ABSTRACT
C and ida species has become one of the most common blood isolates as well as one of the leading causes of nosocomial bloodstream infections. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of C and ida species among our bloodstream infecting organisms and the susceptibility pattern of the C and ida isolates to antifungal agents. A prospective study was carried out in the Division of Microbiology, King Khalid National Guard Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of all positive blood cultures for C and ida species. The study took place from 1st January 1998 to March 2002. Identification and susceptibility pattern of isolates were determined by the C and ifast technique to amphotericin B, fluconazole, nystatin, Flucytosine, econazole, ketoconazole and miconazole. Over a 2-year period, 17,916 blood cultures were performed in our hospital. There were 2,972 positive cultures, of which 83 [2.8%] patients had C and ida species isolated from their bloodstream. Of these, 38 [46%] were C and ida albicans [C.albicans]. The remaining 45 strains were made up of C and ida tropicalis 9 [10.8%]; C and ida parapsilosis 9 [10.8%]; C and ida species 9 [10.8%]; C and ida guilliermondi 6 [7.2%]; C and ida krusei 5 [6%]; C and ida glabrata 4 [4.8%] C and ida pseudotropicalis 2 [2.4%] and Trichosporon species 1 [1.2%]. All C and ida species were susceptible to amphotericin B. However, only 18 [47%] out of 38 C.albicans were susceptible to fluconazole, while only 8 [17.7%] of 45 non-C. albicans strains were susceptible to this drug. The susceptibility of C.albicans to fluconazole in our hospital using the C and ifast method is very low [47%]. These results need to be confirmed by carrying out the Etest or the NCCLS M27-A method to confirm the true susceptibilities of C and ida strains in our locality