Breakthrough Candidemia In Children On Micafungin

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatric Medicine
• Mycology

Background:

• Breakthrough candidemia (BC) occurs when antifungal treatment fails.
• Micafungin (MCFG) is a common antifungal agent used in pediatric care.
• Candida parapsilosis is a frequent cause of candidemia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cases of breakthrough candidemia in pediatric patients receiving micafungin.
• To identify the causative fungal species and their susceptibility patterns.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of pediatric patients diagnosed with breakthrough candidemia.
• Analysis of antifungal susceptibility testing for micafungin against isolated Candida strains.

Main Results:

• Eight pediatric patients on micafungin developed breakthrough candidemia.
• Candida parapsilosis was the causative agent in 7 out of 8 patients.
• All 8 Candida isolates demonstrated susceptibility to micafungin (MIC ≤1 µg/mL).

Conclusions:

• Breakthrough candidemia can occur in pediatric patients even with micafungin-susceptible Candida strains.
• Immunocompromised status may predispose patients to treatment failure.
• Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms of micafungin failure in these cases.