Epidemiology, incidence and risk factors for invasive candidiasis in high risk patients

Candida spp. are an increasing cause of bloodstream infections, and are associated with high morbidity and mortality in both neutropenic and non-neutropenic critically ill patients. Risk factors associated with candidaemia are diverse and include exposure to broad spectrum antimicrobial agents, mucosal colonization by Candida spp., indwelling vascular catheters, prior surgery and cancer chemotherapy. During the last 20 years, there has been an increasing incidence worldwide in invasive candidiasis, but differences in geographical epidemiology are emerging, in particular regarding a shift towards non-albicans species. This shift has been correlated with routine fluconazole prophylaxis adopted in some patients, and the intrinsic/acquired azole resistance of Candida spp., which represents a very real problem, in terms of both selecting the appropriate empirical therapeutic approach and making prophylactic choices.