Clinical profile and risk factors for oral candidosis in sick newborns.

ABSTRACT

PIP: During February-September 1992, all 650 infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of the University College of Medical Sciences and G.T.B. Hospital were screened for oral thrush. A case control study was conducted to determine risk factors for oral candidiasis in newborns. The rate of oral candidiasis in this population was 3.2% (20 cases). The most common pathogen was Candida albicans (50%). All but 1 oral thrush case had acute pseudomembranous candidiasis. 75% of oral thrush cases were asymptomatic. Mean age of onset was 10.4 days (median, 9.5 days). Clotrimazole solution was applied to oral lesions of all oral thrush cases. The multiple logistic regression revealed that birth asphyxia was the only significant factor responsible for oral thrush in newborns (odds ratio = 8.09; p = 0.0226). These findings show that the most important perinatal event associated with oral thrush in newborns was birth asphyxia.