Molecular Fingerprinting Studies Do Not Support Intrahospital Transmission of Candida albicans among Candidemia Patients in Kuwait

摘要: Candida albicans, a constituent of normal microbial flora human mucosal surfaces, is major cause candidemia in immunocompromised individuals and hospitalized patients with other debilitating diseases. Molecular fingerprinting studies have suggested nosocomial transmission C. albicans based on the presence clusters or endemic genotypes some hospitals. However, intrahospital strain common source infection has not been firmly established. We performed multilocus sequence typing (MLST) 102 bloodstream isolates (representing 92% all culture-confirmed over 31-month period at seven hospitals) to identify patient-to-patient from Kuwait, small country Middle East where consanguineous marriages are common. Repeat six nine surveillance cultures anatomic sites were also analyzed. Fifty-five belonged unique genotypes. Forty-seven 47 formed 16 clusters, each cluster containing 2-9 isolates. Multiple same patient anatomical yielded identical identified four cases potential association analysis between patients’ clinical/epidemiological data corresponding MLST eight further by whole genome-based amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) 8 different genotypes, ruling out infection. The findings suggest that related strains exist community alone may complicate hospital control measures during outbreak investigations.