Candidemia in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective, Observational Survey and Analysis of Literature Data

Abstract EN

We evaluated the epidemiology of Candida bloodstream infections in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of an Italian university hospital during a 9-year period as a means of quantifying the burden of infection and identifying emerging trends.

Clinical data were searched for in the microbiological laboratory database.

For comparative purposes, we performed a review of NICU candidemia.

Forty-one candidemia cases were reviewed (overall incidence, 3.0 per 100 admissions).

Candida parapsilosis sensu stricto (58.5%) and C.

albicans (34.1%) were the most common species recovered.

A variable drift through years was observed; in 2015, 75% of the cases were caused by non-albicans species.

The duration of NICU hospitalization of patients with non-albicans was significantly longer than in those with C.

albicans (median days, 10 versus 12).

Patients with non-albicans species were more likely to have parenteral nutrition than those with C.

albicans (96.3% versus 71.4%).

Candida albicans was the dominant species in Europe and America (median, 55% and 60%; resp.); non-albicans species predominate in Asia (75%).

Significant geographic variation is evident among cases of candidemia in different parts of the world, recognizing the importance of epidemiological data to facilitate the treatment.