Candidoses cutanéo-muqueuses chez le nouveau-né

Abstract

Cutaneous-mucosal candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by the proliferation of Candida yeasts. These conditions, which are generally easy to diagnose and treat, are among the main cutaneous-mucosal mycoses in newborns and require proper identification and screening in medical practice due to their potential consequences, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Given the limited knowledge of the epidemiology of these infections in newborns, we conducted this study in collaboration with the neonatology department of the Mother and Child Hospital at Sétif University Hospital. This prospective study was conducted in the neonatology department of Sétif University Hospital between January 2023 and June 2023, involving hospitalized newborns. Demographic and clinical data were collected using a questionnaire. Direct examination and culture on Sabouraud chloramphenicol agar with or without actidione were performed on various skin and mucosal samples. Additionally, blastospore and chlamydospore tests were conducted to identify the causative pathogen. The data were analyzed using Excel 2019, following the study objectives. A total of 108 patients were included in the study. Biological diagnosis confirmed the presence of cutaneous-mucosal candidiasis in 96 patients, with C. albicans being the most common species. Oral candidiasis accounted for the majority of cases (94%), and the highest number of cutaneous-mucosal candidiasis cases was observed in the kangaroo care unit, where patients are highly susceptible to candidal infections. Despite the limitations associated with the relatively small number of patients, the short duration of the study, and the challenges of sample collection, this study provided a general description of cutaneous-mucosal candidiasis and its contributing factors in newborns in Sétif.