Isolation and Identification of Some Pathogenic Yeasts in Clinical Samples Obtained from Hospitalized Patients in Najaf Province

Yeasts are unicellular eukaryotic fungi. This study aims to identify yeast species from different clinical samples. A total of the 160 clinical specimens were collected, which included vaginal, mouth, and diabetic foot swaps, also sputum, stool, and urine specimen. All the clinical samples were diagnosed and identified by morphological and biochemical methods. The results of swabs cultures from the total 160 clinical samples 94 (58.75%) samples were positive for yeast growth. The Antifungal Susceptibility Test results showed that the susceptibility pattern for Fluconazole was 12 (12.76%) resistant and 82(87.23%) susceptible with no intermediate isolate while the susceptibility pattern for Ketoconazole was 6 (6.38%) resistant, 14 (14.89%) intermediate and 74 (78.72%) susceptible, which differed slightly from that of Miconazole which was 4 (4.25%) resistant, 14(14.89%) intermediate and 76 (80.85%) susceptible. The susceptibility pattern of Amphotericin-B was 16 (17.02%) intermediate and 78(82.97%) susceptible with no resistant isolates. While for Nystatin all the 94 (100%) isolates were susceptible. This study concluded the incidence of yeast infections was high especially among the vaginal samples and the most predominant species among the clinical isolates was C. albicans.