The effect of an antibiotic stewardship program on tigecycline use in a Tertiary Care Hospital, an intervention study.

BACKGROUND: A drug-oriented antibiotic stewardship intervention targeting tigecycline utilization was launched at Makassed General Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2016 as a part of a comprehensive Antibiotic Stewardship Program (ASP). In this study, we evaluated the effect of this intervention on changing tigecycline prescription behavior in different types of infections, patient outcome and mortality, along with tigecycline drug use density, when compared to an earlier period before the initiation of ASP. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of all adult inpatients who received tigecycline for more than 72 h between Jan-2012 and Dec-2013 [period (P) 1 before ASP] and between Oct-2016 and Dec-2018 [period (P) 2 during ASP]. RESULTS: Tigecycline was administered to 153 patients during P1 and 116 patients during P2. The proportion of patients suffering from cancer, those requiring mechanical ventilation, and those with hemodynamic failure was significantly reduced between P1 and P2. The proportion of patients who received tigecycline for FDA-approved indications increased from 19% during P1 to 78% during P2 (P < 0.001). On the other hand, its use in off-label indications was restricted, including ventilator-associated pneumonia (26.1% in P1, 3.4% in P2, P < 0.001), hospital-acquired pneumonia (19.6% in P1, 5.2% in P2, P = 0.001), sepsis (9.2% in P1, 3% in P2, P = 0.028), and febrile neutropenia (15.7% in P1, 0.9% in P2, P < 0.001). The clinical success rate of tigecycline therapy showed an overall significant increase from 48.4% during P1 to 65.5% during P2 (P = 0.005) in the entire patient population. All-cause mortality in the tigecycline-treated patients decreased from 45.1% during P1 to 20.7% during P2 (P < 0.0001). In general, mean tigecycline consumption decreased by 55% between P1 and P2 (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The drug-oriented ASP intervention targeting tigecycline prescriptions improved its use and patient outcomes, where it helped curb the over-optimistic use of this drug in off-label indications where it is not a suitable treatment option.

Effect of a "handshake" stewardship program versus a formulary restriction policy on High-End antibiotic use, expenditure, antibiotic resistance, and patient outcome.

This study reports the effect of implementing an antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) based on the "handshake" strategy for 2 years on multiple endpoints compared with that in a preceding period when an antimicrobial restriction policy was only applied in the absence of a complete program in a tertiary-care Lebanese hospital. The studied endpoints were broad-spectrum antibiotic consumption, antibiotic expenditure, nosocomial bacteremia incidence rate, and patient outcome.An interrupted time series analysis was undertaken to assess the changes in the trend (ΔT) and level (ΔL) of the aforementioned endpoints among adult inpatients before (October 2013 to September 2015) and after the introduction of the ASP (October 2016 to September 2018).After the implementation of the "handshake" ASP, marked changes were observed in the consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The mean use density levels for imipenem and meropenem decreased by 13.72% (P = 0.017), coupled with a decreasing rate of prescription (ΔT = -24.83 defined daily dose [DDD]/1,000 patient days [PD]/month; P = 0.02). Tigecycline use significantly decreased in level by 69.19% (P < 0.0001) and in trend (ΔT = -25.63 DDD/1,000 PD/month; P < 0.0001). A reduction in the use of colistin was also documented but did not reach statistical significance (ΔL = -8.71%, P = 0.56; ΔT = -5.51 DDD/1,000 PD/month = -5.5; P = 0.67). Antibiotic costs decreased by 24.6% after ASP implementation (P < 0.0001), and there was a distinct change from an increasing rate to a decreasing rate of expenditure (ΔT = -12.19 US dollars/PD/month; P = 0.002). The incidence rate of nosocomial bacteremia caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria (CRGNB) decreased by 34.84% (P = 0.13) coupled with a decreasing trend (ΔT = -0.23 cases/1,000 PD/month, P = 0.08). Specifically, a noticeable reduction in the incidence rate of bacteremia due to carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii was documented (ΔL = -54.34%, P = 0.01; ΔT = -0.24 cases/1000 PD/month, P = 0.01). Regarding patient outcome, all-cause mortality rates did not increase in level or in rate (ΔL = -3.55%, P = 0.59; ΔT = -0.29 deaths/1000 PD/month, P = 0.6). The length of stay and 7-day readmission rate remained stable between the two periods.In conclusion, the "handshake" ASP succeeded in controlling the prescription rates of antibiotics and in decreasing the nosocomial bacteremia rates caused by CRGNB without compromising patient outcome in our facility. It also had an economic effect in reducing antibiotic costs compared with the previous restriction policy on antimicrobial dispensing.

Pre-engraftment infectious complications and patient outcomes after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: a single-center experience from Lebanon.

BACKGROUND: Infectious complications are significant causes of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). They occur variably over different periods, with scant data reported from Lebanon and neighboring countries. In this study, we described the pre-engraftment neutropenic phase, febrile episodes, and peri-transplant medical complications in patients undergoing allo-HCT at a tertiary-care hospital. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent allo-HCT between 2007 and 2016 at Makassed General Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon. Data were extracted from medical records, the HCT registry, and medical laboratory logbooks. RESULTS: One hundred and six patients were included, 75% having hematologic malignancies and 13% aplastic anemia. None received antibacterial prophylaxis with fluoroquinolones. Yet from conditioning chemotherapy till the say before HCT, 32% of the patients received broad-spectrum antibiotics (BSA) due to fever or infection. At the day of cell infusion, 41.5% of the patients were on BSA. Neutrophil engraftment failure was recorded in 8% of the patients. The cumulative incidence of pre-engraftment bacteremia and Gram-negative bacteremia was 14.3 and 7.1%, respectively. Aplastic anemia was an independent risk factor for pre-engraftment bacteremia [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.29-11.5), P = 0.02]. The cumulative incidence of pre-engraftment pneumonia was 11.2%. Patient age significantly increased the risk of pre-engraftment pneumonia [HR = 12.35, 95% CI (1.27-120.50), P = 0.03]. Six-month post-transplant mortality reached 17% in our cohort. Myelodysplastic syndrome was the only significant parameter increasing the risk of death [HR = 3.40, 95% CI (1.05-10.98), P = 0.04]. CONCLUSION: The cumulative incidence of pre-engraftment bacteremia and pneumonia was 14.3% and 11.2% respectively in this cohort. Aplastic anemia predicted for the occurrence of bacteremia, increasing patient age contributed to the occurrence of pneumonia, and myelodysplastic syndrome increased the risk of death.

