Prevalence, Clinical Correlation, and Antifungal Susceptibility of Candidemia Patients in Various Intensive Care Unit's of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Jharkhand.

INTRODUCTION

Candidemia represents grave healthcare-associated fungal infections. Being an opportunistic pathogen, Candida is becoming a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in patients at greater risk. The aim of the present study was to examine Candida isolates collected from blood cultures in intensive care unit patients at a tertiary care hospital in Jharkhand and to illustrate their various properties and its clinical correlations along with various antifungal susceptibility profiles.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

In this prospective study of 12 months, Candida isolates from blood were differentiated by conventional methods and compared by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight and VITEK 2 compact automated system. Findings were clinically correlated with various parameters like death, patients requiring assisted ventilation, and number of hospital stay days.

RESULTS

Out of 985 positive blood cultures, 95 were Candida species (9.64%). Seventy-nine isolates were Non-Albicans Candida (83.15%) and 16 isolates were Candida albicans (16.8%). Candida tropicalis 30 isolates (31.5%) was isolated, followed by Candida glabrata, Candida parapsilosis, and others. Mean age of the patients was 18.67 years. With a mortality rate of 45.2%, children were mostly deceased, accounting for 58% of all the deaths. Male predominance is seen, constituting 72% of all the deaths. C. tropicalis and C. glabrata were the most common organisms leading to death, both contributing 31% each, while C. tropicalis is the most common organism due to which patients required assisted ventilation. These isolates were susceptible to common antifungals.

CONCLUSION

Judicious start of antifungal drugs in patients of high risk is very important. This study will help clinicians to opt for best antifungal agents in the management of candidemia shortening hospital stay days.