[Susceptibility to fluconazole and voriconazole of Candida species isolated from intensive care units patients in Medellin, Colombia (2001-2007)].
BACKGROUND
Disseminated candidiasis is caused by different Candida species and mainly affects immunocompromised patients and those hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU).


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to determine the frequency and susceptibility of Candida spp. isolates to fluconazole and voriconazole, obtained from patients hospitalized in ICU in the city of Medellin during the years 2001-2007.


METHODS
The agar diffusion technique based on the protocols recommended by the CLSI from the United States (M44A) was used. The Chi² test and the Kruskal Wallis statistical methods were used to compare changes in the frequency of Candida spp. isolates and their susceptibility to azoles by year of isolation.


RESULTS
A total of 337 isolates were analyzed, 147 (43.6%) of which corresponded to Candida albicans, followed by 79 (23.4%) Candida tropicalis, 47 (13.9%) Candida parapsilosis, 32 (9.5%) Candida glabrata, 12 (3.6%) Candida guilliermondii and 11 (3.3%) Candida krusei. The remaining isolates (2.7%) were distributed among other species (Candida famata, Candida lusitaniae, Candida lipolytica, Candida pelliculosa and Candida spp.) Most of these isolates (78.3%) were susceptible; 11.9% were dose-dependent susceptible (DDS) and 9.8% resistant to fluconazole. For voriconazole, we observed that 94.1% of the isolates were susceptible, 2.4% DDS and 3.6% resistant.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate a notable change in the species frequency, as well as a new susceptibility patterns that requires the precise identification of the causative organism and susceptibility testing in order to determine the characteristics of the isolates circulating in ICUs and then to treat them appropriately.
Rodríguez
Alejandra Zuluaga
AZ
Grupo de Micología Médica y Experimental, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia. azuluaga@cib.org.co
Gómez
Catalina de Bedout
Cde B
Restrepo
Carlos Andrés Agudelo
CA
Parra
Hans Hurtado
HH
Arteaga
Myrtha Arango
MA
Moreno
Angela Restrepo
AR
Marín
Angel González
AG
D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects*; D003105:Colombia; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D065819:Voriconazole
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D011743:Pyrimidines; D014230:Triazoles; D015725:Fluconazole; D065819:Voriconazole