Evaluation of antifungal and disinfectant-resistant Candida species isolated from hospital wastewater

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the in vitro antifungal susceptibility patterns ofCandidaspecies isolated from hospital wastewater, and the efficacy of widely used disinfectants (sodium hypochlorite and benzalkonium chloride) against planktonic and biofilm cells were assessed. Susceptibility testing demonstrated that the two azoles were more effective againstC. albicansthan non-albicans isolates. When we determine the efficiency of disinfectants against the planktonic cells, benzalkonium chloride did not show any activity in all the studied strains under tested conditions exceptC. albicans-1. However, sodium hypochlorite showed >= 4 log(10)killing in viable cells for different contact times. On the other hand, while 0.1% and 1% concentrations of benzalkonium chloride showed fungicidal activity against biofilm cells, sodium hypochlorite at 1% only demonstrated fungicidal activity. Those results showed that surface water is a possible transmission path for fungi in the investigated hospital region and may be a health risk, especially for the immunocompromised host.