Disseminated neonatal candidiasis in the neonatal intensive care unit

ABSTRACT

The study included 50 critically-ill newborns with clinical features of neonatal sepsis, selected when having a minimum of 2 of the risk factors known to enhance the development of systemic candidiasis namely, prematurity or low birth weight [90%], prolonged antibiotic therapy [80%], prolonged insertion of intravascular cannulae [70%], gastrointestinal surgery or diseases [38%], use of aminophylline [32%] or steroids [16%] and/or prolonged endotracheal intubation [16%].Candida albicans could be isolated in only one of 35 urine specimens obtained by suprapubic bladder aspiration. All blood samples [obtained from 50 newborns] and CSF samples [from 13 newborns] were negative for C.-albicans inspite of prolonged culture on appropriate media. Disseminated neonatal candidiasis seems to affect a minority [2%] of high risk critically ill neonates. In highly suspicious cases different specimens [Blood, Urine and CSF] should be cultured since the organism may be grown in only one of these specimens