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Human Placental and Decidual Organ Cultures to Study Infections at the Maternal-fetal Interface
07:04

Human Placental and Decidual Organ Cultures to Study Infections at the Maternal-fetal Interface

Published on: July 21, 2016

Patterns of fungal colonization in preterm infants weighing less than 1000 grams at birth

David A Kaufman1, Matthew J Gurka, Kevin C Hazen

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. dak4r@virginia.edu

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|July 29, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Fungal colonization in extremely low birth weight infants begins in the skin and gut before the respiratory tract. Candida albicans is more likely to spread to multiple sites than Candida parapsilosis.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Candida spp. colonization is a significant risk factor for systemic infection in premature infants.
  • Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (<1000 g) face higher risks of fungal sepsis and mortality compared to very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.
  • Limited research exists on fungal colonization specifically within ELBW infant populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the patterns of fungal colonization in high-risk ELBW infants.
  • To analyze the timing, sites, species, and spread of Candida colonization.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of fungal surveillance cultures from 50 ELBW infants.
  • Weekly cultures of skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and umbilicus from birth to 6 weeks.
  • Evaluation of colonization timing, site, species, and inter-site spread.

Main Results:

  • Candida was isolated in 62% (31/50) of ELBW infants.
  • Colonization incidence was inversely related to gestational age.
  • Skin and gastrointestinal tract colonization (weeks 1 and 2) preceded respiratory tract colonization (week 3).
  • Candida albicans showed a higher propensity for multi-site colonization (≥3 sites) compared to Candida parapsilosis.

Conclusions:

  • Fungal colonization in ELBW infants typically initiates on the skin and in the gastrointestinal tract before affecting the respiratory tract.
  • Candida albicans demonstrates a greater tendency to colonize multiple body sites than Candida parapsilosis.
Abstract

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