Candida Spp. in Lower Respiratory Tract Secretions - A Ten Years Retrospective Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Lower respiratory tract secretions (LRTS) are vital for diagnosing respiratory pathologies.
• Improper collection techniques for samples like sputum and tracheal aspirates can yield false-positive results, leading to inappropriate patient therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the contamination rate of LRTS samples sent to the microbiology laboratory.
• To determine the prevalence of Candida species in non-contaminated samples, indicating true lower respiratory tract infections.
• To highlight the importance of quality control in sample collection.

Main Methods:

• A 10-year retrospective data survey was conducted.
• Samples were assessed for contamination using the Bartlett grading system.
• Data analysis included patient demographics, referring departments, Candida species, and statistical tests (Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher).

Main Results:

• Overall prevalence of Candida spp. was 31.60%, reduced to 27.66% after excluding contaminated samples.
• Sputum samples showed a 31.6% contamination rate, with patients over 40 being more susceptible.
• Candida albicans was more prevalent in non-contaminated samples; single species identification was more common than multiple species.

Conclusions:

• The high rate of contaminated sputum samples underscores the necessity of rigorous quality assessment.
• Implementing robust quality control measures for sample collection is essential for accurate microbiological diagnostics.