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Clinician response to Candida organisms in the urine of patients attending hospital

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Abstract

The epidemiology of 54 episodes of candiduria with respect to clinical risk factors, species of Candida and physician response to the isolation of Candida in urine were studied in an observational survey over 3 months. Candida spp. were isolated from 4.7% of positive urine cultures. Common predisposing conditions included antibiotic use (74.1%), urinary drainage devices (57.4%), surgery (51.9%), intensive care unit (ICU) or high-dependency care unit (HDU) admission (42.6%) and urinary tract (UT) disease (18.5%). Upper UT infection was uncommon (n = 3). Of 65 Candida isolates, C. albicans predominated (85.2%), followed by C. glabrata (27.8%) and other Candida spp. (6.2%). All isolates were susceptible to fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin and caspofungin. Indwelling urinary catheters were removed in 76.2% of episodes. Antifungal therapy was initiated in 33.3% of cases independently of patient symptoms, underlying disease or Candida colony count. Patients in ICU/HDUs were significantly more likely to receive antifungal agents than those outside these units (p < 0.001). Fluconazole was the most common drug prescribed (77.8%). Clearance of candiduria occurred independently of antifungal therapy (p = 0.60). Physicians often did not follow up a positive urine result for Candida. Efforts to increase clinician awareness of current recommendations for managing candiduria and further study to elucidate specific risk factors in defined patient populations are warranted.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mr. Tom Olma, Mr. Eulogio Mendes and Mrs. Roshni Sudhaker for their assistance in identifying colonies suspicious for Candida spp. in urine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology and the University of Sydney at Westmead, Westmead Hospital, Darcy Road, Westmead, NSW 2145, Sydney, Australia

    S. C. A. Chen, C. Halliday, F. Widmer & T. C. Sorrell

  2. Research Laboratory for Infectious Skin Diseases, Department of Dermatology, Wuhan First Hospital, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China

    Z. S. Tong

  3. Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Laboratory Services, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia

    S. C. A. Chen, O. C. Lee, C. Halliday, F. R. Kong & C. Wu

  4. Infection Management Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia

    E. G. Playford

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  1. S. C. A. Chen
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Correspondence to S. C. A. Chen.

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Chen, S.C.A., Tong, Z.S., Lee, O.C. et al. Clinician response to Candida organisms in the urine of patients attending hospital. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 27, 201–208 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-007-0427-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-007-0427-9

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