Candida species associated with genitourinary tract infections at two health facilities in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Genitourinary tract infections due to Candida species is one of the most frequently diagnosed infections in both community and hospital settings and poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge with the emergence of antifungal resistance and new pathogens.
Aim: This research aims to investigate the different Candida species associated with genitourinary tract candidiasis and examine their susceptibility to three commonly used
antifungal agents.
Methods: Candida isolates from cases of genitourinary tract infections were collected using standard mycological methods. Differentiation of the species was achieved with
Chromogenic agar. Susceptibility of the isolates to three antifungal agents was tested using disk diffusion method.
Results: Out of the 107 Candida isolates evaluated, Forty-one percent was C. albicans (44/107; 41%) followed by C. tropicalis (34/107; 31.8%). The frequency of genitourinary candidiasis due to non-albicans Candida species (63.3%) was higher than those assigned to Candida albicans (36.7%). Although, C. parapsilosis was limited to the tertiary-care center, a strain of C. dubliniensis was found in the private medical diagnostic facility. About 14% (15/107) of the isolates could not be discriminated against by Chromatic Candida agar.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrated heterogeneity in the distribution of species in the two facilities investigated. Although, nystatin was the most effective antifungal agent in
this study, antifungal resistance to fluconazole and voriconazole seems to be a serious concern.