Speciation and Anti-fungal Susceptibility Profile of <i>Candida</i> species isolated from Urine of Hospitalised Patients in Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

Candiduria is a very common occurrence in patients with bladder colonization and in patients with upper urinary tract infections caused  by retrograde transmission from the bladder or haematogenous spread from a distant source. The majority of people who have  candiduria have no symptoms hence the rate of complications is unknown, although it appears to be minimal. Candidemia rarely  develops from asymptomatic candiduria unless there is an obstruction or the urinary tract is instrumented. Unfortunately, there are no  reliable diagnostic tests that can tell the difference between infection and colonization. This study aimed to determine the species  distributions and antifungal susceptibility profile of Candida species among hospitalised patients with urinary tract infection in Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano. A systematic random sampling was used in this cross-sectional study to collect 150 urine samples.  The urine samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and Blood agar, isolates were identified using morphological appearance,  germ tube test and biochemical reactions using API 20CAUX. Antifungal susceptibility testing of the isolates against amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole was done using Agar Disc diffusion method. The prevalence of Candida species was 8.0%; Candida albicans  (4/12), was the predominant specie isolated followed by C. famata (3/12), C. tropicalis (2/12), C glabrata (2/12), and C. parapsilosis (1/12). All  the Candida isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B. Candida famata and C. parapsilosis were susceptible to fluconazole while half  of C. glabrata and C. tropicalis isolates were susceptible to Itraconazole. The existence of intrinsic factors that lead to secondary resistance  to antifungal agents needs to be hampered as this can lead to clinical resistance. Proper identification of fungal species and  antifungal susceptibilities should be conducted for accurate management of inpatients.