Trends in the epidemiology of Candida bloodstream infections in Northern Ireland between January 1984 and December 2000.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the epidemiology of Candida bloodstream infections (BSI) in Northern Ireland.


METHODS
Retrospective collation of data relating to all clinically significant BSI in a university teaching hospital, which had been recorded prospectively, between 1984 and 2000.


RESULTS
One hundred and forty five episodes of candidaemia occurred in 144 patients (of mean age 56.6 years). The contribution of Candida spp. towards all significant BSI increased from 2.0% to 2.5%. C. albicans was the most frequently isolated species, however, its incidence fell from 70% to 53% during the study period. The greatest increase in incidence was seen with C. glabrata which was the most common non-albicans species. Twenty-nine per cent of isolates occurred in patients from an intensive care unit and, surprisingly, a further 25.5% occurred in patients from a surgical service.


CONCLUSIONS
There appears to be several subtle differences in the epidemiology of candidal BSI between Northern Ireland and other countries.
McMullan
R
R
Department of Microbiology, Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory, Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Ronan.McMullan@bll.n-i.nhs.uk
McClurg
R
R
Xu
J
J
Moore
J E
JE
Millar
B C
BC
Crowe
M
M
Hedderwick
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D016469:Fungemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009660:Northern Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology