Surveillance of treated and untreated funguria in a university hospital.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine the influence of treatment on the microbiologic outcome of funguria.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

SETTING

A 300-bed tertiary care teaching hospital in a large metropolitan area.

SUBJECTS

141 hospitalized patients, 18 years of age or older, with at least one urine culture positive (> or = 10(2) cfu/ml) for fungi.

INTERVENTIONS

Retrospective review of medical records to determine the microbiologic outcome of funguria.

MAIN RESULTS

Funguria developed rapidly in individuals with known predisposing factors. Urinalysis did not routinely detect the presence of fungi or pyuria. Symptoms such as fever, dysuria, and frequency were generally absent. Funguria persisted whether it was due to Candida albicans or nonalbicans species. There were no statistical differences in the microbiologic outcomes of treated and untreated funguria.

CONCLUSIONS

Funguria is a rapidly developing, often benign and persistent process. Minimizing predisposing risks, such as removing indwelling urinary catheters, is beneficial in its management. Pharmacologic treatment of funguria due to C. albicans or non-albicans species does not influence the microbiologic outcome.