title: Evaluation of Virulence Factors and Antifungal Susceptibility in Yeast Isolates from Postmortem Specimens.
abstract: Invasive fungal infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, especially in cases requiring a prolonged stay in the intensive care unit. A total of 99 yeast strains were isolated from 42 postmortem cases. In this study, virulence factors and antifungal susceptibility of these species were evaluated. The isolates were identified as Candida albicans (54), C. tropicalis (15), C. glabrata (12), C. parapsilosis (6), C. lipolytica (3), C. utilis (3), C. krusei (2), C. kefyr (1), and Cryptococcus neoformans (3). The most commonly isolated species was C. albicans, and no resistant species were determined. Despite the equal number of specimens, no secretion of significant virulence factors was associated with the postmortem specimen in the Candida species. Postmortem fungal investigations in forensic autopsies are useful in explaining cause of death in such cases, also may lead to protocols for the treatment of fungal infections and contribute to fungal pathogenesis and epidemiological data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Postmortem Microbiology, Council of Forensic Medicine, Kimiz Sok No:1 34196 Bahçelievler/İstanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yagmur
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Kocamustafa Paşa Cad. No: 53 34098, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hafize
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sav
authors.affiliation: Department of Postmortem Microbiology, Council of Forensic Medicine, Kimiz Sok No:1 34196 Bahçelievler/İstanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ziyade
authors.affiliation: Department of Postmortem Microbiology, Council of Forensic Medicine, Kimiz Sok No:1 34196 Bahçelievler/İstanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Neval
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elgormus
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Kocamustafa Paşa Cad. No: 53 34098, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sumeyye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Kocamustafa Paşa Cad. No: 53 34098, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akkoyun Bilgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Autopsy, Council of Forensic Medicine, Kimiz Sok No:1 34196 Bahçelievler/İstanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Atan
authors.affiliation: Department of Autopsy, Council of Forensic Medicine, Kimiz Sok No:1 34196 Bahçelievler/İstanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yalcin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Buyuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Mycology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Kocamustafa Paşa Cad. No: 53 34098, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiraz
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001344:Autopsy; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D037521:Virulence Factors
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: antifungal susceptibility; forensic science; invasive fungal infections; postmortem microbiology; virulence factors; yeast