Candida species identified by MALDI-TOF and antifungal susceptibilituy in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Peru
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2026.431.15685Keywords:
Candida, COVID-19, Drug resistance Multiple Fungal, Opportunistic InfectionsAbstract
Objetives. Identifying Candida species using Maldi-TOF and analyzing the antifungal susceptibility of Candida isolates in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 between November 2020 and April 2022. Materials and methods. An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted based on the secondary analysis of microbiological and clinical-epidemiological data from 260 Candida isolates, mainly obtained from urine, respiratory secretions, and blood cultures, and submitted to the National Reference Laboratory of Mycology of National Institute of Health of Perú. Species identification was performed using phenotypic techniques and MALDI-TOF, while antifungal susceptibility was assessed using disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods according to the criteria of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Result. Candida albicans was the most prevalent species (64,6%), followed by Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida auris. Most isolates were susceptible to voriconazole and caspofungin, whereas variable susceptibility rates to fluconazole were observed, particularly in C. glabrata and C. auris. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values showed variability across species and antifungal agents. Conclusions. Non-albicans species accounted for a considerable proportion of the isolates analyzed. These findings describe the distribution of species and antifungal susceptibility patterns among strains submitted to the National Reference Laboratory of Mycology of the National Institute of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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