Mednet Logo

Do you recommend treating Candida albicans on urine culture from an indwelling catheter in a patient with septic shock?

Community PollStarted

What factors do you consider when deciding whether to treat Candida albicans identified in a urine culture from an indwelling catheter in a patient with septic shock?

159 physicians have voted

Join Mednetto vote and see how they answered.

4 Answers
Mednet Member
Mednet MemberInvited Expert
Infectious Disease · UT Southwestern School of Medicine
Answered on

In a patient with septic shock, one is typically obligated to treat all things until further culture data is back, etc. If there are other clear causes of shock, I would not treat the candida (though I would try to change the catheter ASAP). If the patient is extremely ill and no other sources of in...

Join for free or sign in to see the full answer

Mednet Member
Mednet MemberInvited Expert
Infectious Disease · Yale New Haven Hospital
Answered on

Rarely a problem unless candidemia.

Join for free or sign in to see the full answer

Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Infectious Disease · Saint Francis Hospital
Answered on

C albicans is a common, generally asymptomatic, fungus in individuals with a chronic indwelling Foley. A rare cause of septic shock. Yet “common” and “rare” are statistical probabilities, not certainties. In individuals with potentially high morbidity and mortality septic shock, we generally treat f...

Join for free or sign in to see the full answer

Mednet Member
Mednet MemberInvited Expert
Infectious Disease · University of Michigan Health System
Answered on

Rarely would I treat unless I believed the patient was at high risk for candidemia and the cultures were still maturing. If the patient has anatomical abnormalities of the GU tract, Candida can form a bezoar and lead to downstream complications, so I would consider imaging or further evaluation to l...

Join for free or sign in to see the full answer