Typing and antifungal susceptibility of the candida species isolated in geriatric patients at a tertiary care center

Objective: In this study we aimed to detect, identification and distribution of the Candida species in blood and urine samples; and antifungal susceptibility of Candida bloodstream isolates in geriatric patients Methods: All Candida species isolated from blood and urine cultures samples of patients over than 65 years of during the period December 2011 -November 2014 in İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital were enrolled in this study. For Candida species identification conventional methods, colony appearance in candida chromogenic agar and for some unidentified isolates API ID32C AUX (BioMérieux, France) was used. Antifungal susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed with API ATB Fungus 3 (BioMérieux, France). Results: During the study period 681 Candida species were isolated in blood and urine samples of patients over than 65 years. When the sample species were evaluated, Candida species detected in 561(82.4%) urine sample, and 120 (17.6%) blood samples. Most isolated species were respectively detected C. albicans (47.0%), C.parapsilosis (16.0%), C.tropicalis (15.9%), C.glabrata (12.2%), C.kefy (3.7%) and C.krusei (2.8%). C. albicans detected the most common in urine samples (51.7 %), on the other hand C.parapsilosis the most common species in blood samples (50.8%). In general surgery unit, C.tropicalis was found as the most common isolate. On the other hand C.albicans the most common species in the other units and services. C.parapsilosis rate in blood cultures increased with age. Antifungal susceptibility of the Candida bloodstream isolates were detected as 97.5% for flucytosine, 95.8% for amfotericin B, 82.5% for fluconazole, 91.7% for itraconazole and 77.5% for voriconazole. Conclusion: The most frequently isolated yeast species in blood and urinesamples of geriatric patients has been found C. albicans. C.parapsilosis especially frequently isolated from blood cultures and increasing the frequency with age. Voriconazole in Candida species is notable for low sensitivity rates