Candida Infection

The overall incidence of life-threatening invasive fungal infections such as Candida and Aspergillus has increased during the past several decades because, in part, of an increasing population of immunosuppressed and critically ill patients. Patients with cancer with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (an abnormally low number of neutrophils); transplant recipients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, such as corticosteroids or cyclosporine; patients with HIV; and patients in ICUs are at an increased risk of acquiring fungal infections. The risk of infection has increased for critically ill patients with normal immune systems, as well. Nurses and other healthcare professionals need to educate these vulnerable patients about the importance of infection-control protocols to reduce their risk of developing invasive fungal infections. Such patient education can save lives.