BACKGROUND

is an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen that represents a current serious threat to healthcare settings.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to determine the prevalence of in a Riyadh hospital since its initial detection in late 2019.

METHODS

Using an adapted risk assessment tool, we reviewed the charts and medical files of all suspected and confirmed cases of infections reported at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, between November 2019 and December 2022. Anonymized data were retrieved in a pre-established datasheet and analyzed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of infections in our facility. We analyzed prevalence by age, gender, risk factors, and according to sampling source.

RESULTS

Of the 53 confirmed -positive cases during the study period, 33 (62%) were males. Their ages ranged between 15 and 98, with most positive cases occurring in those aged 50 and above. Only one of the confirmed cases was hospital-acquired. All patients had at least one risk factor, and urine samples yielded the greatest number of positive cases, while admission to healthcare facilities constituted the highest risk in our study.

CONCLUSION

Establishing a local prevalence pattern could serve as a baseline/benchmark to compare with regional and international benchmarks.