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Invasive candidiasis in infants: experience from Saudi Arabia
1Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Invasive candidiasis in infants is rare in Saudi Arabia. This report highlights two cases, emphasizing predisposing factors and the need for increased physician awareness to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Invasive candidiasis (IC) reports in infants are scarce, particularly in tropical regions and Saudi Arabia.
- Candida species are a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections in neonates.
Observation:
- Two cases of invasive candidiasis in Saudi infants are presented.
- Clinical features and treatment responses were compared to international pediatric literature.
Findings:
- Identified predisposing factors include prematurity, low birthweight, invasive procedures, prolonged hospitalization, and broad-spectrum antibiotic use.
- Physician unawareness of these risk factors may contribute to diagnostic delays.
Implications:
- Highlights the need for heightened clinical vigilance and awareness regarding infant invasive candidiasis in the region.
- Emphasizes the critical importance of not overlooking Candida isolates from clinical specimens.
Abstract:
There are few reports about invasive candidiasis in infants in the tropics in general and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in particular. Two Saudi infants with invasive candidiasis are reported and their clinical features and response to treatment are compared with that found in the paediatric literature, mainly from the developed world. Prematurity, low birthweight, invasive procedures, long hospital stay and prolonged use of broad-spectrum antibiotics were found to be predisposing factors in the two patients, and we believe that a lack of awareness of these by the referring physicians led to a delay in diagnosis. The need for greater awareness and vigilance, and the dangers inherent in overlooking isolates of candida from clinical materials are emphasized.
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