{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T15:36:37Z","timestamp":1787067397801,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,12]],"date-time":"2025-09-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1757635200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100004482","name":"Kuwait University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MI02\/21"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MI02\/21"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100004482","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JoF"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This 10-year retrospective observational study (2015\u20132024) conducted at Al-Amiri Hospital in Kuwait aimed to analyze the epidemiology, species distribution, and key risk factors associated with Candida bloodstream infections. Data were collected on patient demographics and clinical risk factors, and the distribution of Candida species was determined based on isolates recovered from patients with confirmed candidemia. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with candidemia outcomes. Cases significantly increased from 33 (2015\u20132016) to 93 (2023\u20132024), predominantly affecting elderly patients (\u226565 years) and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. A shift in species distribution was observed, with a decline in Candida albicans and a marked increase in Candidozyma auris (formerly Candida auris) and C. parapsilosis. Antifungal susceptibility patterns were species-specific: C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis remained highly susceptible to all tested antifungals, while Nakaseomyces glabratus (formerly Candida glabrata) showed fluconazole resistance in 25% of isolates. C. auris exhibited resistance to fluconazole (97%) and variable resistance to echinocandins and voriconazole. Echinocandins retained broad-spectrum activity across most species. Independent risk factors included ICU admission, advanced age, and comorbidities. N. glabratus and C. auris infections were linked to higher mortality. This study highlights the growing candidemia burden in Kuwait, driven by emerging non-albicans Candida (NAC) spp. and related species. Early species identification and susceptibility testing are crucial for effective treatment and improved outcomes, necessitating enhanced infection control and antifungal stewardship.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jof11090670","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,12]],"date-time":"2025-09-12T09:07:15Z","timestamp":1757668035000},"page":"670","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Candidemia in a General Hospital in Kuwait: Epidemiology, Species Distribution, Risk Factors, and Antifungal Susceptibility Patterns over a 10-Year Period (2015\u20132024)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Khalifa","family":"Al Benwan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Safat, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait"},{"name":"Department of Microbiology, Al-Amiri Hospital, P.O. Box 4077, Safat, Kuwait City 13041, Kuwait"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0155-8113","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarah","family":"Ahmed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Safat, Kuwait City 13110, Kuwait"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dalal","family":"Al Banwan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Statistics and Operations Research, College of Science, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Safat, Kuwait City 13060, Kuwait"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2802-3947","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"John","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, Al-Amiri Hospital, P.O. Box 4077, Safat, Kuwait City 13041, Kuwait"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/civ933","article-title":"Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Candidiasis: 2016 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America","volume":"62","author":"Pappas","year":"2016","journal-title":"Clin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bongomin, F., Gago, S., Oladele, R.O., and Denning, D.W. (2017). Global and Multi-National Prevalence of Fungal Diseases-Estimate Precision. J. Fungi, 3.","DOI":"10.3390\/jof3040057"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Parslow, B.Y., and Thornton, C.R. (2022). Continuing Shifts in Epidemiology and Antifungal Susceptibility Highlight the Need for Improved Disease Management of Invasive Candidiasis. 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