CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY OF NEONATAL CANDIDIASIS IN HUNGARY KATALIN KRISTÓF 1 *, L. JANIK 2 ,KINGA KOMKA 3 ,ÁGNES HARMATH 4 ,JÚLIA HAJDÚ 4 , A. NOBILIS 5 , F. ROZGONYI 6 , K. NAGY 7 , J. RIGÓ JR. 8 and DÓRA SZABÓ 7 1 Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary 2 Institute of Public Health, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary 3 Department of Chemical and Environmental Process Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary 4 First Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary 5 Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary 6 Department of Dermatology, Veneorology and Dermatooncology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary 7 Institute of Medical Microbiology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary (Received: 4 November 2010; accepted 10 November 2010) The occurrence of Candida spp. was investigated during a three-year period in two neonatal intensive care units, Budapest, Hungary. The species distribution among the 41 analysed cases was the following: C. albicans (30/41, 73%), C. parapsilosis (10/41, 24%) and C. glabrata (1/41, 3%). All of the isolates were susceptible to the tested drugs. There was a significant difference in the birth weight, the gestational age <30 weeks and the occurrence of caesarean section between the C. albicans and the C. parapsilosis groups of the cases. Respiratory tract colonization was the same (76–77%) in the extremely low birth weight (ELBW) and the very low birth weight (VLBW) groups. Comparing the ELBW, VLBW, and >1500 g birth weight groups, significant difference was found in the parenteral nutrition, the gestation weeks <36 or <30, the polymicrobial infection and the transfusion. The ratio of C. albicans, C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata was 9:7:1 in ELBW group; 6:3:0 in VLBW group and 15:1:0 in >1500 g group. The mortality rate for C. parapsilosis was higher than for C. albicans. Keywords: Candidiasis, neonatal, extremely low birth weight, very low birth weight 1217-8950/$20.00 © 2010 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica, 57 (4), pp. 407–417 (2010) DOI: 10.1556/AMicr.57.2010.4.7 * Corresponding author; E-mail: krikat@net.sote.hu