title: Antifungal susceptibility and distribution of Candida spp. isolates from the University Hospital in the municipality of Dourados, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hospital infections caused by Candida spp. are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients, particularly those that are critically ill or immunocompromised. In this study, the distribution of Candida species in isolates from the University Hospital of the Federal University at Grande Dourados and their in vitro susceptibility to antifungal drugs were analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Yeasts were phenotypically identified using classical methodologies. Antifungal susceptibility tests to amphotericin B and fluconazole were performed using the broth microdilution technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 50 Candida isolates were obtained from hospitalized patients during the study period. We analyzed yeast isolates from urine (n=31; 62%), blood (n=12; 24%), and tracheal secretions (n=7; 14%). The following Candida species were identified: C. tropicalis (n=21; 42%), C. albicans (n=18; 36%), C. glabrata (n=10; 20%), and C. krusei (n=1; 2%). Antifungal susceptibility tests demonstrated that C. albicans was susceptible to both antifungal agents. However, 31.2% of the non-C. albicans Candida isolates displayed dose-dependent susceptibility to fluconazole, and 3.1% were resistant to amphotericin B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to previous reports, our results indicated that C. tropicalis was the most commonly isolated yeast species among the hospital patients. The predominance of non-C. albicans Candida infections confirms the importance of species-level identification for implementing appropriate antifungal therapies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Microbiologia Aplicada, Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana Araújo de
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Cristiane Suemi Shinobu
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.forename: Terezinha Inez Estivalet
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Svidzinski
authors.forename: Kelly Mari Pires de
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000666:Amphotericin B; D015725:Fluconazole