Candida colonization in mechanically ventilated patients

The diagnosis of pulmonary candidosis is controversial. We undertook a pros pective study. on 50 mechanically ventilated ( > 48 h) patients who were ho spitalized ( > 72 h) in the intensive care unit (ICU) with the aim of asses sing the incidence of the isolation of Candida species from endotracheal as pirates (EX). Patients were categorized as individuals already colonized wi th Candida spp. on admission, individuals becoming colonized during hospita lization, or patients with no colonization. Patients in the ICU were hospit alized for a mean of 23 days. The percentage of patients already colonized with Candida was low (six of 50; 12%), the incidence of Candida isolation f rom EA in critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients in ICU was also lon (sis of 50; 12%), Age, duration of hospitalization, pre-treatment with antimicrobials or immunosuppressive agents and occurrence of underlying dis ease were not risk factors in our study: Both antifungal usage and neutrope nia were more common in already colonized patients. No risk factors were de termined for patients colonized during hospitalization. As all the isolates identified were C. albicans. It appears that at present, colonization and/ or infection by more resistant Candida species is not a problem in our unit . (C) 2001 The Hospital Infection Society.