From the Research
Candida glabrata is a species of yeast that causes fungal infections in humans, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, and is the second most common Candida species causing infections after Candida albicans.
Overview of Candida glabrata
It commonly causes urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, and can colonize mucosal surfaces.
- Risk factors include diabetes, broad-spectrum antibiotic use, immunosuppression, and indwelling medical devices.
- Treatment typically involves echinocandins like micafungin (100mg IV daily), caspofungin (70mg loading dose, then 50mg daily), or anidulafungin (200mg loading dose, then 100mg daily) for 14 days or until clinical improvement, as supported by studies such as 1.
Treatment Options
For less severe infections, fluconazole (800mg loading dose, then 400mg daily) may be used, though C. glabrata often shows reduced susceptibility to azoles, as noted in 2.
- Amphotericin B (0.7-1mg/kg/day) can be used for severe infections or when echinocandins aren't available.
- Fluconazole appears to be a safe and reasonable step-down therapy in the management of C. glabrata candidaemia, as shown in the most recent study 3.
Important Considerations
C. glabrata differs from other Candida species by not forming true hyphae and having innate reduced susceptibility to azoles.
- Source control through catheter removal or drainage of infected collections is essential alongside antifungal therapy for optimal outcomes.
- The choice of antifungal therapy should be guided by the severity of the infection, the patient's underlying health status, and the susceptibility of the isolate to antifungal agents, as discussed in 4, 5.