Unusual yeasts isolated from immunocompromised patients

Abstract EN

Objectives : To identify rare fungi from saliva and urine of immunocompromised patients, and apparently healthy controls and to test the susceptibility of the rare fungi to antifungal agents.

Patients and methods : One hundred and twenty immunocompromised (cancer, diabetic) patients were enrolled in this study.

The clinical specimens were collected from January-July 2011 and included saliva (120) and urine (120) samples, in addition to saliva (60) and urine (60) samples from a control group.

The identification process employed direct examination, culture, biochemical tests and API-20 C system test.

Susceptibility test to six antifungal agents was prepared for each isolate.

Results : Among 110 yeast isolates, only 7 (6.3 %) were categorized as unusual yeasts belonging to three genera.

Four isolates were Cryptococcus laurantii, one C.neoformans, one Saccharomyces cereviciae, and one isolate was Rhodotorula rubra.

All the isolates have various susceptibility to antifungal agents.

Conclusion : Many opportunistic fungi are important uncommon pathogens in saliva and urine of immunocompromised patients.