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Antifungal Susceptibility and Virulence Attributes of Bloodstream Isolates of Candida from Hong Kong and Finland

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Abstract

Candida bloodstream infection has dramatically increased in the last decade due to the growing number of immunocompromised populations worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal susceptibility profiles and virulence attributes of Candida bloodstream isolates (CBIs) derived from Hong Kong and Finland, information which are vital for devising empirical clinical strategies. Susceptibility testing of a wide range of antifungals including fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, ketoconazole, 5-fluorocytosine, amphotericin B and caspofungin was performed. Haemolytic activity and secretion of proteinase of CBIs were also examined. All CBIs derived from Hong Kong were susceptible to all the antifungals tested whilst some CBIs from Finland were resistant to azoles and caspofungin. C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis showed higher haemolytic activity whereas C. parapsilosis and C. guilliermondii were non-haemolytic in general. Proteinase activity of the Finland C. albicans isolates was significantly higher than the Hong Kong isolates. Our data provide a glimpse of the possible evolutionary changes in pathogenic potential of Candida that may be occurring in different regions of the world. Therefore, continuous surveillance and availability of local data should be taken into consideration when treating candidemia patients.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, RGC No. HKU 7624/06 M and by the EVO Grant TYH3245 by the Helsinki University Central Hospital.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, 34 Hospital Road, Hong Kong, China

    C. J. Seneviratne, S. S. W. Wong & L. P. Samaranayake

  2. Department of Microbiology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    K. Y. Yuen

  3. Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    J. H. Meurman, P. Pärnänen & M. Vaara

  4. Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    P. Pärnänen

Authors
  1. C. J. Seneviratne
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  2. S. S. W. Wong
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  3. K. Y. Yuen
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  4. J. H. Meurman
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  5. P. Pärnänen
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  6. M. Vaara
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  7. L. P. Samaranayake
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Correspondence to C. J. Seneviratne.

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Seneviratne, C.J., Wong, S.S.W., Yuen, K.Y. et al. Antifungal Susceptibility and Virulence Attributes of Bloodstream Isolates of Candida from Hong Kong and Finland. Mycopathologia 172, 389–395 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-011-9444-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-011-9444-4

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