The yeast species causing fungemia at a university hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during a 10-year period

• Published in: Mycoses 2003-09, Vol.46 (8), p.275-280
• Main Author: Al-Hedaithy, Saleh S. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Candida; Candida - classification; Candida - isolation & purification; Candida albicans - classification; Candida albicans - isolation & purification; Candidiasis - epidemiology; Candidiasis - microbiology; Epidemiologie; epidemiology; Female; fungemia; Fungemia - epidemiology; Fungemia - microbiology; Fungämie; Hospitals, University; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Saudi Arabia; Saudi Arabia - epidemiology; Saudi-Arabien; Yeasts - classification; Yeasts - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0933-7407; 1439-0507
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0507.2003.00893.x

Summary This study is a retrospective investigation to determine the species of yeasts causing fungemia in a university hospital in Saudi Arabia during the years 1991–2000. A total of 189 episodes of fungemia were encountered, of which 121 (64%) occurred during 1991–1995, whereas only 68 cases (36%) were found between 1996 and 2000. Overall, 50.3% episodes were due to Candida albicans including five episodes of C. dubliniensis, followed by C. tropicalis (27%), C. parapsilosis (7.9%), C. glabrata (7.4%), C. krusei (3.2%), C. famata (1.0%); 3.2% were due to other species, namely Blastoschizomyces capitatus, Hansenula anomala, Rhodotorula rubra, and Trichosporon beigelii. The percentage of episodes of fungemia caused by C. albicans ranged from 36.4% in 1991 to 71.4% in 2000, revealing an increase in recent years. The incidence of non‐C. albicans fungemia decreased from 63 (33.3%) during the first 5 years (1991–1995) to 31 (16.4%) episodes during the second 5 years. Moreover, no fungemia due to C. glabrata and C. krusei were observed during the last 3 years. Overall, during the years of the study, a decreasing incidence of yeast fungemia was observed. Fungemia occurred more frequently in patients with leukemia (24%), prematurity (16%), postsurgery (10.6%), and lymphoma (9.5%). Patients with respiratory infections and preterm infants more often had C. albicans fungemia, whereas C. tropicalis predominated in patients with hepatic disorders and leukemia. The study reports for the first time the involvement of C. dubliniensis in yeast fungemia occurring in Saudi Arabia. Zusammenfassung In einer retrospektiven Studie wurden die Hefearten erfasst, die als Fungämie‐Erreger in einem Universitätshospital in Saudi‐Arabien von 1991–2000 auftraten. Es wurden 189 Fungämie‐Episoden beobachtet, 121 im Jahrfünft 1991–1995 und 68 von 1996–2000. Von allen Fungämien wurden 50.3% von Candida albicans verursacht, weiterhin in absteigender Reihenfolge von C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. krusei und C. famata. Zu 3.2% wurden Blastoschizomyces capitatus, Hansenula anomala, Rhodotorula rubra und Trichosporon beigelii als Fungämie‐Erreger festgestellt. Der Anteil von C. albicans an den Fungämie‐Erregern stieg von 36% 1991 auf 71% im Jahr 2000 an; entsprechend sand der Anteil der Nicht‐albicans‐Arten. Fungämien traten auf bei Patienten mit Leukämie, bei Frühgeborenen, nach chirurgischen Maßnahmen und bei Lymphomen. Bei Patienten mit respiratorischen Infektionen und Frühge