title: Prevalence of fungemia in a tertiary hospital: Analysis of the last decade.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of nosocomial fungemia has increased worldwide, and mortality caused by this disease is high.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess progress in the last decade, and the prevalence and profile of fungal agents isolated in blood cultures performed in a tertiary university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the results of blood cultures processed at Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (HC-UFMG), in the time intervals 2001-2003 and 2011-2013 were analyzed retrospectively. For each three-year period, the number of collected blood cultures, the overall positivity rate and the percentage of fungemia were recorded. In addition, all identified fungal species were cataloged. All blood samples were incubated in the BacT/ALERT® (bioMérieux) automation system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2001-2003, 34,822 samples were evaluated, with 5,510 (15.8%) positive results. In 2011-2013, the number of blood cultures processed increased to 55,052 samples, with 4,873 (8.9%) positive results. There was an increase in the number of positive cultures for fungi in the analyzed period (2001-2003: 4.16%; 2011-2013: 5.95%; p<0.001). Among the agents, candidemias were predominant, especially those caused by non-albicans Candida species (2001-2003: 57.64%; 2011-2013: 65.17%; p<0.05). There was also an increase in fungemia caused by other genera (2001-2003: 2.62%; 2011-2013: 4.48%; p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was an increase in the prevalence of fungemia in the last decade at HC-UFMG. Although candidemias have been responsible for most of the cases, there has been an increase in fungemias caused by other species.
authors.affiliation: MD from Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luísa Lima
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: MD from Faculdade de Medicina, UFMG. MSc in Molecular Medicine from UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schütze
authors.affiliation: Biologist, degree from Universidade Federal de Rondônia. MSc in Genetics from UFMG. Employee of the Laboratory Medicine Service at Hospital das Clínicas, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel Henrique
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Bücker
authors.affiliation: MSc and PhD in Medicine from UFMG. Adjunct Professor, Department of Complementary Propedeutics, Faculdade de Medicina, UFMG. MD, Clinical Pathologist, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonardo de Souza
authors.initials: Lde S
authors.lastname: Vasconcellos
mesh_terms: D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016469:Fungemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers