Candida contamination in renal transplant recipients: Candida albicans serotypes and sera-antibodies

Candida spp. is an important parasite for the immunocompromised host, and transplant recipients are at high risk for invasive and potentially lethal infections caused by this microorganism. The frequency of colonization at one or more sites and the correlation with humoral antibodies in renal transplant recipients have been studied. Candida strains were identified by cultural and biochemical tests, and moreover serological types of C. albicans were detected. Sera antibodies have been also determined by agglutination and immunodiffusion tests. Our results indicate that about 48.8% of patients had Candida spp. at one or more sites and these yeasts may be of different species or serotypes. None of the patients has had systemic candidiasis and none of them showed any convincing clinical or pathological evidence of invasive Candida disease.