Aspectos microbiológicos de la candidiasis en neonatos

Abstract

Nosocomial infections due to Candida spp. in neonates have been increasing in frequency in last year at many places, particularly in low-birth weight children, being infections that could be complicated and even lead to sepsis in the patients. Objectives: For these reasons we made out a study to determinate the epidemiological and microbiological features of infections due to Candida spp. in neonates admitted at Hospital General del Oeste, Caracas, Venezuela, during 1995-2003. Material and Methods: From all samples taken from neonates with suspicion of infections due to Candida spp. sent to the Microbiology lab, these were cultured, organisms isolated and identified by conventional methods looking for Candida spp. For the management of microbiological data we used the software WHONET 5.0 and Excel, and Epi Info v.6.0 for statistics. Results: During the study period we evaluated 60 neonates with candidiasis. Mean age was 6.1 ± 5.8 days; 82.8% were less than 10 days and corresponding 54.1% to boys and 45.9% to girls (p>0.05). The 50.0% proceded from pediatric hospitalization wards (p 0.05). Etiology of tose infections was:: 49.23% Candida albicans, 49.23% Candida spp and 1.54% Candida parapsilosis (p>0.05). Discussion: Candidiasis in neonatos is classified in: candidiasis of early beginning or maternal-fetal infections, and of delayed onset, primitives or nosocomials. Candida albicans is the predominant especies in the first one, whilst C. parapsilosis in the second one. In this study almost 50% corresponded to C. albicans , with C. parapsilosis in less than 2% of identified strains, both species are susceptibles to fluconazole, choice drug in these cases. In the same way, in this serie, UTI due to Candida was the most frequent formo f candidiasis, especially at ICU, being more frequent in younger patients.