Incidence of Candida species increased in critically ill COVID-19 patients in intensive care units. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antifungal consumption and Candida species distribution in bloodstream infections. We observed that a significant increase in non-albicansCandida species cases (P = .005) in 2021 coincided with higher rates of fluconazole resistance (P = .002) and increased minimum inhibitory concentrations for echinocandins (P = .012). Notably, voriconazole consumption and increased MIC levels positively correlated with both Candida albicans and non-albicansCandida species. This study underscores the importance of judicious antifungal use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: Candida; COVID-19; antifungal consumption; antifungal resistance; candidemia; invasive candidiasis.
Incidence of Candida infections increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on antifungal consumption. An increase in non-albicansCandida species and fluconazole resistance was observed. This study underscores the importance of judicious antifungal use in COVID-19.
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.