Urine Sediment Findings and the Immune Response to Pathologies in Fungal Urinary Tract Infections Caused by <i>Candida</i> spp.

Fungi are pathogenic agents that can also cause disseminated infections involving the kidneys. Besides <i>Candida</i>, other agents like <i>Cryptococcus</i> spp. can cause urinary tract infection (UTI), as well as other non-yeast fungi, especially among immunocompromised pati...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: José Antonio Tesser Poloni, Liane Nanci Rotta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/4/245
Description
Summary:Fungi are pathogenic agents that can also cause disseminated infections involving the kidneys. Besides <i>Candida</i>, other agents like <i>Cryptococcus</i> spp. can cause urinary tract infection (UTI), as well as other non-yeast fungi, especially among immunocompromised patients. The detection and identification of fungi in urine samples (by microscopy and culture) plays an essential role in the diagnosis of fungal UTI. However, variable cutoff definitions and unreliable culture techniques may skew analysis of the incidence and outcome of candiduria. The sediment analysis plays a key role in the identification of fungal UTI because both yeasts and pseudohyphae are easily identified and can be used as a clinical sign of fungal UTI but should not be overinterpreted. Indeed, urine markers of the immune response (leukocytes), urine barriers of tissue protection (epithelial cells), and urine markers of kidney disease (urinary casts) can be found in urine samples. This work explores the manifestations associated with the fungal UTI from the urinalysis perspective, namely the urinary findings and clinical picture of patients with fungal UTI caused by <i>Candida</i> spp., aspects associated with the immune response, and the future perspectives of urinalysis in the diagnosis of this clinical condition.
ISSN:2309-608X