BACKGROUND Candidemia remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the health care setting, and the epidemiology of Candida infection is changing. METHODS Clinical and laboratory data from patients with candidemia were collected retrospectively at a tertiary medical center in Taiwan from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2012 (a 36-month period). Demographics, clinical characteristics, and drug...

The echinocandins are being used increasingly as therapy for invasive candidiasis. Prospective sentinel surveillance for the emergence of in vitro resistance to the echinocandins among invasive Candida sp. isolates is indicated. We determined the in vitro activities of anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin against 5,346 invasive (bloodstream or sterile-site) isolates of Candida spp. collec...

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of CD101, a novel echinocandin with a long serum elimination half-life, and comparator (anidulafungin and caspofungin) antifungal agents against a collection of Candida and Aspergillus spp. isolates. METHODS CD101 and comparator agents were tested against 106 Candida spp. and 67 Aspergillus spp. isolates, including 2...

BACKGROUND Colonization of patients occurs before development into invasive candidiasis. There is a need to determine the incidences of Candida colonization and infection in SICU patients, and evaluate the usefulness of beta-D-glucan (BDG) assay in diagnosing invasive candidiasis when patients are colonized. METHODS Clinical data and fungal surveillance cultures in 28 patients were recorded f...

Background and Aims: The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of three medicinal plant extracts on fungi with three methods and to compare methods. Material and methods: This study examined the antifungal properties of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) and Nafe Venus (Umbilicus intermedius boiss) extracts against fungi including, Aspergillus spp., Penicillium...

BACKGROUND Candida species are emerging as a potentially pathogenic fungus in patients with broncho-pulmonary diseases. The synergistic growth promoting association of Candida and Mycobacterium tuberculosis has raised increased concern for studying the various Candida spp . and its significance in pulmonary tuberculosis patients during current years. AIMS This study was undertaken with the ob...

INTRODUCTION Incidence and antifungal susceptibility of Candida spp. from two teaching public hospitals are described. METHODS The minimum inhibitory concentrations of fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B were determined using Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute broth microdilution and genomic differentiation using PCR. RESULTS Of 221 Candida isolates, 50.2% were o...

BACKGROUND Candida species, in conditions of microbiota imbalance or decreased immune defenses, may be one of the main human fungal pathogens. Virulence factors constitute the mechanisms used by the fungus to avoid host defenses. AIMS This study aimed to investigate the in vitro production of virulence factors, such as hemolytic activity, and deoxyribonuclease (DNase), proteinase, and phospho...

INTRODUCTION Bloodstream infections due to Candida species are becoming a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. The spectrum of candidemia has changed with the emergence of non-albicans Candida species, especially among critically ill patients. METHODOLOGY In a retrospective study (July 2009 to December 2009) on candidemia, various Candida species isolated from bloo...

Candida spp. are recognized as a leading contributor to mortality and morbidity in patients with onco-hematological malignancies. The rates and risk factors for mycotic infections in pediatric oncology patients are undetermined, particularly for those treated at centers in developing countries. The objective of the present study was to prospectively evaluate the species stratification and antif...