Increase in the incidence of Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis bloodstream infections during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

To the Editor&mdash;Nosocomial candidemia is associated with substantial mortality, longer hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs. The mortality among patients with candidemia remains high and is associated with increasing in incidence of non&ndash;Candida albicans Candida spp. Previous studies have suggested that non&ndash;C. albicans candidemia has increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, probably due to the increasing use of central venous catheters, suboptimal catheter care, and concurrent corticosteroid use. Candida parapsilosis bloodstream infection (BSI) has been associated with the overuse of central venous catheters and receipt of parenteral nutrition, and risk factors for Candida tropicalis are poorly defined. Overall, the C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis BSI incidence rates at Thammasat University Hospital increased from 0.42% to 2.24% and from 1.68% to 7.46% between 2019 and 2021, respectively, whereas the rate of C. albicans BSI remained stable at 6.70%&ndash;7.83%. We performed a case&ndash;case&ndash;control study to identify risk factors for and outcomes of C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis BSIs at<br />Thammasat University Hospital (Pathum Thani, Thailand), a tertiary-care center.