Usual species affecting neonates:
(1) Candida albicans
(2) Candida parapsilosis
(and possibly Candida glabrata)
Risk factors:
(1) gestational age at birth < 32 weeks
(2) Apgar score at 5 minutes < 5
(3) neutropenia
(4) neutrophil dysfunction
(5) T lymphocyte deficiency or dysfunction (including HIV infection)
(6) past or current gastrointestinal tract colonization with Candida species
(7) broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy
(8) intravascular catheter
(9) immunosuppressive therapy, including corticosteroids
(10) histamine-2 blockers
(11) hyperalimentation
(12) intubation
(13) length of stay in neonatal ICU > 7 days
(14) shock
(15) DIC
where:
• Syndromes of neutrophil dysfunction include chronic granulomatous disease, myeloperoxidase deficiency, and defects in leukocyte adhesion.
