Profile of Fungal culture from Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and Bronchial washing in Bronchoscopy patients at Persahabatan Hospital, Jakarta

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary infection is a major health problem in Indonesia, including pulmonary mycosis caused by infection, fungal colonization and hypersensitivity reactions to fungi. Bronchoscopy is used as a diagnostic tool to observe endobronchial lesions and to obtain clinical specimens such as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and bronchial washing. Fungal culture examination from clinical specimen of bronchoscopy could assist in diagnosing pulmonary mycosis. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of patients underwent bronchoscopy who were examined for fungal culture from BAL and bronchial washing. Number of samples was the total sampling from January 2016 to December 2017. The study was conducted in Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Persahabatan Hospital, Jakarta. Results: Clinical specimens from bronchoscopy in this study were 67 bronchial washing samples and 21 BAL samples. There were positive fungal growth in 35 samples and no fungal growth in 53 samples. All growing fungi originated from Candida sp. with most species found was Candida albicans in 30 isolates, followed by Candida parapsilosis in 3 isolates, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis in one isolate, respectively.  Conclusion: Final diagnosis of the patients were lung tumor, pulmonary TB, pneumonia and pulmonary mycosis.The clinical specimens taken by bronchoscopy in this study were bronchial washings and BALs. From these specimens, fungal growth were observed in several specimens and the species were Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis.