Background: Candida albicans is an infectious fungus that infects people with weakened immune systems. The identification of resistance genes such as ERG2 is important to manage the disease prevalence. This study aimed to detect the ERG2 gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences in Candida albicans clinical isolates and evaluate antifungal resistance.
Methods: This study assessed 221 samples for Candida albicans using conventional methods like Gram staining, germ tube tests, and biochemical analysis. Molecular techniques, specifically PCR, were employed to detect the ERG2 gene and amplify internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences for accurate identification and antifungal resistance evaluation. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using the agar dilution method against a panel of five drugs. The amplified ITS regions were also subjected to sequencing for further molecular characterization of the isolates.
Results: The maximum prevalence of Candida species was observed in the female patients (116 out of 129). The age group 21-30 showed a higher prevalence of Candida species also showed higher resistance to antifungal drugs. The maximum resistance observed was for Nystatin (83.7%) and Itraconazole (83.0%) for all the age groups. The ERG2 gene detection was limited to females' isolates, especially from the vaginal and endocervical swabs.
Conclusion: Our study thus supports the use of molecular techniques, particularly the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), as a key marker for identifying fungi.
