Molecular typing of Candida isolates from patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit

Objectives: The aim of our study was the molecular typing of 40 clinical is olates of Candida spp. obtained from patients with burns or trauma hospital ized in the intensive care unit of a general hospital. Methods: Isolates were recovered from blood, deep trauma, urine, sputum or from environment within a short period of time (4 months). The yeasts were identified using commercial yeast identification kits as C. albicans (17 is olates), C. tropicalis (16 isolates) and C. parapsilosis (10 isolates). The epidemiological relation of the isolates was tested with the Random Amplif ied Polymorphic DNA assay using three or four arbitrary chosen primers. Results: All C. albicans isolates presented distinct RAPD profiles, C. trop icalis isolates presented both the same and distinct RAPD patterns and the C. parapsilosis isolates presented the same RAPD pattern. All the environme ntal isolates were identified as C. parapsilosis and they had the same RAPD pattern as C. parapsilosis clinical isolates. Candida parapsilosis delinea tion was confirmed with PFGE. Conclusions: The colonization/infection with C. albicans was endogenous, th e C. tropicalis colonization/infection was both endogenous and exogenous, a nd the C. parapsilosis colonization/infection had an environmental origin. (C) 2001 The British Infection Society.