Geographic variations in species distribution and echinocandin and azole antifungal resistance rates among Candida bloodstream infection isolates: report from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (2008 to 2009)

Antifungal testing results from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (2008 to 2009) were analyzed for regional variations of invasive Candida species infections. Among 2,085 cases from the Asian-Pacific (APAC) (51 cases), Latin American (LAM) (348 cases), European (EU) (750 cases), and North American (NAM) (936 cases) regions, Candida albicans predominated (48.4%), followed by C. glabrata (18.0%), C. parapsilosis (17.2%), C. tropicalis (10.5%), and C. krusei (1.9%). Resistance to echinocandins (anidulafungin [2.4%] and micafungin [1.9%]) and azoles (3.5 to 5.6%) was most prevalent among C. glabrata isolates, as determined using recently established CLSI breakpoint criteria. C. glabrata isolates were more common in NAM (23.5%), and C. albicans isolates were more common in APAC (56.9%), with C. parapsilosis (25.6%) and C. tropicalis (17.0%) being more prominent in LAM. Emerging resistance patterns among C. glabrata cases in NAM require focused surveillance.