title: National surveillance of nosocomial blood stream infection due to Candida albicans: frequency of occurrence and antifungal susceptibility in the SCOPE Program.
abstract: Surveillance of nosocomial blood stream infections (BSI) in the USA between April 1995 and June 1996 revealed that Candida was the fourth leading cause of nosocomial BSI, accounting for 8% of all infections. Fifty-two percent of 379 episodes of candidemia were due to Candida albicans. In vitro susceptibility studies using the 1997 National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards reference method demonstrated that 92% of C. albicans isolates were susceptible to 5-fluorocytosine and 90% were susceptible to fluconazole and itraconazole. Geographic variation in susceptibility of fluconazole and itraconazole was observed. Isolates from the Northwest and Southeast regions were more frequently resistant to fluconazole (13.3-15.5%) and to itraconazole (17.2-20.0%) than those from the Northeast and Southwest regions (2.9-5.5% resistant to fluconazole and itraconazole). Continued surveillance for infections caused by C. albicans and other species of Candida among hospitalized patients is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pfaller
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Messer
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Edmond
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Wenzel
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D016469:Fungemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D017964:Itraconazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D017964:Itraconazole; D015725:Fluconazole