Background: Because invasive candidiasis in newborn infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) occurs most frequently in very low birth weight infants, the incidence of invasive candidiasis and its clinical features in infants > 2500 g birth weight have not been well-described.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all infants with birth weight > 2500 g admitted to our NICU from 1986 through 1993 who developed invasive candidiasis during their hospitalization.
Results: Seventeen of 3033 (0.6%) infants with birth weights > 2500 g admitted to the NICU developed invasive candidiasis. All 17 infants had a condition that required prolonged NICU hospitalization; 13 of 17 (76%) had a major congenital malformation.
Conclusion: The incidence of invasive candidiasis in infants with birth weights > 2500 g requiring admission to a NICU was much less than has been reported for very low birth weight infants. This review points out that in infants with birth weights > 2500 g who develop invasive candidiasis, major congenital malformations are the most frequent underlying conditions responsible for prolonged NICU hospitalization.