Emergence of Non-Albicans Candida in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Centre, Gujarat

Abstract

Background and objectives: Candida species are one of the major etiological agents causing opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Presently a significant shift from C. albicans to Non albicans Candida (NAC spp.) has come into sight along with high resistance to antifungal drugs.Consequently, present study was intended to highlight the emergence of NAC spp. in patients with type 2 diabetes. Method: A total of fifty-eight (n=58) consecutive, symptomatic patients (30 males and 28 females; age 30-80 years) with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, admitted at tertiary care hospital piparia were included in the study. Candida species were identified from various specimens like urine, blood, pus, and sputum by techniques like culture, Germ tube test, Chlamydospore formation, Sugar assimilation test and Carbohydrate fermentation test. Result: Incidence of Candidiasis in patients with Type 2 diabetes was 48%. Infection was seen higher in category of 31-40 yrs (83.3%) with slight male predominance.Candidaspp. isolated were Candida tropicalis (36%) followed byCandida albicans (28%), Candida glabrata (25%) and Candida parapsilosis (11%).82% of NAC spp were from the urine sample. 64% strains were from ICU and Candida tropicalis being the predominant one. Conclusion: Higher incidence of C tropicalis, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis in urine of diabetic patients was observed. The former understanding of considering NAC spp. as contaminant is no longer the trend due to the emergence of NAC in immunocompromised patients