EMERGENCE OF CANDIDA-PARAPSILOSIS AS THE PREDOMINANT SPECIES CAUSING CANDIDEMIA IN CHILDREN

An increase in the rate of isolation of Candida parapsilosis, relative to other Candida species, in our children's hospital led us to analyz e the clinical and epidemiological variables associated with candidemi a. We sought to determine if these variables are different for patient s infected with C. parapsilosis. All episodes of candidemia occurring over a 7-year period were analyzed retrospectively. Of 81 episodes in 80 patients, 35 (43%) were in neonates, and 46 (57%) were in nonneonat es. C. parapsilosis was isolated in 40 episodes (49%). C. parapsilosis was significantly more likely than non-C. parapsilosis species to be associated with prematurity (P = .001), presence of a central venous c atheter (P = .002), and use of total parenteral nutrition (P = .03). C . parapsilosis has emerged as the predominant species in our children' s hospital. The mortality rate associated with candidemia in children is lower than previously reported and map be associated with the high rate of isolation of C. parapsilosis.