title: Fungal Agents as a Cause of Surgical Wound Infections: An Overview of Host Factors.
abstract: Microbial virulence and host resistance are the determinants of the surgical infections. Bacteria are responsible for the majority of cases, but fungi are rare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fungi causing surgical infections and discuss host factors predisposing the infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 824 surgical wound specimens had been evaluated. The specimens were cultured using 5% sheep blood, Sabouraud Dextrose, and Eosin methylene blue agars and the isolates were identified by classical methods and API identification system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Growth was obtained in 455 (55.2%) out of 824 specimens. Nine (2%) of the agents of surgical infections were yeasts: Candida albicans was isolated in 5 (55.6%), C tropicalis in 3 (33.3%), and C glabrata in 1 (11.1%) specimen(s). Examining the characteristics of the patients, fungal infection could be explained with the presence of at least 1 predisposing factor. Immunosuppression was closely related with fungal growth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Predisposing factors impairing the immune system were detected in most of the patients showing the possibility of onset of fungal, predominantly Candidal infections. It is important for clinicians to be aware of fungal infections that may develop in this group under risk, particularly after surgery and all Candida species isolated from high-risk patients should be identified to species level, as nonalbicans strains are often associated with resistance to antifungal agents.
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aldirmaz Agartan
authors.forename: Muhterem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yucel