Diversity and Antifungal Susceptibility of Candida spp. Strains Isolated from Soils in the City of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

---

Résumé

Introduction: Candida spp. are opportunistic yeasts found in various environments,
including soil. Some species can cause human infections, particularly in immunocompromised
individuals. Their therapeutic management is challenging due to resistance reported in numerous
studies. This study aimed to explore the diversity and antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. strains
isolated from soils in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). Methods: A crosssectional study conducted
from August 2019 to February 2021. The soil sampling sites were chosen from uninhabited areas
of the city of Ouagadougou. At each site, four composite subsamples of approximately 50 g of
soil were taken from less than 10 cm deep by removing the top three (3) centimeters with a sterile
spatula and placed in a sterile container. Candida species were identified using a chromogenic
medium (CAN ID2) and MatrixAssisted Laser Desorption/Ionization TimeofFlight (MALDITOF)
spectrometry. Antifungal susceptibility was performed by disk diffusion method and classified as
susceptible, susceptible dosedependent and resistant. Results: A total of 38 strains belonging to
6 species of the genus Candida were isolated. These species in order of frequency were Candida
tropicalis (76.32%), Candida glabrata (10.53%), C. lusinatinae (5.26%), C. krusei (2.63%), C. kefyr
(2.63%), and C. orthopsilosis (2.63%). The strains showed high resistance to itraconazole (93.2%)
and fluconazole (48.3%) among azoles. For polyenes, the resistance of the strains was noted with
amphotericin B with a high rate of 89.7%. Conclusions: This study reveals that the soils of the city of
Ouagadougou harbor Candida spp. yeast species and can be a source of contamination for humans.
These yeasts are resistant to some antifungals. This indicates the need to monitor their susceptibility
to common antifungals.

Mots-clés

diversity; telluric strains; Candida spp.; antifungal susceptibility; Ouagadougou