Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

A 96 Well Microtiter Plate-based Method for Monitoring Formation and Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida albicans Biofilms
07:19

A 96 Well Microtiter Plate-based Method for Monitoring Formation and Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida albicans Biofilms

Published on: October 21, 2010

44.9K

Predicting Fungemia in the ICU: Unveiling the Value of Weekly Fungal Surveillance and Yeast Colonisation Monitoring

Pedro Suárez-Urquiza1,2, Javier Pemán1,2, Monica Gordon3

  • 1Department of Medical Microbiology, University and Polytechnic La Fe Hospital, 46026 Valencia, Spain.

Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 25, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Weekly fungal surveillance in ICUs identifies key yeast colonizers, including Candida auris, predicting fungemia risk. This helps optimize antifungal use and improve patient outcomes in critical care settings.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Intensive Care Medicine

Background:

  • Fungemia poses a significant threat in intensive care units (ICUs), associated with high mortality.
  • Yeast colonization is a known risk factor for fungemia, but its predictive value needs further investigation.
  • Effective risk stratification and antifungal stewardship are crucial in managing fungemia in ICUs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate species-specific yeast colonization patterns in ICU patients over an 8-year period.
  • To assess the predictive utility of the Colonization Index (CI) and Corrected Colonization Index (CCI) for fungemia.
  • To determine the risk of candidemia associated with specific yeast species and anatomical site colonization.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 38,017 samples from 3206 patients and 171 fungemia episodes.
  • Implementation of a weekly fungal surveillance program.
  • Evaluation of colonization patterns, CI, CCI, and species-specific fungemia risks.

Main Results:

  • Colonization by Candida auris, Neonемся glabratus, and Candida parapsilosis increased with longer hospital stays.
  • The CI and CCI showed limited discriminatory power (AUROC 67% and 66%).
  • Yeast colonization demonstrated high sensitivity (98.32%) and NPV (95.90%) but low specificity and PPV (23.90% and 6.64%). Tracheal and urine cultures had the highest PPV, while inguinal cultures had the highest NPV.
  • Candida auris and Candida parapsilosis colonization were associated with significantly higher fungemia risk.

Conclusions:

  • Weekly fungal surveillance effectively identifies patients at increased risk for fungemia.
  • Specific yeast species colonization, particularly Candida auris, is a strong predictor of fungemia risk.
  • Findings support optimizing antifungal use and risk stratification strategies in ICUs based on surveillance data.
Keywords:
Candida auriscandidemiacandidemia predictorscolonisationintensive care unitsurveillance

More Related Videos

Live Imaging of Antifungal Activity by Human Primary Neutrophils and Monocytes in Response to A. fumigatus12:29

Live Imaging of Antifungal Activity by Human Primary Neutrophils and Monocytes in Response to A. fumigatus

Published on: April 19, 2017

10.2K
Development of a Polymicrobial Colony Biofilm Model to Test Antimicrobials in Cystic Fibrosis07:16

Development of a Polymicrobial Colony Biofilm Model to Test Antimicrobials in Cystic Fibrosis

Published on: September 20, 2024

888

Related Concept Videos

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures01:22

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment01:30

Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment

Pneumonia poses the potential for numerous complications that warrant consideration. These complications include the following:
Urine Studies II: Urine Culture and Sensitivity Test01:26

Urine Studies II: Urine Culture and Sensitivity Test

A urine culture and sensitivity test is a diagnostic procedure used to identify urinary tract bacterial infections and determine the most effective antibiotics for treatment. This test is generally preferred when a patient shows manifestations of a urinary tract infection, such as frequent or painful urination, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, or lower abdominal pain.Purpose of the TestThe primary goals of a urine culture and sensitivity test are to:Determine the specific bacteria causing the...
iChip01:24

iChip

The cultivation of environmental microorganisms has long been hindered by the inability to replicate complex native conditions in vitro. The isolation chip (iChip) addresses this limitation by facilitating the growth of previously uncultivable microorganisms through in situ incubation. Designed for high-throughput microbial cultivation, the iChip comprises hundreds of microchambers, each capable of housing a single microbial cell. These microchambers are loaded with a mixture of molten agar and...
Automated Microbial Diagnostics01:24

Automated Microbial Diagnostics

Automated diagnostic analyzers have transformed clinical microbiology by providing rapid and reliable methods for pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Among these systems, the Vitek 2 is widely used because it automates the traditionally labor-intensive processes of microbial identification (ID) and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), delivering standardized and timely results that are essential for effective patient care.Microbial Identification with ID CardsThe...