Candidal Infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Observational Study

The aims of this study were to evaluate the demographic characteristics, risk factors, mortality rates, and laboratory findings of infants with fungal sepsis in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

This retrospective multicenter study included patients in NICU with Candida spp isolated in blood cultures between November 01, 2019, and September 01, 2022. The patients were evaluated in two groups as Group 1 infants with Candida albicans and Group 2 infants with Candida non-albicans positive blood cultures.

Candida infection was detected in blood cultures in 57 of 3450 patients admitted to the NICU. A total of 57 infants included in the study. Candida infection was determined 1.6% of infants in the study population, and 57% of them were extremely pre-term infants. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of laboratory data. Normal vaginal birth was determined at a higher rate in Group 1. In Group 2, length of hospital stay, duration of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and mechanical ventilation (MV) were determined to be longer. The mortality due to Candida fungemia was determined as 35%, and of these patients, 65% had an additional medical condition.

In accordance with the literature, this study showed that prolonged MV and longer TPN increased the incidence of fungal sepsis. Therefore, to decrease the fungal sepsis rate of NICU, shortening the hospital stay and effective screening programs are recommended.