Genotyping of fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans isolated from Uighurian people in Xinjing (China) using ALTS/RFLP and micro-TGGE method.

Antifungal susceptibility tests were performed for 38 Candida albicans strains isolated from oral cavities of 43 Uighurian AIDS patients. Results showed that six isolates were resistant to fluconazole; one showed low susceptibility. We attempted to examine these strains molecular-epidemiologically, but 25S rDNA genotyping was insufficient for their discrimination. To estimate whether the origins of resistant strains were identical, we developed a new combination method of C. albicans tandem repeating units (ALTS)/RFLP and micro-temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (micro-TGGE). This new method was able to distinguish all seven strains. A suspected nosocomial infection was ruled out.