BACKGROUND: The incidence of fungal urinary tract infections has increased in the immunocompromized patients. We analyzed urine culture results of St. Mary's Hospital during 28 month period between October 1993 and January 1996 to evaluate the frequency of yeast isolates and to survey the distribution of departments from where yeasts isolated. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of urine culture results. Yeasts were identified by the examination of germ tube production in human serum at 37degrees C and API2OC (BioMerieux, France) yeast strip. RESULT: A total of 1,387 urine cultures were reviewed, of which 164 (11.8%) were isolated as fungi. Candida albicans occurred in 36.5% of the total yeast isolates, C. tropicalis in 35.3%, C. glabrata in 10.9% and Trichosporon beigelii in 0.6%. The incidence of urinary fungal infection increased in 1995 (13.0%) than 1994 (9.1%) (P=0.047). Fifty two percents (85/164) of urinary fungi were isolated from patients in Neurosurgery (NS), where isolation of C. tropicalis was significantly more increased than other departments. In four patients, candiduria progressed to candidemia, which were caused by C. albicans (three patients) and C. glabrata (1 patient). CONCLUSIONS: The isolation rate of yeast species was different in NS and non-NS department. The frequency of isolation of C. albicans increased in non-NS department than NS department, while the frequency of isolation of C. tropicalis increased in NS department than non-NS department. The most common organism was C. albicans and department was Neurosurgery.
Candida albicans ; Candidemia ; Fungemia ; Fungi ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neurosurgery ; Retrospective Studies* ; Trichosporon ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Yeasts

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the inhibitory effects of copper, brass (78% copper, 22% tin), and stainless steel surfaces on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Escherichia coli , and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP). Methods: MRAB, ESBL E. coli, and CRKP were isolated at Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital in 2020. A. baumannii ATCC BAA-747, E. coli ATCC 25922, and K. pneumoniae ATCC 700603 were used as reference strains. The initial bacterial cell count of each inoculum was adjusted to 8 log CFU/mL using phosphate buffered saline, Copper, brass, and stainless steel plates were inoculated with 9 mL of MRAB, ESBL E. coli, and CRKP inoculum solutions. The bacterial cell count was measured from the beginning to the 20th day in an incubator maintained at 35°C. Results: MRAB, ESBL E. coli, and CRKP isolates were not detected on the copper and brass plates after 4, 5.5, and 6.5 hours, respectively. MRAB, ESBL E. coli, and CRKP isolates were not detected on the stainless steel plate after 15, 20, and 20 days, respectively. The bactericidal effects of copper and brass were much stronger than those of stainless steel. Conclusion The use of copper and copper alloys should be considered to prevent crossinfection in hospitals.