An-Najah Staff

Background Candida albicans is one of the most important etiologic agents causing cutaneous candidiasis. It is uncertain whether genotypes of Candida albicans (C. albicans) are associated with colonizing body locations. The aim of this study was to compare genotypes of C. albicans strains causing cutaneous candidiasis in Palestinian infants in Nablus area, and to investigate whether there are significant associations between strain genotypes and body sites of infection and to determine the potential pathogenesis of cutaneous candidiasis at multiple locations. Methods This study was conducted during the period July 2010 to November 2011. Subjects of the study were infants with cutaneous candidiasis from Nablus area. A total of 100 isolates of C. albicans were isolated from 100 infant patients with cutaneous candidiasis. Patients were grouped according to the body sites infection, age, gender, place of residence, predisposing factors. Genotypes were identified using polymerase chain reactions (PCR) targeting 25S rDNA and ALT repeat sequences of the RPS. Results fourteen genotypes were detected. A clear correlation was found between genotypes and gender, and age. In addition, isolates of C. albicans from multiple cutaneous locations of the same patient had identical genotypes. But no clear correlation was found between genotypes and the sites of cutaneous infection or predisposing factors, or residence. Genotype B was found to have the highest frequency (47%) on the basis of amplification of 25S rDNA, while genotype V was the highest frequency (34%) on the basis of amplification of RPS, and genotype B-V was the highest rates with (15%) on the basis of amplification of both 25S rDNA and RPS. Conclusion A clear correlation was found between genotypes and gender, and age . On the other hand, we could not find a correlation between location of the CC lesions, residence, or predisposing factors and C. albicans genotype.