Identification and Antifungal Susceptibility of Candida Species in Canine Oral Flora

Abstract

In this study, the presence of Candida species was investigated in 60 oral swab samples collected from dogs. The samples were cultured on Candida chromogenic agar and incubated at 30°C for 48 hours. Following the incubation period, growth was observed on 30 (50%) of the plates, resulting in the isolation of 57 Candida colonies. These colonies exhibited growth either as single or multiple agents on the chromogenic agar. Species identification was performed based on the color patterns displayed on the chromogenic agar, leading to the detection of six distinct Candida species. Among the isolates, 16 (28.1%) were identified as Candida krusei, 10 (17.5%) as Candida glabrata, 10 (17.5%) as Candida parapsilosis, 9 (15.8%) as Candida utilis, 7 (12.3%) as Candida tropicalis, and 5 (8.8%) as Candida albicans. To confirm their identification at the molecular level, all isolates were verified as belonging to the Candida genus using PCR with ITS3-ITS4 primers. The antifungal susceptibility of the isolates (n=57) was assessed using the disk diffusion method. The results revealed that the isolates exhibited resistance to miconazole (43.8%), ketoconazole (26.3%), flucytosine (100%), and fluconazole (93.1%), while showing high sensitivity to nystatin (93.1%). This study highlights the presence of pathogenic Candida species in the oral flora of dogs and underscores the emergence of antifungal resistance among these isolates. The findings suggest that the presence of Candida species in the oral microbiota of dogs could pose a potential health risk to both animals and humans, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.

Keywords

• Antifungal resistance
• Candida
• chromogenic agar
• dog
• identification

Köpek Oral Florasındaki Candida Türlerinin İdentifikasyonu ve Antifungal Duyarlılıkları

Öz

Bu çalışmada, köpeklerden toplanan 60 oral sürüntü örneğinde Candida türlerinin varlığı araştırıldı. Örnekler Candida kromojenik agarına ekildi ve 30 °C'de 48 saat inkübe edildi. İnkübasyon süresinin ardından, petrilerin 30'unda (%50) üreme gözlendi ve 57 Candida kolonisi izole edildi. Bu koloniler kromojenik agarda tekli veya çoklu etken olarak üreme gösterdi. Tür tanımlaması, kromojenik agarda görüntülenen renk farklılıklarına göre yapıldı ve altı farklı Candida türü tespit edildi. İzolatlar arasında 16 (%28,1) Candida krusei, 10 (%17,5) Candida glabrata, 10 (%17,5) Candida parapsilosis, 9 (%15,8) Candida utilis, 7 (%12,3) Candida tropicalis ve 5 (%8,8) Candida albicans olarak tanımlandı. Moleküler düzeyde tanımlanmalarını doğrulamak için tüm izolatların ITS3-ITS4 primerleri ile PCR kullanılarak Candida cinsine ait olduğu doğrulandı. İzolatların (n=57) antifungal duyarlılığı disk difüzyon yöntemi kullanılarak değerlendirildi. Sonuçlar izolatların mikonazole (%43,8), ketokonazole (%26,3), flusitozine (%100) ve flukonazole (%93,1) direnç gösterirken, nistatine (%93,1) yüksek duyarlılık gösterdiğini ortaya koydu. Bu çalışma, köpeklerin ağız florasında patojenik Candida türlerinin varlığını vurgulamakta ve bu izolatlar arasında antifungal direncin ortaya çıktığını vurgulamaktadır. Bulgular, köpeklerin ağız mikrobiyotasında Candida türlerinin varlığının, özellikle bağışıklık sistemi baskılanmış bireylerde hem hayvanlar hem de insanlar için potansiyel bir sağlık riski oluşturabileceğini düşündürmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Antifungal direnç
• Candida
• identifikasyon
• köpek
• kromojenik agar

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