Objective: Fungal infections caused by Candida species are important causes of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, especially in cases requiring prolonged stay in the intensive care units. In our study, it was aimed to determine the distribution of species and antifungal susceptibility of Candida species isolated from various postmortem samples.

Method: Between the years 2014-2018, a total of 176 yeast species grown in various body samples of 71 autopsized cases sent to the Postmortem Microbiology Laboratory for examination were included in this retrospectiive study. Isolated yeast species were identified, and typed by colony morphology, Gram staining properties, germ tube test and VITEK 2 Compact® (bioMérieux, France) automated identification system. Antifungal susceptibilities were determined by VITEK 2 Compact® system.

Results: A total of 176 yeast isolates were identified as follows: 87 (49.4%) Candida albicans, 36 (20.5%) Candida tropicalis, 30 (17%) Candida glabrata, 8 (4.5%) Candida parapsilosis, 6 (3.4%) Candida kefyr, 5 (2.8%) Candida krusei, 2 (1.2%) Candida dubliniensis, and 2 (1.2%) Cryptococcus neoformans. The resistance rates of the isolates against fluconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B and micafungin were 10.2%, 4.1%, 0% and 100%, respectively.

Conclusion: Microbiological researches concerning invasive fungal infections in forensic autopsies are rarely performed. For this reason, antifungal susceptibility and species identification of Candida in postmortem cases will contribute to national and international forensic microbiological studies.