Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract
07:42

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract

Published on: July 1, 2020

Candidaemia with uncommon Candida species: predisposing factors, outcome, antifungal susceptibility, and implications

S C A Chen1, D Marriott, E G Playford

  • 1Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Ausralia. Sharon.chen@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
|July 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Bloodstream infections from uncommon Candida species are increasingly seen in outpatients, differing from Candida albicans infections. Risk factors like intravenous drug use and HIV infection are associated with specific uncommon Candida species.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Microbiology

Background:

  • Risk factors and clinical features of bloodstream infections caused by uncommon Candida species remain poorly understood.
  • Candidaemia, a serious fungal infection, is typically associated with common Candida species.
  • Emerging trends in fungal infections necessitate a deeper understanding of less common pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify clinical variables associated with bloodstream infections caused by uncommon Candida species.
  • To compare the clinical features of uncommon Candida species infections with those of Candida albicans infections.
  • To guide the management of candidaemia by recognizing specific risk factors for uncommon species.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 57 cases of candidaemia due to uncommon Candida species (non-albicans, non-glabrata, non-parapsilosis, non-tropicalis, non-krusei).
  • Comparison of these cases with 517 episodes of Candida albicans candidaemia between 2001 and 2004.
  • Statistical analysis to identify independent clinical variables associated with uncommon Candida species infections.

Main Results:

  • Uncommon Candida species accounted for 5.3% of candidaemia cases and were more likely to be acquired in outpatients compared to inpatients.
  • Candida dubliniensis was the most frequent uncommon species, associated with intravenous drug use and chronic liver disease.
  • Infections with other uncommon species were linked to younger age (<65), male sex, and HIV infection; mortality rates were similar across groups, except for a higher trend in Candida lusitaniae infections.

Conclusions:

  • Candidaemia due to uncommon Candida species is an emerging issue, particularly among hospital outpatients.
  • Specific clinical variables, such as intravenous drug use, chronic liver disease, younger age, male sex, and HIV infection, can aid in recognizing infections caused by these less common fungi.
  • Antifungal susceptibility testing revealed broad susceptibility to standard treatments, though some fluconazole resistance was noted.

More Related Videos

Whole Genome Sequencing of Candida glabrata for Detection of Markers of Antifungal Drug Resistance08:45

Whole Genome Sequencing of Candida glabrata for Detection of Markers of Antifungal Drug Resistance

Published on: December 28, 2017

An Optimized Protocol for Candida albicans Infection in Schmidtea mediterranea to Study Fungal Pathogenesis and Host Defense06:53

An Optimized Protocol for Candida albicans Infection in Schmidtea mediterranea to Study Fungal Pathogenesis and Host Defense

Published on: April 17, 2026

Related Concept Videos

Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...