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Prevention of Invasive Candidiasis in Premature Neonates: Administering Fluconazole or Not?

  • Pediatric Fungal Infections (E Roilides, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of the Review

Fluconazole prophylaxis (FP) for invasive candidiasis (IC) in preterm newborns is still a debated topic. In this review, we describe the most important papers on the topic, and we discuss pros and cons of the use FP in newborns according to these paper’s findings.

Recent Findings

Since 2001, several studies have been published on the use of FP to prevent IC. While most of them agree on the effectiveness of FP in reducing IC, especially in NICUs with high IC rates, the lack of evidence of decrease in overall mortality, and the risks associated with fluconazole administration both concerning neurodevelopmental impairment and the increase in Candida resistances still pose great concern against the universal implementation of FP.

Summary

A local risk-based selection strategy could represent the best choice to optimize the benefits of FP and minimize the potential long-term toxicity and the development of resistant pathogens.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department for Woman and Child Health, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 3, 35141, Padua, Italy

    Daniele Donà

  2. Infectious Diseases Department, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Dora Luise

  3. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department for Woman and Child Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Eugenio Baraldi & Ursula Trafojer

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  1. Daniele Donà
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Correspondence to Daniele Donà.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of Topical Collection on Pediatric Fungal Infections

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Donà, D., Luise, D., Baraldi, E. et al. Prevention of Invasive Candidiasis in Premature Neonates: Administering Fluconazole or Not?. Curr Fungal Infect Rep 12, 86–91 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-018-0312-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12281-018-0312-2

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