title: Candiduria in intensive care units: association with heavy colonization and candidaemia.
abstract: Candiduria is increasingly detected in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and often coexists with candidal colonization at other anatomical sites. Studies involving surgical and medical ICU patients have consistently reported a relationship between candiduria and heavy colonization. This suggests that candiduria could be considered as a marker for heavy colonization. Risk factors that predispose to heavy colonization are generally similar to those predisposing to candidaemia. Candiduria in ICU patients is characterized by a high mortality, largely through a significant relationship with candidaemia, which in some patients may reach 50%. Therapeutic interventions should be strongly considered in the critically ill patient who presents with candiduria and concurrent clinical risk factors predisposing to dissemination.
authors.affiliation: University of Athens Medical School and Laiko University Hospital, Athens, Greece. stoya@sbcglobal.net
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Toya
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Schraufnagel
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Tzelepis
mesh_terms: D002175:Candida / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000652:urine*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D016469:Fungemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D012307:Risk Factors