Neonatal systemic candidiasis in a tertiary care centre.

The purpose of this study was to identify infections causing Candida spp. and to examine their susceptibility to antifungal drugs. The study examined 30 isolates of Candida spp. grown from blood culture samples of neonates. Clinical histories revealed that all 30 infants had received systemic broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, 27/30 were low birth weight, 21/30 suffered from respiratory distress syndrome and 23/30 were preterm. The three species of Candida isolated were Candida albicans (16/30, 53.3%), C. tropicalis (7/30,23.3%), and C. krusei (7/30, 23.3%). Antifungal susceptibility tests against fluconazole and amphotericin B were done based on the NCCLS guidelines for antifungal susceptibility testing. The fluconazole resistance pattern was as follows: 1/16 (6.25%) strain of C. albicans was susceptible, 12/16 (75%) strains were dose dependent susceptibles, and 3/16 (18.75%) were resistant to fluconazole. Among Candida tropicalis, 2/7(29%) strains were susceptible, 4/7 (55.5%) dose dependent susceptible and 1/7 (14.5%) were resistant. All strains of C. krusei were resistant to fluconazole. There was no resistance to amphotericin B.