Tracking Candidemia Trends and Antifungal Resistance Patterns across Europe: An In-Depth Analysis of Surveillance Systems and Surveillance Studies.

BACKGROUND

The WHO fungal priority list classifies species as critical and high-priority pathogens, and the WHO GLASS fungi initiative seeks to establish a standardised global framework for antifungal resistance monitoring. We aimed to review resistance rates and antifungal resistance patterns across European surveillance systems and studies in response to these recent calls for action.

METHODS

A systematic review of national and international surveillance systems and peer-reviewed surveillance studies available up to June 2024 was conducted. Descriptive and trend analyses were performed on surveillance data reporting resistance to different antifungals in spp.

RESULTS

In total, 6 national surveillance systems and 28 studies from 13 countries provided candidemia resistance data, mostly about the , and complex. Azole resistance was most frequently reported (6/6 surveillance systems and 27/28 studies) with the highest resistance rate, especially for , in Croatia (100%, 28/28 isolates) and Slovenia (85.7%, 82/96) and in Croatia (80.6%, 54/67) and Italy (72.6%, 106/146). Echinocandin and polyene resistance rates were nearly zero. The number of isolates included in the surveillance systems increased over the years, particularly for (+40-60 isolates/year), , and (+15-30 isolates/year). No surveillance system or study reported resistance data for . Pooled data from national surveillance revealed a decreasing trend in azole resistance in and . The increasing azole-resistance trend in disappeared after adjusting for between-country heterogeneity. Overall, echinocandin and polyene resistance trends appeared relatively stable.

CONCLUSIONS

Awareness of antifungal resistance is growing, but further actions are needed to strengthen surveillance capacity and knowledge-sharing networks across Europe.