Candidemia in HIV-infected subjects

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 18; no. 7; pp. 478 - 483
• Main Authors: TUMBARELLO, M, TACCONELLI, E, DE GAETANO DONATI, K, MORACE, G, FADDA, G, CAUDA, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01-07-1999; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; AIDS; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - blood; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - epidemiology; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - microbiology; AIDS/HIV; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial infections; Biological and medical sciences; Candida albicans - isolation & purification; Candida glabrata; Candidiasis - blood; Candidiasis - complications; Candidiasis - epidemiology; Case-Control Studies; Catheters; Dementia disorders; Esophagus; Female; Fungal infections; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical prognosis; Medical sciences; Mortality; Multivariate Analysis; Neutropenia; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Parenteral nutrition; Patients; Regression analysis; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Rome - epidemiology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Rome; United States > US; Rome Italy; Italy; Human; Immunopathology; Opportunistic infection; Candidiasis; Intravenous administration; Mycosis; Catheter; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Epidemiology; Central vein; Infection; Fungemia; Viral disease; Risk factor; Complication
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s100960050327

The epidemiological features of 37 episodes of candidemia in HIV-infected subjects were analysed in a retrospective matched case-control study conducted over an 8-year period (1990-1997). Univariate analysis identified eight risk factors that were significantly associated with candidemia (P<0.05): i) use of central venous catheters; ii) administration of total parenteral nutrition; iii) previous antifungal therapy; iv) previous therapy with glycopeptides; v) presence of oral/ esophageal candidiasis; vi) concomitant bacterial infections; vii) neutropenia; and viii) concomitant AIDS dementia complex. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that the only independent risk factor for developing candidemia was the use of central venous catheters (P = 0.0001). Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated pathogen, accounting for 18 (48%) episodes of candidemia, followed by Candida tropicalis (19%) and Candida glabrata (11%). The crude mortality rate was 62%. On univariate analysis concomitant opportunistic infections, presence of non-Candida albicans species of Candida and neutropenia were shown to be predictive of death. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of non-Candida albicans strains of Candida was the only significant factor associated with a worse prognosis (P = 0.001). In conclusion, candidemia appears to be more common in patients with advanced HIV disease. Of the factors which influenced the onset of candidemia, use of central venous catheters seemed to be the most important one.