Comparison of Antifungal Susceptibilities in Candidemic Newborns According to Their Body Weights

Objectives: There is a lack of data comparing antifun-gal susceptibilities of Candida isolates in candidemic newborns weighing .1500 g versus those weigh-ing 1500 g. This study aims to compare antifungalsusceptibilities of newborns according to their birthweights. Patients and Methods: All candidemic newborns assessed retrospectively. Candida species wereidentified using the API 20C AUX system. In vitrosusceptibility of isolates for fluconazole, ketocon-azole, itraconazole and amphotericine B were deter-mined using the E-test and the broth macrodilutionmethod. Clinical backgrounds of patients were alsoexamined. Results: Of 2700 newborns admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit in years 2001-2002, 375 (14%) were 1500 g. Forty five (1.7%) of all infants developed can-didemia. Nineteen were in Group 1, 26 were in Group 2. As possible risk factors, mean length of ventilation and catheter days were greater in Group 2. All Candida species yielded from Group 1 were more susceptible to antifungal drugs. Minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) 50 and 90 values of non-albicans strains were almost always higher in Group 2. Conclusion: In this study, Candida species were moresusceptible in the newborns weighing 1500 g. We believe this situation is related to less number of pos-sible risk factors for the newborns weighing 1500 g.