Candidiasis is the commonest fungal disease found in humans affecting mucosa, skin, nails and internal organs. It is caused by various species of yeast like fungi belonging to genus Candida with Candida albicans as the representative species. This study was undertaken to find out the prevalence of candidiasis in immunocompromised patients in this part of the country as well as to identify the different species isolated. History was elicited from all the patients enrolled in this study after taking informed consent from the patient. A total of 92 immunocompromised patients which include (45 cases of diabetes mellitus, 30 cases of HIV/AIDS, 10 cases with hematological malignancy and 7 cases with renal transplant surgery. A total of 130 samples were taken from the study group of which (47 blood, 40 urine, 11 sputum, 23 oral swabs and 9 pus). The specimens were subjected to direct microscopy in 10% KOH mount, culture in Sabouraud’s dextrose agar supplemented with Chloramphenicol (0.05 mg/ml). They were then incubated at 22⁰ C and 37⁰ C and observed for fungal growth. Special tests were done to isolated Candida species. They were Gram staining, Germ tube test, Hi Chrome Agar, Corn Meal agar morphology, sugar fermentation and sugar assimilation test. The overall prevalence of Candidiasis among the study population was found to be 40%. Candida spp was isolated in 48.2% of diabetic population, 44.74% of individuals with HIV/AIDS, 18.1% in patients with hematological malignancy and 25% in patients undergoing renal transplant ( p<0.02). The maximal number of patients positive for Candida spp were in the age group of 31-40 years (30.7%) followed by 51-60 years (25.6%) age group. The sex distribution showed a male preponderance with 77% males and 23% females. Majority of the (58.97%) patients came from rural area. (p< 0.01) and were from a low socioeconomic status with 25.6% having completed education up to twelve standard and 53.84% belonging to low income group. Clinically the patients presented with fever in 74.3% of patients while the rest 25.7% manifested other clinical features (p<0.01). The CD4 cell counts were between 51-100 cells/mm³in 43% of HIV seropositive patients while 28.6% had counts between 101-150 cells/mm³. The species profile of Candida reveals that non-albicans Candida (77%) outnumbered the C. albicans (23%) group. Among the non albicans group, C. tropicalis (n = 24, 46.15%) was the most frequent isolate in al clinical specimen followed by C. parapsilosis (n=5, 9.61%), C. krusei (n = 4, 7.69%), C. guilliermondii (n = 2, 3.84%), C. rugosa (n = 2, 3.84%), C. dubliniensis (n = 1, 1.92%), C. glabrata (n = 1, 1.92%) and C. zeylonaides (n = 1, 1.92%). This study highlights the diverse manifestations caused by Candida species and throws light on the species prevalent locally and also emphasizes on the need for introduction of mycological examination into the panel of methods.

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