[Species diversity of the genus Candida in the oral cavity of cancer patients in Barranquilla, Colombia].

Candida spp. was characterized in the oral cavity of cancer patients in a health care center in Barranquilla, Colombia. This is a cross-sectional investigation including 60 oncological patients with oral candidiasis, selected by convenience sampling, from whom samples were subjected to culture in Sabouraud chloramphenicol agar, CHROMagar® Candida and Sabouraud dextrose agar were taken. The antifungal susceptibility profile was then identified and established. Descriptive statistics, Chi square test, and bivariate analysis were conducted using the Statgraphics Centurion XVII software with odds ratio (OR) for the probability of occurrence. A total of 107 Candida strains were identified belonging to 15 species, C. albicans with 23%, C. glabrata with 18%, C. tropicalis 13%, C. krusei 10%, C intermedia, and C. lipolytica with 1.5%. Species other than C. albicans were identified in 77% of the cases. A relationship between reproductive system cancer and C. guilliermondii was identified (p = 0.0001, <0.05) OR: 17.0. Between C. colliculosa and respiratory cancer (p = 0.0003, <0.05) OR 19.5. With regard to antifungal susceptibility, 99% of the identified Candida species were susceptible to the following antifungals: fluconazole, voriconazole, caspofungin, and micafungin. Only one strain of C. krusei was resistant. It is concluded that there was a diversity of Candida species, either single or mixed in cancer patients, which could determine that only one species is not responsible for fungal infection in the oral cavity.