Disseminated nosocomial candidiasis in a pediatric intensive care unit

Nosocomial disseminated candidiasis was diagnosed in 6 out of 200 (3%) children receiving pediatric intensive care over a period of 9 months. The ages of patients ranged between 20 days to 3 years; 4 were < 2 months. Therapy with broad spectrum antibiotics (in all), indwelling cannula (in all), peritoneal dialysis (in 3), low birth weight (in 3) and invasive hemodynamic monitoring were recognizable predisposing factors. The diagnosis was suspected on an average after 14 days, PICU stay (range 8-20 days). All the patients showed a secondary worsening after evidence of improvement from the primary illness. It was characterized by lethargy, fever (in 3), weight loss (in 3), loose stools (in 2) and respiratory distress (in 3), and was indistinguishable from any bacterial sepsis. Presumptive diagnosis was made on basis of KOH wet mount and Gram stained smear findings of mycelia, and was confirmed later on isolation of candida species from one or more body sites and blood culture. All the patients showed disappearance of symptoms and mycological cure within 6-14 days of oral itraconazole therapy, (10 mg/ kg/day in 2 divided doses). The therapy was continued for upto 14 days after sterile fungal blood culture, and was well tolerated. Fungal superinfection especially with candida must be looked for in hospitalized patients suspected of nosocomial infection. Early oral itraconazole is effective in disseminated candidiasis and well tolerated by children.