Ecology of Candida species found in various areas of the Paediatrics Department of the UNAH School Hospital, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Abstract

In the last 45 years, there has been a significant increase in Candida infections among the general population, reported as the fourth cause of nosocomial blood infections (1). These infections have been observed more frequently in critically ill patients. Identification of Candida species is necessary because, among strains, different patterns of natural resistance to antifungal drugs are present. This resistance could disrupt the effectiveness of the treatment, thus increasing hospital stay and mortality among critically ill patients. To determine the ecology of Candida species found in different areas of the Department
of Pediatrics of HEU in 55 Candida-positive cultures from different types of pediatric samples using germ-tube, CHROmagar and PCR-RFLP, Implementing the latter technique as a diagnostic method. The general prevalence of Candida within the areas of the Department of Pediatrics of the HEU using PCR-RFLP as a gold standard was C. tropicalis 25.5%, C.albicans 21.8%, C. parapsilosis 12.7%. C. glabrata con 7.3% and C. Krusei 5.5%. A higher percentage of positivity was observed in Pediatric Oncology Room 12 (21.8%), followed by Nutrition Room 12 (21.8%) and Infants Room 10 (18.2%). The most frequent type of sample was urine with 31 isolates (56.4%). The PCR-RFLP method is a valuable tool for the identification of species causing infection and differentiates between co-infections among Candida species. This characteristic of the PCR-RFLP method evidenced that this is a fast and useful method in the treatment, prophylaxis, and in the design of strategies of reduction of mortality by this genre.