A Decade of Invasive Candida Infection in Neonates: A Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Thailand (2008–2018)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiology of invasive candida infection in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a tertiary care center in Thailand over 10 years.METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted. Participants were enrolled from all neonates diagnosed with invasive candidiasis infection (ICI) in Vajira Hospital between 2008 and 2018. Demographic data, microbiological results, and neonatal outcomes were reviewed.RESULTS: During the study period, 9,031 neonates were admitted to the NICU. A total of 14 neonates were diagnosed with ICI, giving a prevalence of 1.5 cases per 1,000 infants admitted to the level II and III NICU. The median (IQR) gestational age and birth weight were 28.5 weeks (27.0, 31.0) and 1,053 g (850.0, 1,586.5), respectively. In all, 10 (71.4%) and 8 (57.1%) neonates had positive blood and urine cultures, respectively. All infants had negative cerebrospinal fluid cultures. Among 14 neonates diagnosed with ICI, 7 (50.0%) neonates had positive cultures for Candida albicans. The overall mortality rate of neonates with ICI was 21.4%.CONCLUSION: ICI exhibits a low incidence rate within Vajira Hospital. This occurrence is demonstrably associated with prematurity, extremely low birth weight infants, and a demonstrably high mortality rate.