Candidemia in Colombia: Species Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibility Profiles of Yeast Bloodstream Isolates from a Six-Year Multicentre Surveillance Study

A multicentre, laboratory-based analysis was conducted on aggregated data from 23 hospitals across Colombia. Of 1761 fungal isolates identified, 1642 were yeasts and constitute the focus of this study. Isolates were identified using the VITEK®2 system, with confirmatory identification by MALDI-TOF-MS for a subset. Antifungal susceptibility testing for fluconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, and the echinocandins was performed on Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis. Data were stratified by clinical service: adult ICU, adult wards, paediatric ICU, neonatal ICU, and paediatric wards. Temporal trends were assessed using the Cochran–Armitage test. The most prevalent species were C. albicans (42%), C. parapsilosis (24%), C. tropicalis (11%), C. glabrata (7%), and C. auris (3%). C. albicans predominated in adult services, whereas C. parapsilosis was the leading pathogen across paediatric settings. Among species with validated breakpoints, the overall fluconazole resistance rate was 19%, driven primarily by C. parapsilosis (35%, exceeding 40% in some clinical services). Non-wild-type to voriconazole and amphotericin B was low (<5%), and echinocandin resistance was exceedingly rare. The substantial fluconazole resistance driven by C. parapsilosis, together with the emergence of C. auris, underscores the urgent need for sustained surveillance and species-directed antifungal stewardship programmes.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Fungi
Published
2026-08-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12090640
Primary Topic
Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
Type
article
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article

Candidemia in Colombia: Species Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibility Profiles of Yeast Bloodstream Isolates from a Six-Year Multicentre Surveillance Study

Diego F. Josa, Nella Sánchez, Aura Lucía Leal, Valeri Saenz et al.
Journal of Fungi
Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
article

Candidemia in Colombia: Species Distribution and Antifungal Susceptibility Profiles of Yeast Bloodstream Isolates from a Six-Year Multicentre Surveillance Study

Diego F. Josa, Nella Sánchez, Aura Lucía Leal, Valeri Saenz, Claudia Rocío Sierra, Jorge Alberto Cortés, Andrés Ceballos-Garzón, Nicolás Beltrán, Ivan-Felipe Gutierrez, Luz-Angela Pescador, Luisa F. Ortiz-Torres, Leidy Bogota, Rosalba Quintero-Munoz, Gloria Cortes, Luisa-Fernanda Rodriguez, Laura-Daniela Méndez, Maria J. Jimenez-A, Lizeth Paola Gutierrez, Rafael Pelufo, Alejandro Rodriguez-Bobadilla, Maria del Pilar Torres-Navarrete, Diana P. Cely-Ladino, Liliana Arevalo
article en

Abstract

A multicentre, laboratory-based analysis was conducted on aggregated data from 23 hospitals across Colombia. Of 1761 fungal isolates identified, 1642 were yeasts and constitute the focus of this study. Isolates were identified using the VITEK®2 system, with confirmatory identification by MALDI-TOF-MS for a subset. Antifungal susceptibility testing for fluconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, and the echinocandins was performed on Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis. Data were stratified by clinical service: adult ICU, adult wards, paediatric ICU, neonatal ICU, and paediatric wards. Temporal trends were assessed using the Cochran–Armitage test. The most prevalent species were C. albicans (42%), C. parapsilosis (24%), C. tropicalis (11%), C. glabrata (7%), and C. auris (3%). C. albicans predominated in adult services, whereas C. parapsilosis was the leading pathogen across paediatric settings. Among species with validated breakpoints, the overall fluconazole resistance rate was 19%, driven primarily by C. parapsilosis (35%, exceeding 40% in some clinical services). Non-wild-type to voriconazole and amphotericin B was low (<5%), and echinocandin resistance was exceedingly rare. The substantial fluconazole resistance driven by C. parapsilosis, together with the emergence of C. auris, underscores the urgent need for sustained surveillance and species-directed antifungal stewardship programmes.

Journal of FungiVol. 12(9)
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (Israel) (IL), Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano (CO), University of Cundinamarca (CO), Universidad Nacional de Colombia (CO), Hospital Universitario de Santander (CO), Corporación John F. Kennedy (CO), Clínica Santa María (CO), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía (ES), Infant Foundation (AR), Hospital Materno-Infantil (ES), Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (CO), Victoria Hospital (IN), Fundación Universitaria de Popayán (CO), Hospital Universitario San Ignacio (CO), Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca (CO), Hospital Universitario Nacional de Colombia (CO), Hospital Universitario Infantil San José (CO), Fundación Universitaria Sanitas (CO), University of La Salle (CO), Universidad del Rosario (CO)
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