Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 47 12 2018 12 01 1816 1821 Mitra MOBIN Research Laboratory, University Center UNINOVAFAPI, Teresina, Brazil Maria Walderez SZESZS Nucleus Mycology, Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo, Brazil Juliana Possatto TAKAHASHI Nucleus Mycology, Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo, Brazil Marilena MARTINS Nucleus Mycology, Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo, Brazil Daise Damaris Carnietto de HIPPÓLITO Nucleus Mycology, Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo, Brazil Jhonatas Cley Santos PORTO Research Laboratory, University Center UNINOVAFAPI, Teresina, Brazil João Batista TELES Research Laboratory, University Center UNINOVAFAPI, Teresina, Brazil Sidney Gonçalo de LIMA Science Center of Nature, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, Brazil Marcia de Souza Carvalho MELHEM Nucleus Mycology, Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo, Brazil 2018 12 05 Background: We aimed to assess susceptibility pattern of Candida species isolated from horticulturists with onychomycosis to four antifungal drugs and to compare the effectiveness of conventional identification methods with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Methods: This study was conducted in a community garden located in Teresina, State of Piauí, Brazil, in the year 2014. The samples were identified through phenotypic methods and per MALDI-TOF MS, being used PCR as definitive identification test. The susceptibility pattern to four antifungal drugs was determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Results: Fourteen clinical isolates from seven different species were identified by the phenotypic method and by MALDI-TOF MS, with an observed concordance of 71.4% between the two methods. C. albicans (28.6%), C. parapsilosis (21.4%), C. guilliermondii and C. metapsilosis (both with 14.3%) were the most frequent species. With the exception of C. krusei, all species were sensitive to the tested antifungal. Conclusion: This is the first study of antifungal susceptibility of Candida in Piauí, Brazil. With the exception of C. krusei, no species showed resistance to the antifungal drugs used. This study suggests constants updates from the public databases used in MALDI-TOF MS to provide a rapid and accurate mycological diagnosis.   https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/15507 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/15507/6221