Molecular identification of Candida lusitaniae in lower respiratory tract infection

Candida lusitaniae is a yeast that has emerged as a low frequency nosocomial pathogen in deep infections. Although it usually shows in vitro susceptibility to all antifungal agents, in vivo resistance to amphotericin B has been observed in several clinical cases. Therefore, its early identification in the course of therapy is important. We report the isolation of C. lusitaniae as an etiologic agent of a lower respiratory tract infection in a male patient. Urine and sputum cultures were negative for bacteria and positive for this yeast. Isolates were identified by routine phenotypic methods and confirmed by sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of PCR internal spacer of ribosomal DNA.