Nosocomial fungaemia:: a 2-year prospective study

Eighty-six consecutive patients with fungaemia were studied during a period of 2 years, 81% had two or more positive blood cultures. Gastrointestinal tract (28%) and haematological diseases (17%) were the most common underlying conditions. The majority of cases had received vancomycin and/or imipenem (87%) and a central venous catheter (78%). Candida albicans (50%) and Candida parapsilosis (17%) were the most frequent isolates. Overall mortality was 41%, and for patients with Candida tropicalis was 71%. There was no significant difference in survival with gender, age and days of treatment with antifungal drugs. Haematological diseases, neutropenia and a higher number of positive blood cultures were associated with poor outcome. (C) 2000 The Hospital Infection Society.