Candida species form part of normal flora of human beings. In the presence of predisposing factors, these can cause different infections with varied severity. Over the last few months fungal infection rates have increased and a change is seen in their epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility pattern. Hence this study was conducted to learn the distribution of Candida species in various samples and their antifungal susceptibility pattern. A total number of 60 Candida isolates were included in the study. Identification was done by colony morphology and Gram stain. Speciation was carried out by Germ tube test, urease test, chlamydoconidia production test, colony characteristics on HiCrome™ Candida Differential Agaragar medium, sugar assimilation test, sugar fermentation test and Vitek2 compact (Biomerieux) using ID-YST 21342 cards. Antifungal testing was done on Vitek2 compact using AST YS08 cards which included fluconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin-b, caspofungin, micafungin and flucytosine. 60 Candida isolates were included in this study. | Speciation and antifungal susceptibility testing of candida isolates in various clinical samples in a Doctors’ Diagnostic Centre, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
