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Candida krusei reservoir in a neutropaenia unit: molecular evidence of a foe?

E Ricardo1, A P Silva, T Gonçalves

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. betaricardo@yahoo.com

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
|March 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Candida krusei infections in patients were found to originate from within the patient, not an outbreak. This common fungus can cause infections long after initial colonization, highlighting the importance of diagnostic tools.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

  • Candida krusei is an emerging pathogen implicated in hospital-acquired infections.
  • A cluster of C. krusei cases in one hospital unit prompted an investigation into a potential outbreak.

Observation:

  • C. krusei isolates were recovered from three patients, room surfaces, and one patient's blood sample from two years prior.
  • HinfI DNA restriction endonuclease analysis was used to compare the genetic profiles of all C. krusei isolates.

Findings:

  • Isolates from different patients were genetically unrelated.
  • Isolates from the same patient, their environment, and historical blood samples showed identical HinfI restriction patterns.
  • The study excluded an outbreak scenario, indicating endogenous C. krusei origins.

Implications:

  • C. krusei infections can arise endogenously, even years after initial colonization.
  • The findings underscore the persistence of C. krusei in patients and their environment.
  • The employed DNA analysis method is valuable for diagnosing and surveying C. krusei infections.

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