“Getting to Zero”: Preventing invasive Candida infections and eliminating infection-related mortality and morbidity in extremely preterm infants

SummaryPrevention of invasive Candida infections (ICI) is an achievable goal for every NICU and supported by A–1 evidence. Due to the incidence of ICI, high infection-associated mortality and neurodevelopmental impairment, antifungal prophylaxis should be targeted to infants <1000 g or ≤27 weeks gestation. There is A–1 evidence for both fluconazole and nystatin prophylaxis for the prevention of ICI. Evidence currently would favour fluconazole prophylaxis in high-risk preterm infants since intravenous fluconazole prophylaxis has greater efficacy compared to enteral nystatin prophylaxis, efficacy in the most immature patients in whom mortality is the highest, requires less dosing, and can be given to infants with gastrointestinal disease or haemodynamic instability. All NICUs caring for extremely preterm infants should use antifungal prophylaxis. Even in NICUs with low rates of ICI, antifungal prophylaxis is crucial to improving survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes for this vulnerable population. For infants 1000–1500 g if there is concern for ICI in the NICU, either drug could be chosen for prophylaxis. Fluconazole prophylaxis administered at 3 mg/kg twice a week, while intravenous access is required, appears to be the safest and most effective schedule in preventing ICI while attenuating the emergence of fungal resistance. Invasive Candida infections are one group of infections we can prevent.