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Strain relatedness in persistent and recurrent candiduria
R Khatib1, O Ayeni, K M Riederer
1Department of Medicine, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
The Journal of Urology
|May 23, 1998
Summary
Strain relatedness analysis is not reliable for differentiating persistent versus recurrent candiduria. Most urinary Candida infections demonstrate strain persistence, suggesting a single organism causes prolonged or repeated episodes.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
- Genetics
Background:
- Candiduria, a urinary tract infection caused by Candida species, can be persistent or recurrent.
- Differentiating between persistent and recurrent candiduria is crucial for appropriate patient management and treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of determining strain relatedness in distinguishing between persistent and recurrent cases of candiduria.
- To assess if genetic similarity of Candida isolates can reliably differentiate infection types.
Main Methods:
- Prospective monitoring of patients diagnosed with candiduria over a 5-month period.
- Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) typing of paired Candida isolates using restriction endonuclease analysis with SfiI.
- Isolates were deemed related if all DNA bands matched.
Main Results:
- Strain persistence was observed in 21 of 22 persistent candiduria cases and all 5 recurrent candiduria cases.
- Paired Candida strains were genetically identical in 26 out of 27 patients analyzed.
- Risk factors identified included antibiotic use, indwelling catheters, and diabetes mellitus.
Conclusions:
- Strain persistence is a highly frequent occurrence in patients with candiduria.
- Determining the strain relatedness of Candida urinary isolates is not a reliable method for differentiating persistent from recurrent infections.
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