Prevalence of Candida albicans in stool of hospitalized children in 2003 with or without diarrhea from the Bialystok region

: Candida species, predominantly Candida albicans strains, are part of the normal flora of gastrointestinal tract, but some authors suggest that faecal candida may cause diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of faecal Candida spp. isolates in 345 children with diarrhoea and 161 with other diseases, hospitalized in 2003. Overall 506 faecal specimens obtained before treatment and 98 after treatment of children for yeasts using routine culture method were examined. A total of 131 (101 before and 30 after treatment) strains isolated were identified as Candida albicans. Only 2 strains belonged to other species of Candida (C. parapsilosis and C. krusei). The sensitivity of Candida spp. strains to chemotherapeutic was also estimated. All strains of C. albicans were sensitive to nystatin. Incidence of faecal strains of C. albicans in children with acute diarrhoea (19,4%) and children with other disease (21,1%) was comparable (p>0,05). Candida albicans yeasts caused diarrhoea in small percent of studied children. Only in 2 (0,6%) children C. albicans as aetiological agent of diarrhoea was found. In 16 (16,3%) cases secondary fungal infections were acquired during hospitalization children (4 children with fungal diarrhoea). Resolution of diarrhoea caused by C. albicans in 6 children after treatment with nystatin was observed.