The Relevance, Prevalence, and Laboratory Diagnostics of Geotrichum Candidum
Kristina Marcinkevičienė, Algimantas Paškevičius
Geotrichum candidum belongs to division of Ascomycota, class of Saccharomycetes, order of Saccharomycetales, family of Dipodascaceae. This species fungi are ubiquitous on various substratum: food, fruit, vegetables, protein and non-protein waste. It is often isolate from soil and environment around us. Commonly it is part of the normal flora of human skin and gastrointestinal tract. Like a commensal it can live in respiratory tract. Geotrichum species are usually non- pathogenic. The risk of Geotrichum candidum infection is high in patients with haemologic malignancies and receiving chemotherapy, with human immunodeficiency virus infection, diabetes mellitus, users of broad-spectrum antibacterial agents, after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Geotrichum candidum can touch various organs (bronchi, lungs, skin, gastrointestinal tract, kidney). One of the most common place is lungs. It is difficult to diagnose Geotrichum candidum infection because it is similar to another yeasts. It is difficult to test activity of antifungal drugs because there are few data about antifungal drugs for this species fungi. The prognosis of invasive infection is poor in patients treated with standart antifungal drugs such as amphotericin B, fluconasole, itraconasole. According to some sources, association of voriconasole and caspofungin could improve the treatment and prognosis of these uncommon and severe infections. Mortality from Geotrichum candidum caused invasive infection is high. It is necessary for further testing of antifungal susceptibilities of this yeast in order to optimize management of infections caused by this fungus.
Keywords: fungal infection, antifungal drugs, Geotricum candidum, risk group.
