RESUMEN
Background: Candidia is the most common fungal infection affecting the transplant recipients. Regular monitoring of at-risk patients by detection of circulating Mannan antigen is an aid in early diagnosis of Candidaemia
Objectives: determination of the hospital risk factors for developing Candidaemia, the average time for occurrence of Candidaemia among living donor liver transplant [LDLT] recipients andevaluation of the value of Mannan antigen in early detection of Candidaemia
Methodology: This study was conducted on 50 LDLT recipients. All patients were subjected to history taking and complete medical examination. Blood culture was done for detection of Candidaemia and serum Mannan antigen level was measured by EIA technique every five days postoperative for six times
Results:During the first month postoperative 7/50 cases [14%] of our LDLT patients had Candidaemia .The cultures done on the 5th day, were negative for all patients, however serum Mannan antigen was positive in 3 cases [sensitivity 42.9%, specificity 95.3%]. In the 10th day only 4 cases were positive by blood culture [sensitivity 57.1%, specificity 100%]., while serum Mannan antigen was detected in the all seven cases [sensitivity 100% specificity 95.3%]. On the 15th day,2 new cases became positive by blood culture [sensitivity 85.7%,specificity 100%], while serum Mannan antigen was still detected in the all 7 cases of Candidaemia [sensitivity 100% specificity 95.3%]. Finally on 20rh day postoperative, the last case tested positive by blood culture [sensitivity 71.4%, specificity 85.7%]
Conclusion: Serum Mannan antigenis a good tool for early detection of Candidaemia in LDLT recipients