title: Retrospective observation of drug susceptibility ofCandidastrains in the years 1999, 2004, and 2015.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is much literature devoted to the problem of drug resistance and decreased susceptibility of fungi to commonly used antifungals.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze drug susceptibility ofCandida albicansandnon-Candida albicansstrains isolated from the hands of people without any symptoms of disease over a 16-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included a total of 1,274Candida-type strainsisolated from the hands of people without any symptoms of disease,including: in 1999, 432 strains; in 2004, 368; and in 2015, 454 strains. Biological monitoring of hand surface contamination was performed using the Count-TactTMapplicator with Count-Tact plates (bioMerieux). Drug susceptibility was evaluated using FUNGITEST®.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 1999, the most strains showed resistance to fluconazole (53.2%), in 2004 to itraconazole (52.9%), and in 2015 to fluconazole (85.8%). Resistance to more than one drug was 35.8% in 1999, 64.7% in 2004, and 92% in 2015. Mean resistance to azole antifungals significantly increased from 98 ± 39.7 strains in 1999 to 118.3 ± 29.6 in 2015 (p< 0.001). In 1999, the most strains showed resistance to fluconazole (50.6%), in 2004 to itraconazole (52.9%), and in 2015 to fluconazole (44.9%). Resistance to more than one drug was 52.9% in 1999, 64.3% in 2004, and 88.1% in 2015. Mean resistance to azole antifungals significantly increased from a mean of 76 ± 9.7 strains in 1999, to 95.3 ± 24.2 in 2004, and to 97.3 ± 16.6 in 2015 (p< 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We showed increasedC. albicansandnon-Candida albicansstrain resistance to commonly used antifungal chemotherapeutics, mainly imidazole. We found a clear rise in susceptibility ofC. albicansandnon-Candida albicansstrains to several studied antifungals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Medical Care, Medical University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Cecylia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Łukaszuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Medical Care, Medical University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krajewska-Kułak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Medical Univeresity of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kułak
keywords: 5 years; Candida; Drug susceptibility; Resistance; Retrospective study