Immune response in patients with persistent candiduria and occult candidemia

We evaluated the immunological response in patients with persistent candiduria with or without occult candidemia.

Levels of Thl (pro-inflammatory interleukin [IL]-1, IL-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and Th2 (anti-inflammatory IL-4 and IL-10) cytokines were measured in the sera of patients with persistent candiduria. Polymerase chain reaction assessment of the 158 base pair candidal actin gene was used to detect Candida albicans in blood to identify occult candidemia.

During a 14-month period 66 hospitalized patients with a mean age of 63 years (range 44 to 80) with persistent candiduria were evaluated. Occult candidemia developed in 27 patients (41%) as evidenced by detection of candidal actin gene in the sera by polymerase chain reaction. Risk factors included antibiotics in 27 patients (100%), central venous catheter in 22 (81%), urinary catheter in 21 (78%), total parenteral nutrition in 18 (66%), diabetes mellitus in 16 (59%) and abdominal surgery in 14 (52%). A total of 17 age matched patients with a mean age of 59 years hospitalized for elective general or vascular surgical procedures with no clinical or laboratory evidence of urinary or hematogenous fungal or bacterial infection served as controls. Serum levels of Th2 cytokines were elevated in 18 of 39 patients with persistent candiduria alone, and in 22 of 27 patients with candiduria and occult candidemia compared to controls (p<0.002). Th1 cytokines were within normal limits or slightly decreased in all patients with persistent candiduria with or without candidemia.

These observations indicate that an abnormal immune response develops in patients with persistent candiduria with or without candidemia.