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Post-Transplant Events

Candidaemia in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients: low risk without fluconazole prophylaxis

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 34, pages 891–895 (2004)Cite this article

Summary:

Invasive fungal infections (IFI) are common in allogeneic SCT recipients. We have reviewed our experience of IFI with special reference to candidaemia in 685 adult patients transplanted in 1983–2002. The donor was a matched sibling in 505 patients and an unrelated donor in 180 patients. A BM graft was used in 561 patients and a PB graft in 124 patients. Fluconazole prophylaxis was not used during the study period. Definite or probable IFI was observed in 60 patients (8.7%) with a dominance of Aspergillus infections (46 patients, incidence 6.7%). Candidaemia was found only in nine patients (1.3%). The causative agents were Candida albicans (n=8), C. krusei (n=2), and C. glabrata (n=1); in two patients, two causative agents were found. The median time to the diagnosis of candidaemia was 53 days (range 6–249 days) post transplant. Seven patients were neutropaenic at diagnosis, and four patients had experienced acute GVHD. All patients received antifungal therapy, but only one patient was cured. According to this study, candidaemia was a rare event in allogeneic SCT recipients. Thus, systematic prophylaxis against Candida infections might not be indicated. The prognosis of established infections is still poor due to comorbid conditions, notably GVHD.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Blood Disease Research Foundation in Finland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    E Jantunen, A Nihtinen, L Volin, E Juvonen, T Parkkali, T Ruutu & V-J Anttila

  2. Department of Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

    E Jantunen

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  1. E Jantunen
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  2. A Nihtinen
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  3. L Volin
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  4. E Juvonen
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  5. T Parkkali
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  6. T Ruutu
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  7. V-J Anttila
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Correspondence to E Jantunen.

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Jantunen, E., Nihtinen, A., Volin, L. et al. Candidaemia in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients: low risk without fluconazole prophylaxis. Bone Marrow Transplant 34, 891–895 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704662

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704662

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