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Investigates the prevalence of Candida tropicalis fungemia in cancer patients during prophylaxis with ketoconazole. Comparison of cancer incidence between children and adults; Association of certain pathogens and antifungal agents; Role of ketoconazole in the selection of non-Candida yeasts.

The risk factors, therapy and outcome of ten cases of fungemia due to Candida krusei, appearing during the last 10 years in a single national cancer institution, are analyzed. Univariate analyses did not find any specific risk factors in comparison to 51 Candida albicans fungemias appearing at the same institution and with a similar antibiotic policy. Association with prior fluconazole prophylaxis was not confirmed because only one case appeared in a patient previously treated with fluconazole. However, attributable and crude mortality due to C. krusei fungemias was higher than for C. albicans fungemia. The authors review 172 C. krusei fungemias published within the last 10 years to compare with the incidence, therapy and outcome of C. krusei fungemia from our cancer institute.