Candida albicans isolated from urine: Phenotypic and molecular identification, virulence factors and antifungal susceptibility

Objective: To isolate Candida albicans (C. albicans) from the urine of hospitalized patients and assess the virulence factors and antifungal susceptibility profiles of the isolates. Methods: Yeasts were identified using the chromogenic medium CHROMagar™, the VITEK® 2 system, hypertonic Sabouraud bro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
Main Authors: Laura Wiebusch, Adriana Araújo de Almeida-Apolonio, Luana Mireli Carbonera Rodrigues, Bruna de Paula Bicudo, Danielly Beraldo dos Santos Silva, Danielle Ferreira Lonchiati, Renata Pires de Araujo, Alexéia Barufatti Grisolia, Kelly Mari Pires de Oliveira
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2017
Subjects:
Candidiasis
Urinary tract
Infection
Virulence
Antifungal susceptibility
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Biology (General)
QH301-705.5
Arctic
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2017.06.006
https://doaj.org/article/58f32d37589e4bf89d3f4a9cb7828c22
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Summary:Objective: To isolate Candida albicans (C. albicans) from the urine of hospitalized patients and assess the virulence factors and antifungal susceptibility profiles of the isolates. Methods: Yeasts were identified using the chromogenic medium CHROMagar™, the VITEK® 2 system, hypertonic Sabouraud broth, tobacco agar, polymerase chain reaction, and DNA sequencing. The evaluated virulence factors were proteinase production, phospholipase production, and biofilm production on polystyrene. The broth microdilution technique was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration. Results: All yeasts isolated from urine were identified as C. albicans using both classical and molecular methods. Although 91.3% of the isolates showed no phospholipase activity, 56.5% showed strong proteinase activity and 91.7% produced biofilm. All microorganisms were sensitive to fluconazole, voriconazole and amphotericin B, but 56.5% of the yeasts showed resistance to itraconazole. Conclusions: C. albicans isolates from urine have a high capacity for virulence and can be associated with infectious processes. Furthermore, the high percentage of isolates resistant to itraconazole is important because this antifungal agent is commonly used to treat fungal infections in the hospital environment.

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