Abstract
Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD–PCR) is a powerful discriminative assay comparing several clinical isolates by amplifying the target DNA genome by a group of short random primers. In clinical mycology the infections with Candida species increase, especially Candida albicans and their complications become a serious problem, So this work aims to determine the genetic typing of clinical C. Albicans isolated from ICU patient's (urine, blood, vaginal secretions, and bronchoalveolar lavage) who existing in Elarreish hospital, Egypt based on RAPD-PCR assay. To investigate their genetic relationships.
Totally one hundred samples of 40 samples of urine, 30 samples of blood, 20 samples of vaginal secretions and 10 samples of Bronchoalveolar lavage were collected. About 50 different species of Candida were isolated, 28 species out of them were identified by standard-taxonomic criteria and molecular technique as Candida albicans (n =28). Candida albicans represents 14 samples of urine (35%), 7 samples of blood (23%), 3 samples of vaginal secretions (10%), and 4 samples of bronchoalveolar lavage (40%).
Genetic relevance of the different 28 Candida albicans was analyzed by (RAPD) assay using 6 different primers OPA1, OPA2, OPA3, OPA7, OPA8, and OPA9. Only three primers OPA3, OPA7, and OPA9 allow discrimination among the Candida albicans isolates. PCR bands were scored as present or absent and the genetic similarity between them was determined using Jaccard's coefficient(Sj). Dendrograms constructed using the UPGMA method showed that 12, 14, and 20 different genotypes can be identified by OPA3, OPA7, and OPA9 primers respectively since they showed a high degree of genetic heterogeneity. Data indicated that RAPD analysis is useful for providing genotypic characteristics for C. albicans in the epidemiological investigation.

Key words: Clinical samples, Candida albicans, Candidiasis, RAPD-PCR.