Identification and in Vitro Susceptibility Pattern of Fungal Pathogens in Immunocompromised Patients with invasive Fungal Infections | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Medical Microbiology | ||||
| Article 17, Volume 30, Issue 3, July 2021, Page 127-134 PDF (520.56 K) | ||||
| Document Type: New and original researches in the field of Microbiology. | ||||
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| Author | ||||
Shaimaa Abd El- Azeem Salem 
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| Demonstrator of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of medicine – Assiut University | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: In intensive care units, invasive fungal infections have become more common, particularly among immunocompromised patients. Early identification and starting the treatment of those patients with antifungal therapy is critical for preventing unnecessary use of toxic antifungal agents. Objective: The aim of this research is to determine which common fungi cause invasive fungal infection in immunocompromised patients, as well as their antifungal susceptibility patterns in vitro, in Assiut University Hospitals. Methodology: This was a hospital based descriptive study conducted on 120 patients with clinical suspicion of having fungal infections admitted at different Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at Assiut University Hospitals. Direct microscopic examination and inoculation on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) were performed on the collected specimens. Isolated yeasts were classified using phenotypic methods such as chromogenic media (Brilliance Candida agar), germ tube examination, and the Vitek 2 system for certain isolates, while the identification of mould isolates was primarily based on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. Moulds were tested in vitro for antifungal susceptibility using the disc diffusion, and yeast were tested using Vitek 2 device cards. Results: In this study, 100 out of 120 (83.3%) of the samples were positive for fungal infection. Candida and Aspergillus species were the most commonly isolated fungal pathogens. The isolates had the highest sensitivity to Amphotericin B (95 %), followed by Micafungin (94 %) in an in vitro sensitivity survey. Conclusion: Invasive fungal infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, with Candida albicans being the most frequently isolated yeast from various clinical specimens; however, the rise in resistance, especially to azoles, is a major concern. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Invasive fungal infections; Immunocompromised; Brilliance Candida agar; Candida; aspergillus; Antifungal agents | ||||
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