Invasive <em>Candida</em> Infections in Neonates after Major Surgery: Current Evidence and New Directions

• Main Authors: Domenico Umberto De Rose, Alessandra Santisi, Maria Paola Ronchetti, Ludovica Martini, Lisa Serafini, Pasqua Betta, Marzia Maino, Francesco Cavigioli, Ilaria Cocchi, Lorenza Pugni, Elvira Bonanno, Chryssoula Tzialla, Mario Giuffrè, Jenny Bua, Benedetta Della Torre, Giovanna Nardella, Danila Mazzeo, Paolo Manzoni, Andrea Dotta, Pietro Bagolan, Cinzia Auriti, on behalf of Study Group of Neonatal Infectious Diseases
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Pathogens
• Subjects: invasive <i>Candida</i> infections; invasive fungal infections; antifungal prophylaxis; newborns; surgery; neonatal surgery
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/3/319

Infections represent a serious health problem in neonates. Invasive <i>Candida</i> infections (ICIs) are still a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Infants hospitalized in NICUs are at high risk of ICIs, because of several risk factors: broad spectrum antibiotic treatments, central catheters and other invasive devices, fungal colonization, and impaired immune responses. In this review we summarize 19 published studies which provide the prevalence of previous surgery in neonates with invasive <i>Candida</i> infections. We also provide an overview of risk factors for ICIs after major surgery, fungal colonization, and innate defense mechanisms against fungi, as well as the roles of different <i>Candida</i> spp., the epidemiology and costs of ICIs, diagnosis of ICIs, and antifungal prophylaxis and treatment.