Prevalence Of Fungi In Clinically Suspected Cases Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis In Iraq, Wasit

Abstract

Hazim Muttair Hussein, Azhar Ali Sekhi, Hassan Saad Sekeb

Pulmonary mycosis may be due to by either opportunistic or endemic fungi or a combination of the two. The death rate in pulmonary fungal infection may be more than 90% in patients with immune-compromised although patients who are immunocompetent respond well to treatment. Diagnosis of pulmonary disease caused by fungi considered challenge, because pulmonary mycosis may like other diseases ( for example lung cancer, viral, bacterial pneumonia or pulmonary tuberculosis). During work in medical laboratories, repeated elements of fungi were observed in sputum smears of acid-fast bacilli taken from patients suspected having pulmonary tuberculosis, which required investigating of the occurrence of pulmonary mycosis in these cases. A total of 158 sputum samples were collected from clinically suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Two sputum samples were taken in the early morning during two days. Microscopic examination of sputum samples revealed 20 positive result. Five samples failed to be detected; However later showed a positive result in culture The common fungi isolated were Candida species 15 (9.5 %) followed by Aspergillus species 10 (6.3 %). The isolated Candida species were C. albicans 8 (5.1%), C. tropicalis 5 (3.2%), C. krusei 2 (1.3%) whereas the Aspergillus species were comprised of A. fumigatus 5 (3.2%), A. flavus 3 (1.9%) and A. niger 2(1.3%).