Antifungal Susceptibility Data and Epidemiological Distribution of <i>Candida</i> spp.: An In Vitro Five-Year Evaluation at University Hospital Policlinico of Catania and a Comprehensive Literature Review

• Main Authors: Maddalena Calvo (Author), Guido Scalia (Author), Laura Trovato (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2024-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/antibiotics13100914; 2079-6382
• Keywords: <i>Candida</i> spp.; antifungal resistance; antifungal susceptibility testing; candidaemia; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Antibiotics, Vol 13, Iss 10, p 914 (2024)

Background: Invasive fungal infections represent a concerning healthcare issue, with <i>Candida</i> spp. reported as the main aetiological agent. <i>Candida</i> spp. bloodstream infections show high mortality rates, indicating increasing antifungal-resistance episodes as a contributing feature. Despite the global prevalence of <i>C. albicans</i>, non-<i>albicans</i> species emerged as significant in the last decades. Methods: The present manuscript reports a five-year evaluation on <i>Candida</i> spp. bloodstream isolates and their antifungal susceptibility profiles, aiming to enrich the literature and epidemiological data. Results: According to the gathered data, antifungal-resistance cases remained uncommon. However, the study revealed rare resistance phenotypes such as a single case of pan-echinocandin resistance <i>C. albicans</i>. Conclusions: Finally, a comprehensive review of <i>Candida</i> spp. antifungal resistance integrates the data, emphasizing the extreme species-specific variability and the consequent importance of always providing species identification.