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.