P025 A study on candiduria in neonates and infants from a tertiary care center, North India.

POSTER SESSION 1, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: OBJECTIVE: Candida albicans is the major cause of fungal UTI in neonates and infants but nowadays incidence of other species of Candida is also increasing, and these are mostly multidrug resistant. It is, therefore, important to determine the causative Candida species in fungal UTI for appropriate management. This study was undertaken to determine the Candida species distribution in UTI along with susceptibility patterns and outcomes in infants and neonates admitted to various wards and intensive care units (ICUs) of our hospital. The incidence rate of candiduria in ICUs was also assessed. METHOD: Urine samples were collected from infants and neonates presented in pediatric and neonatal ICUs and clinical wards with a clinical suspicion of candiduria. Infants at risk of invasive candidiasis were also included in the study. Identification of Candida species was done by Gram's staining, germ tube test, chlamydospore formation on corn meal agar, color of colonies on CHROMagar, and confirmed by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF). Antifungal susceptibility was performed by using the Broth microdilution method as per the latest CLSI guidelines (M27-A3/M27-S4). RESULT: Urine samples were received from 219 infants, and Candida was isolated from samples from 52 infants (isolation rate 23.75%), of which 30 were admitted to pediatric or neonatal ICU and 22 in the wards. The incidence rate of candiduria in ICU was 3.25%. Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species from the samples of infants in the wards (13/22 ie, 59%), while Candida tropicalis was most frequently isolated from samples of infants in the ICUs (13/30 ie, 43.34%). Candida glabrata was the least commonly isolated species and was only encountered in the ICU. The species distribution of isolates is given in Table 1. There was no discrepancy between the results of conventional methods of identification and MALDI-TOF. Antifungal susceptibility was performed for 18 randomly selected isolates. All were found to be susceptible to caspofungin, micafungin, itraconazole, voriconazole, fluconazole, and amphotericin B. MIC distribution for various isolates is given in Table 2. CONCLUSION: High index of suspicion of candiduria is necessary for early diagnosis of fungal UTI and initiation of antifungal treatment, especially in critically ill infants requiring intensive care. Species other than C. albicans are also encountered more frequently nowadays and these species often have higher MICs for commonly used antifungal drugs, which may lead to delayed or failed response to routine antifungal therapy and necessitate prolonged use and or higher doses of antifungals. Identification of Candida isolates at species level along with analysis of the susceptibility patterns is therefore important for successful outcomes in candiduria in neonates and infants.