Isolation, Identification and Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida species isolated from patients in Misrata City

Fariha  Ahmed Alhijjaji; Embarka Omar Salem

doi:10.36602/jsba.2026.21.24

Authors

Fariha Ahmed Alhijjaji Department of Biology – Libayn academy- Misrata
Embarka Omar Salem 1,2Department of Biology – Libayn academy- Misrata

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36602/jsba.2026.21.24

Keywords:

Fungal infections, Candida spp,, pathogens, drug efficacy, antifungal agents

Abstract

Fungal infections caused by Candida species have become increasingly common, particularly among hospitalized and immunocompromised patients. These opportunistic pathogens can cause a wide range of infections, from superficial mucosal infections to life-threatening systemic conditions. study was conducted to isolate and identify of Candida spp. from clinical samples, including urine, sputum, and vaginal swabs, and to test their susceptibility to five different antifungal against the isolated species and analyzed antifungal resistance patterns using disk diffusion method. A total of 80 samples were collected from hospitals in Misrata. 50 Candida isolates were obtained was culture on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA)and incubated at 37°C for 24-48h . Additionally the advanced Phoenix M50 system was used for accurate identification. revealed the isolation and identification of three Candida species from clinical samples: C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. sake. Among them, C. albicans was the most common species. The gender distribution analysis in this study showed a higher prevalence of fungal infections among females, accounting for 74% of the cases. showed variability in drug efficacy, with CLO 50 (clotrimazol ) being the most effective antifungal agent the isolated Candida species, making it the preferred choice for treating fungal infections. On the other hand, ITC 50 (Itraconazole) was the least effective against all Candida isolates, , the results indicated that C. albicans was highly sensitive to most antifungal agents, except for ITC 50.

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