Identification of fungal agents isolated from burn lesions using mycological and molecular methods in patients admitted to Velayat burn hospital in Rasht city during 2022-2023

Pegah Ardi; Roshanak Daie  Ghazvini; Seyed Jamal Hashemi; Mohammadreza Mobayen; Abolfazl Pourheidari; Sadegh Khodavaisy; Mahdi Abastabar; Zahra Rafat

doi:10.18502/ijm.v16i4.16308

Pegah Ardi Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Roshanak Daie Ghazvini Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Jamal Hashemi Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammadreza Mobayen Burn and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
Abolfazl Pourheidari Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Guilan University of Medical sciences, Rasht, Iran
Sadegh Khodavaisy Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahdi Abastabar Invasive Fungi Research Center, Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Zahra Rafat Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijm.v16i4.16308

Keywords: Wound infection; Burns; Candida parapsilosis complex; Pichia kudriavzevii (Candida krusei); Iran

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Fungal burn wound infections (FBWIs) are one of the most disastrous complications in burn patients. The present study investigated the incidence and the species distribution of fungal agents isolated from burn lesions and reviewed the feautures, underlying conditions, and outcomes of patients.

Materials and Methods: The wounds were swabbed and cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar with chloramphenicol medi-

Fungal identification was performed using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and beta-tubulin sequencing.

Results: A total of 380 swab specimens were obtained. Of these, 101 patients (26.75 %) were positive in culture. Among the 101 positive cases, most isolates were from males (n= 68, 67.33%) and most of them were over 30 years old. Flame (n=38, 37.63%) was the predominant cause of burns, and previous history of ICU admission (n=35, 34.66%), presence of central venous catheter (n=25, 24.75%), and diabetes mellitus (n=17, 16.83%) were the main underlying conditions. Candida para- psilosis complex (n=36, 35.64%), and Pichia kudriavzevii (C. krusei) (n=8, 7.92%) represent the most commonly isolated species Also, 2 out of 101 patients (2%) died.

Conclusion: In the present study, non-albicans Candida species were much higher frequent than C. albicans with most cases associated with Candida parapsilosis complex.