American Journal of Microbiological Research, 2015, Vol. 3, No. 2, 62-64 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajmr/3/2/4 © Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/ajmr-3-2-4 Isolation and Molecular Identification of New Emergent Candida Lusitaniae Isolated from Sudanese Immunocompromised Patients Infected with Oropharyngeal Candidiasis Mutaz F. Saad 1,* , Amr M. Albasha 2 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, College of Applied medical sciences, Al Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia 2 Department of Microbiology, College of Medical laboratory, Sudan University of science and technology, Khartoum, Sudan *Corresponding author: mutazsaad74@gmail.com Received February 10, 2015; Revised March 11, 2015; Accepted March 22, 2015 Abstract Seventy seven oral swab samples (n=77) were collected in period between august 2007 to may 2008 from hospitalized immunocompromised and HIV patients suspected for Oropharyngeal Candidiasis and admitted in different hospitals in Ed-wiuem state and Khartoum state, Sudan. All samples were inoculated on Sabouraud dextrose agar and identified by colonial morphology, Germ tube test and Vitek2 compact system for biochemical identification and antifungal susceptibility test. Out of 77 oral swab samples collected from immunocompromised and HIV patients, 41 (53.3%) samples showed positive growth of Candida, and 36 (46.7%) samples showed negative growth. The identification showed that out of forty one positive cultures, 32 isolates found as Candida albicans (78%), while nine samples (n=9) appeared as non-Candida albicans (22%) and found as Candida lusitaniae according to GTT and Vitek2 Compact identification. Then DNA was extracted from all non-Candida albicans isolates and DNA sequencing was carried and D1/D2 region were determined using NL1 primer. DNA based identification showed that all nine (n=9) GTT negative isolates were Candida lusitaniae (Anamorh Clavispora lusitaniae). This study documented that there are new emergent species of Candida should be considered when dealing with specimen collected from patients suspected for yeast infections. Our results provide useful information that C. lusitaniae can be isolated as well as other Candida species from immunocompromised patients in Sudan. Keywords: immunocompromised, HIV, C. lusitaniae, DNA sequencing, Sudan Cite This Article: Mutaz F. Saad, and Amr M. Albasha, “Isolation and Molecular Identification of New Emergent Candida Lusitaniae Isolated from Sudanese Immunocompromised Patients Infected with Oropharyngeal Candidiasis.” American Journal of Microbiological Research, vol. 3, no. 2 (2015): 62-64. doi: 10.12691/ajmr-3-2-4. 1. Introduction Candida lusitaniae, is emerging as an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients. This yeast is generally resistant to amphotericin B and may show therapeutic difficulties. C. lusitaniae may be misidentified when detected in blood or other body sites as many other fungal species, including Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis,and even Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Candida lusitaniae is considered an opportunistic pathogen, causing several infections primarily in immunocompromised patients [1-6]. The rare non- albicans Candida species such as Candida lusitaniae has emerged during the last 20 years as an important nosocomial pathogen. [7]. From the first documented case of infection in 1979, amphotericin B resistance has been frequently reported. [7]. The abnormal antifungal susceptibility profiles of some of non-albicans Candida species involved in human pathology, their rising contribution to invasive infections, make their identification to the species level essential for epidemiological investigations and for optimizing therapy and patient management [8]. Although several factors may cause the development of oral candidiasis in immunocomromised patients and different Candida species were isolated, but the differential identification of new Candida species not yet performed. Therefore the objective of this study was to isolate and identify new species of Candida in oral cavity of immunocomromised patients in Sudan. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Collection of Specimen and Isolation of Yeasts Oral swab samples (n=77) were collected in period between august 2007 to may 2008 from hospitalized immunocompromised and HIV patients suspected for