Candida albicans Infection and Genotypes identification among children less than 5 years old

The most common yeast infecting humans are the genus Candida. Candida albicans, which are involved in the major opportunistic yeast infection in the world candidiasis, but continue to be the most common among the species of the genus. While this yeast is responsible for around 50-90% of human candidiasis. Candida albicans is a common opportunistic pathogen that has attracted growing interest in both clinical and basic biology. The aim of this study is to isolation and identification, with molecular detection of C.albicans genotypes from children in AlZahraa Hospital in Diyala city by routine laboratory procedure. Two hundred oral and dermal samples of children less than five years old referred to ALZahraa Hospital, during the period (October 2022 to February 2023). were collected by direct microscopic examination, cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and microscopic examination of colonies and sub cultured on CHROM agar which is selective media to identify candida species. The result of this regarding to baby information oral Candida spp. showed that the percentage of UTI in the oral samples was (20%), the percentage of GIT (40%) and the percentage of oral thrush (40%). In addition to the above we note the percentage of C.albicans in the dermal samples was (42%) and percentage of oral thrush (6%) and percentage of diaper rash (50%). Also the percentage of UTI in the mix samples was (12%) and percentage of GIT (44%) and the percentage of diaper rash (44%). For identification of C.albicans genotypes, the PCR amplification revealed two genotypes (A) and (A, C) a single amplification product size (450 bp) for 15 isolates conceder as A genotype and single amplification product size (840 bp) for 1 isolate and called B genotype in addition to type of two amplification sizes (450 and 840 bp) for 4 isolates and this categorized as C genotype.