A Menace of Candida biofilms: Prospective study among the intensive care unit patients in tertiary health care centre in North east India

Objective of this study is to know the incidence of biofilm formation by Candida spp among the intensive care unit patients and to identify the relationship between various Candida species with their antifungal susceptibility at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong. Materials and Methods: A prospective study conducted at NEIGRIHMS, among patients admitted to the ICU during the period between January 1st and December 31st 2015. Different samples like endotracheal secretion, urine, blood and pus were collected under sterile conditions and standard fungal tests were performed for identification and appropriate statistical methods were employed to look for association between biofilm and Candida species. Results: Out of the 396 samples included in the study from ICU, 117 samples showed evidence of Candida infections yielding an infection rate of 29.5%. Among the 189 isolates (63 Candida albicans and 126 Non albicans Candida) subjected for biofilm production, 76 (40.2%) were positive. Out of total Candida isolates 6.2% were multidrug resistant. Conclusion: Non albicans Candida infection has drastically increased in healthcare centres. Biofilms have significant role in the perpetuation of these infections and antifungal resistance primarily with respect to their ability to adhere to various medical devices. Regular monitoring on the sensitivity and biofilm formation will be helpful in optimising therapy and outcome.