[Evaluation of risk factors in patients with candiduria]

Urinary system infections are usually bacterial, however, fungal etiology, particularly Candida spp. are encountered in about 10% of these infections. C.albicans is still the most frequently isolated species in candiduria. This study was aimed to identify the risk factors of candiduria and to determine species distribution of Candida which cause candiduria in hospitalized patients. The study was carried out in a total of 93 hospitalized patients (68 female, 25 male; age range: 17-84 yrs, mean age: 59.5 ± 1.7 yrs) of which 50 presented with candiduria (case group) and 43 with bacteriuria (control group), between January 2009 to December 2009. The most frequently isolated species was C.albicans (n= 32; 64%), followed by C.glabrata (n= 13; 26%), C.tropicalis (n= 4; 8%) and C.krusei (n= 1; 2%). All of the isolates except one, were found susceptible to fluconazole and voriconazole by E-test (AB Biodisk, Sweden), however, C.krusei isolate was resistant to fluconazole and susceptible to voriconazole. The mean hospitalization period and the period of stay in intensive care unit (ICU) of the case group (9.56 ± 9.09 and 4.12 ± 7.05 days, respectively) were found statistically significant compared to control group (4.42 ± 3.71 and 0.53 ± 1.78, respectively) (p< 0.005). Nosocomial origin of infection was higher in control group (n= 45, 90%) than the case group (n= 30, 69.8%), (p= 0.014). The rate of antibiotic use prior to candiduria in the case group was detected significantly higher (n= 43; 86%) than the controls (n= 14; 32.6%) (p= 0.000). The most frequently used antibiotic prior to candiduria/bacteriuria was the quinolone group of agents both in case and control groups (42% and 21%, respectively). The other risk factors for candiduria found to be higher in the case group than the controls were as follows; presence of urinary system intervention (32% and 0, respectively; p= 0.000), catheter use (76% and 46.5%, respectively; p= 0.003) and immunosuppression history (24% and 9.3%, respectively; p= 0.041). However, there was no significant relationship between candiduria and history of surgical intervention, diabetes mellitus and renal failure (p> 0.05). In conclusion, rate of candiduria might be reduced by judicious antibiotic use, by implementation of guidelines for urinary catheter use, care and maintenance, and shortening the duration of ICU and hospital stay.