Para determinar la susceptibilidad de cepas de Candida aisladas de hemocultivos en nuestro medio, se estudiaron 78 cepas obtenidas de pacientes hospitalizados en diferentes servicios del Servicio Autónomo Hospital Universitario de Maracaibo (SAHUM), Venezuela. Para la identificación de especies se usó el medio cromogénico Brilliance Candida Agar y Vitek-YBC. Adicionalmente, los cultivos fueron identificados por el método tradicional. La susceptibilidad fue determinada por el método de difusión con discos de fluconazol y voriconazol según la metodología M44-A2 del Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute. La frecuencia de las especies de Candida fue: C. parapsilosis 51,28%, C. tropicalis 15,38%, C. guilliermondii 11,54%, C. albicans 10,26% C. famata 6,41%, C. glabrata 3,85% y C. krusei 1,28%. La susceptibilidad fue de 96,15% y 100% para fluconazol y voriconazol, respectivamente. Tres de las 78 cepas, identificadas como C. albicans, C. guilliermondii y C. krusei fueron resistentes a fluconazol. Estos resultados sugieren que fluconazol y voriconazol pueden ser utilizados en el tratamiento de pacientes con candidemia en SAHUM, sin embargo, la vigilancia epidemiológica y la determinación de la susceptibilidad de Candida deben mantenerse.

To determine the susceptibility of Candida strains isolated from blood cultures in Maracaibo, Venezuela, 78 strains obtained from hospitalized patients in different services of the autonomous Maracaibo University Hospital, Venezuela, were studied. Chromogenic Medium Brilliance Candida Agar and Vitek-YBC were used for species identification. In addition, cultures were assessed using the traditional identification method. Susceptibility was determined by the diffusion method with fluconazole and voriconazole disks, according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute, Document M44-A2. Frequency of the Candida species was: C. parapsilosis 51.28%, C. tropicalis 15.38%, C. guilliermondii 11.54%, C. albicans 10.26% C. famata 6.41%, C. glabrata 3.85% and C. krusei 1.28%. Susceptibility was 96.15% and 100% for fluconazole and voriconazole, respectively. Three isolates identified as C. albicans, C. guilliermondii and C. krusei were resistant to fluconazole. These results suggest that fluconazole and voriconazole can be useful in the treatment of patients with candidemia; however, epidemiological surveillance and susceptibility pattern determination of Candida must be maintained.

Se estudió la epidemiología de Candidemias en el Servicio Autónomo Hospital Universitario de Maracaibo (SAHUM), analizándose 78 episodios de Candidemia entre Enero 2007 y Marzo 2010, procedentes de 70 pacientes de ambos sexos y edades entre 15 días y 88 años, hospitalizados en diferentes servicios de SAHUM, de cuyos hemocultivos se aisló Candida sp en el Centro de Referéncia Bacteriológica (CRB) de esa institución. Para la identificación de especies se usó el medio cromogénico Brilliance Candida Agar y Vitek-YBC en el CRB. Adicionalmente, los cultivos fueron evaluados por el método tradicional en el Laboratorio de Micología de la Universidad del Zulia. Las características de los pacientes se tomaron de fichas del CRB. La mediana de la edad de los pacientes fue 17 años. Hubo 8 aislamientos secuenciales. La frecuencia de las especies de Candida fue: C. parapsilosis 51,28%, C. tropicalis 15,38%, C. guilliermondii 11,54%, C. albicans 10,26% C. famata 6,41%, C. glabrata 3,85% y C. krusei 1,28%. El Chi cuadrado indicó que los niños en los servicios no UCI tienen mayor probabilidad de adquirir Candidemias. Se observó un cambio en la frecuencia de especies, por lo tanto se requiere una vigilancia epidemiológica permanente en SAHUM.

The epidemiology of candidemia in the Servicio Autónomo Hospital Universitario de Maracaibov(SAHUM) was studied. From January 2008 to March 2010, 78 candidemia episodes from 70 patients were analyzed. Ages ranged from 15 days to 80 years old. Patients were hospitalized in different wards at SAHUM. Candida spp was isolated in blood cultures processed at the Bacteriology Reference Center (CRB). For species identification, chromogenic Brilliance Candida Agar and Vitek-YBC were used. Additionally, the cultures were evaluated by traditional methods at the Mycology Laboratory, University of Zulia. Patients’ characteristics were obtained from the CRB register. The median patients’ age was 17 years old. Eight sequential isolates were obtained. The following Candida species were found:, C. parapsilosis 51.28%, C. tropicalis 15.38%, C. guilliermondii 11.54%, C. albicans 10.26%, C. famata 6.41%, C. glabrata 3.85% and Candida krusei 1.28%. X² showed that children in non-ICU wards were more likely to have candidemia. A change in the frequency of the species isolated was observed; for this reason, a permanent surveillance system is required.

From March 1999 to March 2000, we conducted a prospective multicenter study of candidemia involving five tertiary care hospitals from four countries in Latin America. Yeast isolates were identified by classical methods and the antifungal susceptibility profile was determined according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards microbroth assay method. During a 12 month-period we were able to collect a total of 103 bloodstream isolates of Candida spp. C. albicans was the most frequently isolated species accounting for 42% of all isolates. Non-albicans Candida species strains accounted for 58% of all episodes of candidemia and were mostly represented by C. tropicalis (24.2%) and C. parapsilosis (21.3%). It is noteworthy that we were able to identify two cases of C. lusitaniae from different institutions. In our casuistic, non-albicans Candida species isolates related to candidemic episodes were susceptible to fluconazole. Continuously surveillance programs are needed in order to identify possible changes in the species distribution and antifungal susceptibility patterns of yeasts that may occurs after increasing the use of azoles in Latin American hospitals.