Abstract
Fungi are increasingly recognised as major pathogens in critically ill patients. Several reasons have been proposed for the increase in invasive fungal infections, including the use of antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agents, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and prosthetic devices and grafts, and more aggressive surgery. Patients with burns, neutropenia, HIV infection and pancreatitis are also predisposed to fungal infection Candidiasis is caused by infection with species of the genus Candida, predominantly with Candida albicans. Candida species are ubiquitous fungi that represent the most common fungal pathogens that affect humans. The growing problem of mucosal and systemic candidiasis reflects the enormous increase in the number of patients at risk and the increased opportunity that exists for Candida species to invade tissues normally resistant to invasion.
Highlights
Candida species are true opportunistic pathogens that exploit recent technological advances to gain access to the circulation and deep tissues
Candida species produce a wide spectrum of diseases, ranging from superficial mucocutaneous disease to invasive illnesses, such as hepatosplenic candidiasis, Candida peritonitis, and systemic candidiasis
The management of serious and lifethreatening invasive candidiasis remains severely hampered by delays in diagnosis and the lack of reliable diagnostic methods that allow detection of both fungemia and tissue invasion by Candida species
Summary
Fungi are increasingly recognised as major pathogens in critically ill patients. Several reasons have been proposed for the increase in invasive fungal infections, including the use of antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agents, broadspectrum antibiotics, and prosthetic devices and grafts, and more aggressive surgery. Neutropenia, HIV infection and pancreatitis are predisposed to fungal infection Candidiasis is caused by infection with species of the genus Candida, predominantly with Candida albicans. Candida species are ubiquitous fungi that represent the most common fungal pathogens that affect humans. The growing problem of mucosal and systemic candidiasis reflects the enormous increase in the number of patients at risk and the increased opportunity that exists for Candida species to invade tissues normally resistant to invasion
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