Clinico-microbiological study of candidemia in a tertiary care hospital of southern part of India

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Over the last two decades, both the incidence of nosocomial candidaemia and the proportion of blood stream infection due to Candida spp. other than Candida albicans have increased. The aims of this study was to identify different species of Candida and risk factors associated with bloodstream infection and detection of biofilm production. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in an 840 bedded tertiary care hospital, over a period of one year. All blood isolates received from patients during this period were screened for candidemia prospectively. Speciation was carried out by standard microbiological method. Biofilm production detection was done by Brachini et al method. RESULT: A total of 80 cases of candidemia were identified. Most important risk factor was placement of vascular access devices in all the age groups. Candida albicans accounted for 22 isolates (27.5%) whereas non-albicans Candida spp. accounted for 58 isolates (72.5%). Biofilm production was found in 31 strains (38.75%). Biofilm production was seen more in non-albicans Candidaspp. (83.87%) especially in C. tropicalis (66.67%, 8 of 12). CONCLUSIONS: Non-albicansspecies of Candida were most frequently recovered in our study. So, the epidemiology of Candida infection is changing. Non–albicans Candida spp have the capacity to produce significant amount of biofilm which may be the cause of their reduced susceptibility to antifungal agents.