Background: Candidemia is a serious infectious complication among critical and immunosupressed patients. Methods: Patients with laboratory confirmed candidemia were prospectively followed. Candida isolates were sent to a reference laboratoryfor identification and susceptibility. Risk factors and clinical data were taken from the medical record. Antifungal use and final outcome were registered. Results: 131 episodes were followed, 61% women, with ages between 9 days and 87 years. 50% of blood cultures were positive after 34 hours (in 44% of the patients blood cultures were posiitve in more than one bottle). More frequently found risk factors for candidemia were stay in ICU 78%), previous antibiotic use (77%), parenteral nutrition (54%), previous abdominal surgery (40%), previous use of immunosuppresors (29%). Candida species identifies were C. albicans (67%), followed by C. parapsilosis (14%) and C. tropicalis (10%). Susceptibility to fluconazole were high among C. albicans and C. tropicalis isolates, but not for the other Nonalbicans isolates. Fluconazole was the preferred drug of choice (57%), followed by amphotericin deoxycholate (18%). 18% of the patients never received antifungal therapy. Mortality was high after two weeks of treatment (20%) and was even higher at discharge (36%). Conclusion: Candidemia is a severe complication with high mortality. In Colombia, a high proportion of patients never received antifungal therapy even with laboratory proven infection. Abstracts for SupplementInternational Journal of Infectious DiseasesVol. 14Preview Full-Text PDF Open Archive