Early- and Late-onset Candidemia: A Retrospective Study

A timing diagnosis of candidemia is as important as the correct choice of empiric or targeted antifungal therapy. In the last years a growing body of knowledge has better characterized health-care associated (HCA) infections, which have been described in 2002 in outpatients with MRSA bloodstream infections. So far there is no compelling evidence that patients with HCA infections may develop candidemia before the usual timing of around 20-25 days after admission. Risk factors associated with HCA infections are represented by admission from long term chronic care facilities (LTCF), haemodialysis, previous admission or parenteral broad spectrum antibiotics. There are few data HCA features and early onset candidemias in the published literature.

In this proposal, the investigators aim at studying early-onset candidemia in a retrospective study in one of the largest referral hospital in Italy with a consistent range of specialties ranging (bone marrow transplant, solid organ transplant, immunosuppressed patients, ICU, complex surgery). The investigators speculate that patients with candidemia diagnosed within 10 days (early-onset) by the admission have different risk factors and prognosis of those with a late diagnosis.