Clinical aspects of invasive candidiasis in paediatric patients.

Candida infections in paediatric patients are an important issue. They are associated with significant mortality, particularly in newborns and those with congenital immunodeficiencies. At present, there is limited knowledge regarding factors associated with an increased risk of developing invasive candidiasis in newborns and those with congenital immunodeficiencies, although there have been a number of studies conducted to characterize these risk factors. These studies have suggested that, in neonates, the most important of these factors is colonization, whereas in paediatric patients with congenital immunodeficiencies, risk factors may differ according to the specific deficiency present. Regarding treatment of invasive candidiasis in paediatric patients, fluconazole is considered an appropriate choice, although the method for determining treatment strategies for each patient should be the same as that used for such decisions in adult patients.