Candida species in community-acquired pneumonia in patients with chronic aspiration

When Candida species is found in a sputum culture, clinicians generally dismiss it as a contaminant. We sought to identify cases of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in which Candida might play a contributory etiologic role.

In a convenience sample of patients hospitalized for CAP, we screened for "high-quality sputum" by Gram stain (> 20 WBC/epithelial cell) and performed quantitative sputum cultures. Criteria for a potential etiologic role for Candida included the observation of large numbers of yeast forms on Gram stain, intracellular organisms and > 10⁶ CFU/ml Candida in sputum. We gathered clinical information on cases that met these criteria for possible Candida infection.

Sputum from 6 of 154 consecutive CAP patients had large numbers of extra- and intracellular yeast forms on Gram stain, with > 10⁶ CFU/ml Candida albicans, glabrata, or tropicalis on quantitative culture. In all 6 patients, the clinical diagnoses at admission included chronic aspiration. Greater than 10⁵ CFU/ml of a recognized bacterial pathogen (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, or Pseudomonas) or > 10⁶ CFU/ml of other 'normal respiratory flora' (Lactobacillus species) were present together with Candida spp. in every case. Blood cultures yielded Candida in 2 cases, and 1,3-beta-D glucan was > 500 ng/mL in 3 of 3 cases in which it was assayed. Since all patients were treated with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal drugs, no inference about etiology can be derived from therapeutic response.

Candida spp. together with a recognized bacterial pathogen or normal respiratory flora may contribute to the cause of CAP in patients who chronically aspirate.