Increasing incidence of candidemia: results from a 20-year nationwide study in Iceland.

A nationwide study on candidemia was conducted in Iceland from 1980 to 1999. The annual incidence increased from 1.4 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year between 1980 and 1984 to 4.9 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year between 1995 and 1999 (P < 0.0001). Candidemia episodes at university hospitals increased from 0.15/1,000 admissions to 0.55/1,000 admissions (P < 0.0001). Candida albicans was the predominant species responsible (64.4%). The national import of fluconazole increased approximately fourfold during the second half of the study, but increased resistance to this agent was not observed.