Fungal Colonization in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Due to the predisposing conditions in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) caused by defective mucociliary clearance facilitates of colonization and invasion with bacteria and fungal species has dramatically increased. In different studies many opportunistic fungi such as Candida and Aspergillus species have been frequently isolated from the respiratory tract of patient suffering from cystic fibrosis. Molecular biotyping studies have revealed that some fungal genotypes are capable of chronically colonizing in the airways. Although colonization of Candida species was more common، other fungi such as Aspergillus species، Scedosporium apiospermum، and Exophiala dermatitidis frequently recovered from respiratory secretions of CF patients. Due to the predisposing conditions of fungi agent colonization in these patients، identification and preliminary diagnosis of infectious agents for early treatment and preventing the invasion is highly recommended. On the other hand، regarding the differences in epidemiology، virulence، and susceptibility profile in isolated species of fungi from cystic fibrosis patients، identification and discrimination of ethological agents are crucially important and further studies is highly suggested.