Pathogenic fungal isolates in sputum of HIV positive patients

Abstract

Fungal pathogens were isolated and identified from sputa of 100 HIV positive patients admitted at ART centre, K.G.H, Visakhapatnam during the period of 2 months from June 2010 to July 2010. The sputum samples from HIV positive individuals were collected in a sterile container and processed by standard methods. Two consecutive samples at the interval of three days were collected. If two samples yielded the same growth, then only they were considered as positive for fungal pathogens. Patients age ranged from 6 to 55 years in both sexes. Samples were collected from 67 males and 33 females. Out of 100 samples, single fungal isolates were obtained in 54 samples, mixed fungal species in 20 samples and no fungal isolates in 26 samples. Candida species predominate (42 samples) in single isolates followed by Cryptococcus neoformans (4 samples), Penicillium spp., Aspergillus fumigatusand Aspergillus niger (2 each), Scedosporium apiospermum, Cunninghamella bertholletiae, Sporothrix schenckii and Geotrichum candidicum were also isolated. The Penicillium marneffei isolates (2 samples) were from cases with CD4 counts below 100.   Key words: Opportunistic fungal infections, immunocompromised individuals, CD4 counts, penicillium marneffei.