ABSTRACT
Introduction: The various Candida species have long been associated with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). These Candidahave assumed significance as emerging pathogen in these TB patients with some degree resistance to antifungal therapy thuscomplicating the disease and its treatment. Early identification of Candida species and instituting appropriate treatment therapyis important in reducing the morbidity and mortality in patients with TB.Aim: The aim is to study trends and prevalence of various Candida coinfection using KB006Hi Candida kit and CHROM agarin pulmonary TB patients and evaluating usefulness of these candida identification kit.Material and Methods: This study was done in the Department of Microbiology at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences,Patna, Bihar, over a period of 1 year in seventy patients of pulmonary TB. Prior Institutional Ethical Committee approval wasalso obtained for this study.Results: Out of a total of 200 patients, 70 patients (35%) whose sputum samples were positive for acid-fast bacilli were includedin the study. Candida coinfection was observed in 26 (37.14%) patients which included 16 male and 10 female patients. Theratio of male to female in Candida infection group was 1.6:1. Candida albicans was the most common isolate among Candidaspecies in pulmonary TB patients which was isolated in 50% of the patients.Conclusion: Candida coinfection in pulmonary TB patient is common, and synergistic growth between Candida species andTB exists. Along with C. albicans, the prevalence of non-albicans species is also increasing with variable degree of resistance.Prompt measures need to be taken for routine identification and treatment of these opportunistic Candida infections in TB patients.