Ja. Karlowsky et al., CANDIDEMIA IN A CANADIAN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL FROM 1976 TO 1996, Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease, 29(1), 1997, pp. 5-9
The incidence of candidemia was reviewed at the Health Sciences Centre
in Winnipeg, Canada, over a 21-year period (1976 to 1996). Candida sp
ecies were identified as bloodstream isolates in significantly (p < 0.
05) higher numbers from 1991 to 1996 than in the previous 15 years. An
tifungal susceptibilities remained unchanged with Candida albicans iso
lates tested from 1985 to 1996. Retrospective chart reviews revealed t
hat all patients with candidemia possessed at least two risk factors.
The main risk factors identified were recent or concurrent antibiotic
therapy (95% of patients), presence of a central line (93% of patients
), and immunosuppression (88% of patients). Treatment generally involv
ed amphotericin B therapy (81% of patients), and death occurred in 52%
of the patients. Mortality directly attributable to Candida species c
ould be established in 23% of patients. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.