Fungal isolates findings of sputum samples in new and previously treated cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in dr. soetomo hospital surabaya, Indonesia

• Published in: International Journal of Mycobacteriology
• Main Authors: Soedarsono Soedarsono, Yuyus Dwi Prasetiyo, Ni Made Mertaniasih
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2020-01-01
• Subjects: candida species; mycobacterium tuberculosis; pulmonary fungal coinfection; pulmonary tuberculosis
• Online Access: http://www.ijmyco.org/article.asp?issn=2212-5531;year=2020;volume=9;issue=2;spage=190;epage=194;aulast=Soedarsono

Background: Fungal infections generally occur in immunosuppressive patients. Long-term tuberculosis (TB) treatment facilitates the occurrence of fungal infections, such as long-term antibiotics administration which is immunosuppressive agents and increases the opportunity of infections. Other factors may be correlated with fungal infection such as age, sex, malnutrition, smoking, diabetes mellitus, lung lesion severity, and the presence of multidrug-resistant TB. This study aims to identify and analyze the proportion of fungal isolates findings in the sputum of new and previously treated cases of pulmonary TB patients. Methods: This was an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design of all pulmonary TB patients who were hospitalized in Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya. Sputum samples were inoculated on Sabouraud's dextrose agar medium. The growth of visible colonies was identified by Lactophenol Cotton Blue staining using direct microscopy. Results: Fungal isolates were found in 148/193 (77%) pulmonary TB patients. Candida species was found 99% among 148 fungal positive culture. Candida albicans was the most common found fungal species (54.05%), followed by Candida sp (26.35%), Candida glabrata (10.13%), Candida krusei (5.4%), and Candida tropicalis (1.35%). Previously treated cases, sex, malnutrition, and smoking were variables correlated with fungal isolates finding with P value of 0.015, 0.006, 0.010, and <0.001, respectively. Conclusion: The proportion of fungal positive cultures in previously treated cases was higher than in new cases. C. albicans was the most common fungal species both in previously treated cases and new cases of pulmonary TB.