[Candida infections in newborns]

Arch Pediatr. 2003 Dec:10 Suppl 5:569s-574s. doi: 10.1016/s0929-693x(03)90039-x.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Candida infections in newborns are classified, as bacterial ones, in early onset or maternofoetal infections and late onset diseases, primitive and nosocomial. Candida infections are responsible of less than 1% of early onset sepsis. Their diagnosis is facilitated by suggestive cutaneous lesions which can be associated or not with systemic infection. Candida nosocomial infections are the most frequent, 7% in premature infants < 1500 g; they are associated with a central venous catheter or with cutaneous infection in extremely low birth weight infants. C. albicans is the predominant species in maternofoetal infections, contrary to nosocomial ones where C. parapsilosis is predominant, 60%. Both species are sensitive to fluconazole. Amphotericin B and its lipidic derivative Ambisome is the reference drug. Because of its lower toxicity and simplicity of administration, fluconazole is preferable for sensitive species. Its prophylactic use in colonized premature infants has been recently proposed.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Candidiasis* / drug therapy
  • Candidiasis* / etiology
  • Cross Infection
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical