Multiple-species candidemia in patients with cancer

Candidemia is a common cause of bloodstream infections in patients with cancer, with the majority of these infections being caused by a single Candida species. Studies of multiple-species candidemia (MSC) have rarely been reported.

The authors identified 33 patients with cancer who had candidemia (diagnosed between 1993 and 2000) caused by more than 1 Candida species. This group of 33 patients was compared with a control group of 66 patients with cancer who had C. albicans candidemia that arose soon before or soon after each case of MSC that was investigated in the current study.

Patients with MSC, compared with control patients, were more likely to have leukemia (33% vs. 8%; P = 0.001), to have had prolonged neutropenia before the onset of their infection (mean +/- standard deviation, 10 +/- 17 days vs. 3 +/- 6 days; P = 0.02), and to have received chemotherapy within 1 month before their infection (42% vs. 18%; P = 0.01). Patients with MSC also had higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores at the onset of infection (score > or = 16, 45% vs. 26%; P = 0.05) and were more likely to have received previous antifungal prophylaxis compared with patients who had candidemia caused by C. albicans (33% vs. 11%; P = 0.006). The response of C. albicans candidemia to single-agent antifungal therapy was significantly better than that of MSC (69% vs. 35% P = 0.004).

In patients with cancer, MSC was more likely to occur as breakthrough candidemia, predominantly in those with leukemia and prolonged neutropenia, and was associated with suboptimal responses to single-agent antifungal therapy.