Isolation of Different Candida Species from Clinical Samples and Comparison between Conventional and Hicrome Technique of Identification

Introduction Candida species are the most common cause of fungal infections worldwide. Candida species are the fourth leading cause of health care associated infections and the third most common cause of central line-associated bloodstream infections. Candida species are associated with the highest overall crude mortality of all nosocomial bloodstream infections comparable to that of Pseudomonas and exceeding that of Staphylococcus aureus infections. The vast majority of invasive Candida infections are caused by only four species which include C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. Identification can be done by conventional method as well as by using chromogenic media. Aim To isolate and identify the various candida species from clinical samples by both conventional and chromgenic method. Material methods Various samples received in laboratory from patients of all age group and both sexes with suspected Candida infection were included in this study and the positive isolates were identified by conventional as well as chhromogenic method. Results Total 121 isolates of candida species were found of which 21-40 years was the most common age group and female predominance was seen. C. albicans was most commonly found folowed by C. tropicalis. Hicrome agar for candida falsely identified C. parapsilosis as C. glabrata. Conclusion Candida albicans is the main cause of candidiasis, however, non-albicans Candida species such as C. glabrata, C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis are now frequently identied as human pathogens. Species identification using Hicrome Candida agar is rapid, technically simple, easy but for early identification of C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis both the corn meal agar and Hicrome Candida agar should be used.