of the 2 CSF isolates was C. albicans. The overall species distribution was as follows: 15 C. albicans isolates, 6 C. parapsilosis isolates, 4 C. pelliculosa isolates, 2 C. famata isolates and 1 C tropicalis isolate. Amphotericin B had the best antifungal activity with a MIC90 of 0.125 microg/ml, and the rates of susceptibility to fluconazole and itraconazole were 93% and 82%, respectively. AP-PCR revealed 11 genotypes (4 were identical pairs, 7 were distinct) among the 15 C. albicans isolates, 2 genotypes (5 were classified in the same type) among the 6 C. parapsilosis isolates, and 4 separate genotypes for the 4 C. pelliculosa isolates. Karyotyping results correlated well with the AP-PCR findings. As indicated in the previous research, our results confirmed that non-albicans Candida species have become more frequently causative agents for invasive fungal infections in the ICU. Transmission of C. albicans and C. pelliculosa was relatively low, but transmission of C. parapsilosis was high, suggesting that more effective control and very strict treatment protocols are needed for patients having high mortality and invasive fungal infection in ICU.     

In vitro antifungal resistance in Candida albicans from HIV-infected patients with and without oral candidosis.

The main purpose of this study has been to determine the in vitro antifungal susceptibility of clinical isolates from HIV-infected or AIDS patients, depending on the presence of oral candidosis. The oral cavity of 307 HIV-infected or AIDS patients was examined and an oral swab was cultured on Sabouraud glucose agar and studied by conventional mycological methods. In vitro antifungal susceptibility to amphotericin B, nystatin, fluconazole, itraconazole and ketoconazole was tested by disk diffusion with Neo-Sensitabs tablets (Rosco Diagnostica, Dinamarca). One hundred and thirty five Candida albicans isolates (91 serotype A, 38 serotype B, three C. albicans variety stellatoidea and three untyped isolates), three Candida krusei and two Candida glabrata were obtained. All the isolates were susceptible to nystatin and amphotericin B. However, 7.9% isolates were resistant to fluconazole and 2.9% isolates were resistant to ketoconazole or itraconazole. Nearly all C. krusei and C. glabrata isolates, 31% patients with candidosis and 20% Candida-colonized patients showed decreased susceptibility to azoles. This study shows that polyenes had a great in vitro efficacy against clinical isolates from HIV-infected patients and that in vitro resistance to azoles is not as high as observed in other countries.     

rDNA-based genotyping of clinical isolates of Candida albicans

The study presents an analysis of the restriction pattern ofrDNA fragments of 95 C. albicans isolates previously classified on the basis of the presence of the intron in rDNA into genotypes A (62 isolates), B (28), and C (5). Most isolates (61) with genotype A were classified as "subtype a" and one as "subtype d" (Karahan and Akar; 2005). No differences were observed in the restriction patterns of the tested genotype B isolates. Similarly, most genotype C strains (4/5) showed the same restriction pattern. The results indicate low subtyping variations of the analyzed isolates, which is in contrast to published data obtained from a Turkish collection of yeasts.     

Multicenter survey of in vitro antifungal resistance in yeasts of medical importance isolated from Spanish patients

Twelve Spanish laboratories collected 325 yeast clinical isolates during a 30 day's period, among them 224 Candida albicans, 30 Candida glabrata, and 27 Candida parapsilosis. In vitro antifungal susceptibility to amphotericin B, ketoconazole, fluconazole and itraconazole was determined by an agar diffusion test (Neo-Sensitabs, Rosco, Denmark). All the isolates tested were susceptible in vitroto amphotericin B and nearly all (97.2%) to itraconazole. In vitrosusceptibility to fluconazole and ketoconazole was high (90.2% and 91.4% of isolates, respectively) but showed variations depending on the species tested. Resistance to fluconazole and ketoconazole was low in C. albicans (4% and 3%, respectively), but 30% of Candida guilliermondii and 36% of C. glabrata isolates were resistant to fluconazole. Ketoconazole resistance was observed in 40% of C. glabrata, and 17% of Candida tropicalis. Resistance to antifungal drugs is very low in Spain and it is related to non-C. albicans isolates.     

Genotypic subgrouping of clinical isolates of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis by 25S intron analysis

AIMS: To determine the frequency, distribution and association of genotypes of Candida albicans and C. dubliniensis in invasive and noninvasive clinical isolates. METHODS: Twenty-one invasive and 18 noninvasive isolates were examined by PCR amplification of a transposable intron region in the 25S rRNA gene. Isolates were genotyped following analysis of the size of resulting DNA amplicons. The isolates could be subdivided into four genotypes (A-D). RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the frequency and genotype distribution of the invasive and noninvasive Candida isolates. IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Therapeutic prophylaxis against candidal infections remains an area of controversy. Any diagnostic markers that reflect the potential of isolates to become invasive should be fully explored, so that more focused antifungal intervention should be targeted at these patients with these potential invasive markers. This study demonstrated that analysis of the transposable intron region in the 25S rRNA gene may be useful in helping to differentiate C. albicans from C. dubliniensis isolates, without the need for sequence analysis, which may not be readily available at primary diagnostic laboratories. However, employment of this genotypic assay is not a suitable locus to determine invasiveness and other more reliable markers of invasiveness should be sought.