Candidemia in preterm infants in neonatal intensive care unit at zagazig university hospitals

Abstract

Background: Candidiasis is a leading cause of blood stream infections in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and associated with high mortality and morbidity. Preterm infants are more vulnerable to be affected with candida infections. Patients and Methods: The study is cross-sectional analytical study aimed to evaluate the magnitude of candidemia and evaluate risk factors, proper management, and clinical outcome of candidemia in preterms in NICU in Zagazig University Hospital. It included (103) preterms, their gestational ages of 30 to 37 weeks with weights of 1 to 3 kg. They were admitted to (NICU) of Pediatric Department and Obstetric and Gynecology Department. Investigations were conducted at the Department of Clinical Pathology and Microbiology at Zagazig University Hospitals during the period of 6 months from November 2018 to April 2019. Results: 12.6% of the studied group gave positive fungal culture, Candida albicans was the commonest type of fungi found (among 61.5% of the candidemia positive group). 30.8% of candidemia group had taken empirical diflucan as a regimen versus 95.6% of the other group had taken it and the difference between groups was highly statistically significant. Conclusion: Preterms are more vulnerable to candida infection. Candida albicans is the commonest type and the use of empirical antifungal therapy to preterms at risk reduces the prevalence of candidemia in the NICU.