Identification and Frequency of Candida Species in Patients with Different Forms of Candidiasis in Isfahan, Using PCR-RFLP Method

Candidiasis is a widespread fungal disease caused by different candida spp. Traditional methods for these yeasts, are time-consuming and in some cases are not successful. New molecular techniques based on differences in DNA targets are faster and more useful. The aim of this study was identification of the most medically common Candida species by PCR-RFLP analysis and their prevalence in Isfahan, central Iran.

Yeast genomic DNA was extracted from living cultures using FTA-filters and ITS1-ITS2 region was amplified by PCR and was digested by the restriction enzyme MspI. RFLP products were loaded on agarose gel and yeast species were identified acorging to differences in their band patterns.

One hundered and eighty two isolates were evaluated from different body locations comprising nail, vagina, groin, blood, wound etc, from which 86 isolates (47.2%) were identified as C. albicans, 31 (17%) as C. parapsilosis, 19 (10.4%) as C. kefyr, 15 (8.2%) as C. tropicalis, 14 (7.7%) as C. glabrata, 14 isolates (7.7%) as C. krusei, 3 isolates (1.6%) as C. guilliermondii. Totally 47.2% isolates were C. albicans and 52.8% isolates were non-albicans spp.

Increasing of non-albicans species and their more resistance to antifungal drugs than C. albicans is an important topic of fungal infections that needed precise epidemiological surveys. This study can be a leader for more applicable studies.