Hospital acquired candida infections
are gaining significance worldwide. Candida is a well known etiological agent
causing blood stream infections, associated with high mortality rates.
A team of microbiologists from Sir
Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi retrospectively investigated the trend in
the epidemiology of candidaemia and the use of antifungal agents at a tertiary
care hospital, over a period of 10 years and the results are published in the
recent issue of Indian Journal of Medical Research.
The frequency of candidaemia occurrence
and the antifungal use were observed to be significantly higher. elevated.
Blood stream infections caused by species of Candida other than Candida albicans were observed to be on the rise and
this increase was found to be correlating with increasing usage of fluconazole.
The researchers have noted increased isolation and emergence of Candida haemulonii, a novel species of Candida which was
most isolates of these were found to exhibit decreased susceptibility to
amphotericin B and azoles.
This observation of a shift in
epidemiology of candidemia to non-albicans Candida species and the emergence of
amphotericin B and azole resistant strains are causes of severe concern and
call for immediate action towards judicious use of these antifungal agents.
Reference: Oberoi, J. K., Wattal, C., Goel, N.,
Raveendran, R., Datta, S., & Prasad, K. (2012). Non-albicans Candida
species in blood stream infections in a tertiary care hospital at New Delhi,
India. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 136(6), 997.
http://www.icmr.nic.in/ijmr/2012/december/7.pdf
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