Speciation and densities of yeasts in human urine specimens

Abstract

Urine specimens from 1013 patients were selectively and quantitatively cultured for yeasts. The presence of yeasts was correlated with the age, sex, and physical condition of the individual. Yeasts occurred at an incidence of 17.6% with approximately 6% of the patients demonstrating urine populations of at least 10⁵ yeast cells/ml. Candida albicans, Torulopsis glabrata, and C. tropicalis were the most common species isolated. These taxa occurred in high densities most frequently among diabetics and terminal patients. Torulopsis glabrata was the most common species occurring in high numbers in urine specimens from diabetics with urinary tract pathologies; one diabetic patient died of a fungemia due to T. glabrata. The physiological and morphological characteristics employed for the identification of yeasts from urine specimens were critically examined and reviewed. Muestras de orina de 1013 pacientes fueron cultivadas cualitative y cuantitativamente para levaduras. La presencia de levaduras se encontraron relacionadas con la edae, sexo, y condiciones fisicas del paciente. Se hallaron levaduras en un 17.6%, con un 6% approximadamente de pacientes demostraron crecimiento de levaduras a una concentracion de mas de 10⁵ celulas por ml. Candida albicans, Torulopsis glabrata y Candida tropicalis, fueron las especies mas comunes de levaduras aisladas. Estas especies aparecieron en mayor concentracion y mas frecuentemente aun entre los diabeticos y pacientes a termino. T. glabrata fue la especie mas comunmente hallada en altas concentraciones en pacientes diabeticos con otros trastornos pathlogicos de las vias urinarias; un paciente diabetico murio a causa de una infeccion generalizada de T. glabrata. Las caracteristicas fisiologicas y morfologicas utilizadas para la identificacion de las levaduras provenientes de las muestras de orina fueron cuidadosa y detalladamente examindas y revisadas.