Candida bloodstream infection: data from a teaching hospital in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

SUMMARYThe incidence of Candida bloodstream infection has increased over the past years. In the Center-West region of Brazil, data on candidemia are scarce. This paper reports a retrospective analysis of 96 cases of Candida bloodstream infection at a Brazilian tertiarycare teaching hospital in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, from January 1998 to December 2006. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected from medical records and from the hospital's laboratory database. Patients' ages ranged from three days to 92 years, with 53 (55.2%) adults and 43 (44.8%) children. Of the latter, 25 (58.1%) were newborns. The risk conditions most often found were: long period of hospitalization, utilization of venous central catheter, and previous use of antibiotics. Fifty-eight (60.4%) patients died during the hospitalization period and eight (13.7%) of them died 30 days after the diagnosis of candidemia. Candida albicans (45.8%) was the most prevalent species, followed by C. parapsilosis (34.4%), C. tropicalis (14.6%) and C. glabrata (5.2%). This is the first report of Candida bloodstream infection in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and it highlights the importance of considering the possibility of invasive Candida infection in patients exposed to risk factors, particularly among neonates and the elderly.

Contaminação por fungos antes e após limpeza e desinfecção de colchões hospitalares

“…(14)(15)(16)(17)(18) Such results are similar to those found in this study, in which contamination with Candida parapsilosis following the cleaning/disinfection process persisted in three hospital mattresses.…”

“…Therefore, Candida parapsilosis is usually spotted in the pediatric population, whereas the incidence of the Candida glabrata increases as age advances. (12,(14)(15)20) The Candida parapsilosis species is often found on the skin, and its transmission is predominantly exogenous, mainly by the hands of healthcare professionals. Its occurrence is also highly prevalent in children and premature newborns admitted in intensive care units.…”

Antifungal susceptibility and distribution of Candida spp. isolates from the University Hospital in the municipality of Dourados, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

“…Furnaleto et al 12 observed that infections caused by Candida spp. were more frequent in older people (> 61 years), those less than one year old, and among ICU patients 19,20 .…”

“…However, Chang et al 19 reported a prevalence of C. albicans of 45.8% among analyzed candidemia infections at the University Hospital of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. In Brazil and in our study, several studies have indicated C. tropicalis as the second most frequent isolate in cases of candidemia among hospitalized patients 12,20,24 .…”

Bloodstream infection in patients with end-stage renal disease in a teaching hospital in central-western Brazil

“…Non-albicans Candida species, such as Candida parapsilosis, have emerged as important infectious agents 35 . This pathogen can secrete glycosylated proteins that form biofi lms in solution and adhere to plastic materials such as intravascular catheters 36 .…”