Introduction: Candida albicans are the most common species in humans however, increasing of Non Candida albicans is on rise. This changing epidemiology and increasingly resistance to antifungal agents makes it important to identify Candida spp up to the species level and study  its antifungal susceptibility pattern.

Aim and Objective: To study the invitro antifungal susceptibility of Candida albicans and non-albicans candida species isolated from different clinical samples at a Tertiary care setup, Kanpur”.

Material and Methods: The present study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology at RMCH&RC, Kanpur over a period of one year from August 2021 to August 2022. Ethical clearance was duly obtained from the Institute Ethical Committee for conducting the study. Clinical samples collected from different sites were cultured on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar and incubated and Candida isolates were identified using standard microbiological procedures and speciation was done following conventional and HiChrome differential media. Antifungal susceptibility testing (AST) was determined by using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) disk diffusion method.

Results:  A total of 204 Clinical samples collected from different sites were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and incubated which were identified using Standard microbiological procedures. A total of isolates collected from Outpatient was 35 and 169 from Inpatient Department.  Out of 204 isolates the ratio of Females (62.7%) was more as compared to Males (37%) with different clinical specimens 61 (29.9%) was from sputum and 52 (25.4%) from urine. The maximum number of cases was reported in the age group of more than 60 years of age and least reported in the age group of 0- 20 years. Candida albicans comprised of 37.2% of the total isolates whereas the NAC spp. comprised of 62.7% of the total isolates. The maximum isolates was found in Sputum samples of Candida albicans., whereas for NAC  Candida tropicalis was the most common isolate present in urine specimen. Voriconazole was the most sensitive drug with (88%) followed by Amphotericin B (80%) and Itraconazole ( 62%) and least with Ketonazole (51%) and Fluconazole ( 48%).

Conclusion: The increasing incidence of candida infections and the emergence of antifungal resistance have emphasized the need for updated laboratory data to guide clinicians in selecting appropriate antifungal therapy.

Introduction: Candida albicans, along with other closely related Candida species, are the primary causative agents of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC)—a multifactorial infectious disease of the lower female reproductive tract. Isoforms of aspartyl proteinase (Sap), which are encoded by at least nine related SAP genes, have been implicated to be a major virulence factor of the opportunistic yeast Candida albicans in experimental infections.

Aim and Objective: Screening, Identification and the Molecular Profiling of Sap gene from Candida albicans isolated from the Clinical samples of Vulvovaginitis, at a Tertiary Care Centre, Uttar Pradesh.

 Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from August 2021 to August 2022 for a period of 1 year in the Department of Microbiology, at RMCH&RC. A total of 200 vaginal swabs was collected from patients in the reproductive age period presenting to the Obstetrics and Gynecology outpatients transported to the Microbiology lab.Vaginal swab specimens was subjected to direct Gram-stained smear examination as well as culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) (Oxoid, UK) incubated at 37 °C for 24–48 h. The Candida isolates was tested by disk diffusion method using Muller-Hinton agar supplemented with 2% glucose and 0.5μg of methylene blue/mL. The DNA Extraction for the detection of Sap gene was done using the QiaAmp DNA Extraction kit and further confirmed by PCR.

Results: In our study a total of 200 clinically suspected cases of VVC were presented during the study period for 1 year in which 36 HVS (18%) yielded positive yeast on culture. The maximum number of positive cases of VVC was found in the age group of 21-30 years of age. The Direct microscopic examinations of the Gram’s smear of HVS revealed budding yeast cell in only 11 (30.5%) cases. Majority of high vaginal swabs revealed few pus cells (< 5 pus cells/HPF). Candida glabrata was the most common isolate followed by Candida tropicalis, and Candida albicans. 83.3% isolate was susceptible to fluconazole. A total 16% isolates of Candida spp. was found to be fluconazole resistant of which 4 strains of C. krusei, 1 strains of C. glabrata and 1 strain of C. tropicalis. The DNA was isolated for the detection of Sap gene in Candida albicans using the QiaAmp DNA extraction kit followed by the PCR.

