[Epidemiology and prognostic factors of systemic candidiasis in intensive care units]

The incidence of systemic Candida infections in patients requiring intensive care has substantially increased in recent years. Epidemiologic evidence for this trend is consistent in american as european studies. An emergence of non-albicans species is also demonstrated. Systemic Candida infections are associated with a high mortality and morbidity, an increased length of stay and a heavy workload for the ICU staff. A number of studies have identified risk factors for transition from mere colonisation to infection and prognostic factors for mortality. A review of published data is given.