BACKGROUND: Yeasts of the genus Candida create colonization, superficial infections and systemic infections in immunodeficient individuals. The presentations of the disease lead to the necessity of using various diagnostic methods and treatments. OBJECTIVES: To differentiate among the Candida species, correlate them with the anatomical region involved and evaluate in vitro susceptibility to ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B. METHODS: An evaluation of 100 cases of immunocompetent patients with cutaneous or mucous candidiasis attended at the Santa Casa de Sao Paulo Hospital from May 1999 to July 2001. This study attempted to correlate the site of the involvement and the Candida species, isolated using the CHROMagar Candida® technique. The species were evaluated using the Etest® antifungal susceptibility to ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole and amphotericin B. RESULTS: C. albicans was isolated in 76% of the material, C. krusei in 19% and C. tropicalis in 1%. It was not possible to establish a significant correlation between the involved area and the species isolated. Most of the samples proved to be susceptible to the antifungals tested. CONCLUSIONS: C. albicans was the most commonly observed species. The majority of samples presented susceptibility to the tested antifungals.
Candida albicans; Candida tropicalis; Candidiasis, Cutaneous; Itraconazole
