Species distribution and antifungal susceptibilities of bloodstream Candida isolates: a nine-years single center survey

Abstract

This study analyzed the epidemiology of bloodstream infections due to Candida spp. in a tertiary referral hospital of Ancona, Italy, and their susceptibility to antifungals. The retrospective observational study from January 2010 to December 2018 identified 504 episodes of candidemia in 461 patients. Although Candida albicans remained the species most frequently isolated, Candida spp. other than C. albicans caused 49% of the overall episodes of candidemia. According to CLSI interpretation, most of the isolates resulted susceptible to antifungals. Azoles vs Candida tropicalis represented an exception. Echinocandin non-susceptibility was rare across the species. In conclusion, with the exception of C. tropicalis, the isolation of a non-susceptible Candida strains against azoles, echinocandins and amphotericin B was a rare event.

Keywords:

• Candida species
• bloodstream infections
• antifungal susceptibility testing
• antifungal therapy
• fungal infections
• candidemia
• antifungal resistance

Additional information

Funding

This work was partially funded by the Ricerca di Ateneo Anni 2017/2018, Università Politecnica delle Marche, to Francesco Barchiesi.

Notes on contributors

Lucia Brescini

Lucia Brescini, PhD, MD, is assistant professor in Infectious Disease and Infectious Disease physician at Clinica di Malattie Infettive, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I°-Lancisi-Salesi, Ancona, Italy.

Sara Mazzanti

Sara Mazzanti is post-graduate MD at Clinica di Malattie Infettive, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I°-Lancisi-Salesi, Ancona, Italy.

Elena Orsetti

Elena Orsetti, MD, is physician at Malattie Infettive, Ospedale Augusto Murri, Fermo, Italy.

Gianluca Morroni

Gianluca Morroni, PhD, is assistant professor in Microbiology at Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.

Annamaria Masucci

Annamaria Masucci is biologist at Laboratorio di Microbiologia, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I°-Lancisi-Salesi, Ancona, Italy.

Antonella Pocognoli

Antonella Pocognoli is biologist at Laboratorio di Microbiologia, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria, Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I°-Lancisi-Salesi, Ancona, Italy.

Francesco Barchiesi

Francesco Barchiesi, PhD, MD is full professor in Infectious Disease at Università Politecnica delle Marche and head physician at Malattie Infettive, Azienda Ospedaliera, Ospedali Riuniti Marche Nord, Pesaro, Italy.