Candida Susceptibility to Antifungals in Amniotic Fluid: A Preliminary Study
(1) Background: Fungal infections of amniotic fluid, especially those caused by <i>Candida</i> spp., are rare but clinically important, as they can be correlated with preterm birth and poor neonatal outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the antifungal susceptibility of <i>Candida</i> spp. isolated from amniotic fluid using an MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration)-based assay. (2) Methods: Forty consecutive, exploratory <i>Candida</i> isolates were identified from amniotic fluid samples at the "Cuza Vodă" Clinical Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Iași, and were analyzed successively using Sabouraud agar, the VITEK<sup>®</sup> 2 Compact system, and real-time PCR (RT-PCR). (3) Results: <i>C. albicans</i> was the most abundant species (67.5%), followed by <i>Pichia kudriavzevii</i>, <i>Nakaseomyces glabratus</i>, <i>C. parapsilosis</i>, and <i>C. dubliniensis</i>. Fluconazole resistance was observed in two <i>C. albicans</i> isolates, emphasizing the clinical importance of routine antifungal susceptibility testing, and all <i>C. albicans</i> isolates were resistant to micafungin, while amphotericin B remained effective against all isolates. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of <i>C. albicans</i> DNA. (4) Conclusions: The detection of resistant <i>Candida</i> strains highlights the importance of conducting assessments at the species level, which could help clinicians to ensure better antifungal stewardship.
Authors
- Mihaela Grigore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6530-6874)
- Daniela Cristina Dimitriu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8816-4426)
- Ramona Gabriela Ursu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1811-7923)
- Brînduşa Copăcianu
- Luminița Smaranda Iancu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2592-3982)
- Radu Florin Popa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4358-861X)
- Diana Costin
- Roxana Gabriela Cobzaru (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3388-3105)
- Demetra Gabriela Socolov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0979-0200)
- Costin Dămian (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1510-3398)
- Silvia Gabriela Ionescu
- Carmen Rîpă (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1282-1736)
Institutions
- Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest (RO)
- Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO)
- Institutul Regional de Oncologie (RO)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Pathogens
- Published
- 2025-09-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14100972
- Primary Topic
- Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Universitatea de Medicina și Farmacie Grigore T. Popa - Iasi