Mehrdad Rezaei - Neonatal Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
Mozhgan Moghtaderi - Neonatal Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;
Parisa Badiee - Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Zahra Zahadatpoor - Neonatal Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran;

Background: Fungal infections with high morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care unit are usually preceded by colonization. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of fungal colonization and determine the risk factors and health outcome in hospitalized infants of NICU.Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on all newborns from southwestern Iran who were hospitalized in Namazee NICU affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from January to July 2016. A questionnaire including demographic data, probable fungal risk factors, and health outcome was filled. Laboratory tests and fungal cultures were done for all the newborns. Statistical analysis was done by Chi- square, independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test in SPSS software, version 22. Results: A total of 105 (37 girls, 68 boys) hospitalized newborns in NICU with mean 12.58± 13.44 days were included in this study. Forty-eight (45.7%) of them were colonized by Candida spp. which was the only fungus isolated from the cultures. There were significant differences for the level of hemoglobin between the two groups of fungal colonization and non -colonized newborns (p= 0.04). Newborn with cardiac disease and endotracheal intubation had a significant correlation with fungal colonization (p= 0.04, p=0.02). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that there was about fifty percent rate of fungal colonization in critically ill newborns hospitalized in NICU. Early attention to the hemoglobin level and cardiac diseases may increase survival in these patients.

fungi, premature, neonatal ICU, colonization