A 60-year-old man on ICU has been on antibiotics for 10 days for intra-abdominal sepsis. He develops a new fever with blood cultures growing Candida t...

Question

A 60-year-old man on ICU has been on antibiotics for 10 days for intra-abdominal sepsis. He develops a new fever with blood cultures growing Candida tropicalis. The microbiologist advises starting antifungal therapy. Compared to C. albicans, what is clinically significant about C. tropicalis?

Accepted Answer

C. tropicalis has higher virulence than C. albicans in neutropenic patients, can form biofilms, and while often fluconazole-susceptible, has higher rates of fluconazole resistance than C. albicans - an echinocandin is recommended as first-line in critically ill patients pending sensitivities

Answer

C. tropicalis is always sensitive to fluconazole

Answer

C. tropicalis only causes skin infections

Answer

C. tropicalis is identical to C. albicans in every clinical respect

Answer

C. tropicalis never causes bloodstream infections

uk-fficm MCQ (SBA): Candida tropicalis

A 60-year-old man on ICU has been on antibiotics for 10 days for intra-abdominal sepsis. He develops a new fever with blood cultures growing Candida tropicalis. The microbiologist advises starting antifungal therapy. Compared to C. albicans, what is clinically significant about C. tropicalis?