Conclusions: According to the point that excessive use of antifungal drugs without prescription for treatment of vaginal infection can lead to induction of Candida resistance, correct identification of Candida species could play an important role in treatment of VVC

Introduction: Infertility has become a grave emotional and social problem in India. Infections constitute up to 15% of the causes of male infertility. Male urogenital tract infection (UTI) is one of the reasons for most of male infertility as presence of bacteria in semen samples may compromise the sperm quality. Aim and Objectives: To study the Semen Analysis and its Bacteriological Profile in Infertile Males, A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Center, Uttar Pradesh.

Material and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Microbiology at RMCH&RC, Mandhana for a period of 1 year i.e, August 2021 to August 2022. A total of 102 semen samples were collected, after informed written consent, from married males with the complaint of infertility. Semen analysis was carried out according to WHO guidelines. The specimens were processed using as per the latest CLSI guidelines for isolation and identification of the organism, followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing.

Results: A total of 102 semen samples was included in our study out of which 37 (36.2%) showed significant bacterial growth i.e. ≥ 103 bacteria/ml of semen ejaculate. The maximum number of cases was found in the age group of 26-30 years. The GPC accounts for 28 (27.4%) isolates and 9 (8.8%) isolates were Gram negative bacilli (GNB). The commonest isolates were the Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus species (10.7%) followed by Enterococcus species (7.8%), and least for Streptococcus species with 1.9%. In case of GNB the maximum isolates was from E.coli. All the GPC isolated, were sensitive to Linezolid, Vancomycin and Teicoplanin, and most of them were sensitive to Nitrofurantoin (87.5%). Among the GNB, most were sensitive to Amikacin (87.5%) and Piperacillin- Tazobactum (71.4%), and lesser sensitivity was seen for Nitrofurantoin and Co-trimoxazole, the maximum number of cases recorded was from the Oligozoospermia and least from Azospermia.

Conclusion: There should be routinely awareness programs for the testing for the bacteriological profile of semen of infertile males as bacteria may affect the quality of semen because infections have been shown to adversely affect semen parameters such as sperm concentration, motility, and DNA fragmentation.

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are among the most common infectious disease and responsible for the cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Microscopic examination of sputum is the most commonly followed method in the laboratory for diagnosing lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI).
Aim and Objectives: Quality Assessment of Sputum Gram Stain in Relation to Sputum Culture for lower Respiratory Tract Infections in a Tertiary Care centre Kanpur.
Material & Methods: This study was a Cross- sectional study carried out at the Department of Microbiology, Rama Medical College Hospital & Research College Kanpur, and Uttar Pradesh, India from January 2021 to December 2021. 150 sputum samples were collected from patients in our hospital during the study period and processed in the central laboratory. Repeated sputum samples from the same patient and samples received from pediatric age group were excluded from this study. Samples were evaluated by gross appearance and subjectively categorized into mucus (mucus strands present) and watery (saliva present).
Results: In this study total 150 sputum samples, 105 (70%) samples were accepted according to modified Bartlett’s screening system and 45 (30%) samples were in the not acceptable category. Among acceptable category, 68(64.76%) samples were showed culture positivity. Among non acceptable category, 11(24.44%) samples were showed culture positivity. The most common organism isolated was Klebsiella spp 29(42%), followed by Pseudomonas spp 23 (33.82%), Staphylococcus aureus 9(13.23%), Enterobacter spp 1(1.4%), Escherichia coli 1(1.4%), Citrobacter spp 1(1.4%), Acinitobacter spp 1(1.4%) and Streptococcus pyogenes 3(4.4%).
Conclusion: Sputum quality assessment is a useful tool recommended receiving good quality of sputum and do initial sputum screening for diagnosing clinically relevant lower respiratory tract infections.