Epidemiology of invasive and non-invasive pneumococcal infections in hospitalised adult patients in a Lebanese medical centre, 2006-2015.

This is a retrospective medical file review of adult inpatients with Streptococcus pneumoniae infections admitted to a Lebanese hospital between 2006 and 2015. We revisited the clinical scenarios of these infections in view of increasing antibiotic resistance in Lebanon. One hundred and three patients were included; 92% were eligible for pneumococcal vaccination, yet none were vaccinated. Non-invasive pneumococcal disease (non-IPD) represented 64% of these infections. Superinfections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria were documented in 17.5% of the patients, with the predominance of ventilator-associated pneumonia (12.6%). Kidney disease and septic shock were positive predictors for mortality [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 14.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.34-95.45, P = 0.004; OR = 5.09, 95% CI 1.33-19.51, P = 0.02, respectively]. Herein, the differences in clinical success, S. pneumoniae infection-related death, and total mortality were not statistically significant between invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and non-IPD subgroups (59.5% vs. 77.3%, P = 0.056; 21.6% vs. 9.1%, P = 0.08; and 35.1% vs. 22.7%, P = 0.174; respectively). Upon comparing antibiotic susceptibility of S. pneumoniae during the first two years of the study (2006-2007) (n = 32 isolates) and the last two (2014-2015) (n = 14 isolates), there was an increasing non-susceptibility to penicillin (34.4%-50.0%, P = 0.25), and a decreasing susceptibility to erythromycin and clindamycin (81.3%-78.6%, P = 0.67 and 90.6%-85.7%, P = 0.65; respectively).

A compilation of antimicrobial susceptibility data from a network of 13 Lebanese hospitals reflecting the national situation during 2015-2016.

Background: There is a lack of official national antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data in Lebanon. Individual hospitals generate their own antibiotic susceptibility data in the form of yearly pamphlets. Methods: In this study, antibiotic susceptibility data from 13 hospitals distributed across different governorates of Lebanon were collected to conduct a compilation-based surveillance of AMR in Lebanon for the years 2015-2016. The findings were compared with those of a previous nationwide study in this country conducted between 2011 and 2013 as well as with similar data obtained from the 2015 and 2016 European surveillance reports of AMR. To provide a clear presentation of the AMR situation, mean percent susceptibility of different antibiotic-microbe combinations was calculated. Results: During 2015-2016, the percent susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae to third-generation cephalosporins and to carbapenems was 59 and 97%, respectively. Among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp., carbapenem susceptibility reached 70 and 12%, respectively. Among Gram positive organisms, the percent susceptibility to methicillin in Staphylococcus aureus was 72%, that to vancomycin in Enterococcus spp. was 98% and that to penicillin in Streptococcus pneumoniae was 75%. Compared with results of 2011-2013, there was an overall trend of decreased susceptibility of bacteria to the tested antibiotics, with a variation of 5 to 10%. The antibiotic susceptibility data from Lebanon were found to be comparable with those from Eastern and South-eastern European countries. Conclusion: This study highlights the need to establish a robust national AMR surveillance system that enables data from Lebanon to be included in global AMR maps.

The 2018 Lebanese Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Guidelines for the use of antimicrobial therapy in complicated intra-abdominal infections in the era of antimicrobial resistance.

BACKGROUND: The Lebanese Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (LSIDCM) is involved in antimicrobial stewardship. In an attempt at guiding clinicians across Lebanon in regards to the proper use of antimicrobial agents, members of this society are in the process of preparing national guidelines for common infectious diseases, among which are the guidelines for empiric and targeted antimicrobial therapy of complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI). The aims of these guidelines are optimizing patient care based on evidence-based literature and local antimicrobial susceptibility data, together with limiting the inappropriate use of antimicrobials thus decreasing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and curtailing on other adverse outcomes. METHODS: Recommendations in these guidelines are adapted from other international guidelines but modeled based on locally derived susceptibility data and on the availability of pharmaceutical and other resources. RESULTS: These guidelines propose antimicrobial therapy of cIAI in adults based on risk factors, site of acquisition of infection, and clinical severity of illness. We recommend using antibiotic therapy targeting third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)-resistant gram negative organisms, with carbapenem sparing as much as possible, for community-acquired infections when the following risk factors exist: prior (within 90 days) exposure to antibiotics, immunocompromised state, recent history of hospitalization or of surgery and invasive procedure all within the preceding 90 days. We also recommend antimicrobial de-escalation strategy after culture results. Prompt and adequate antimicrobial therapy for cIAI reduces morbidity and mortality; however, the duration of therapy should be limited to no more than 4 days when adequate source control is achieved and the patient is clinically stable. The management of acute pancreatitis is conservative, with a role for antibiotic therapy only in specific situations and after microbiological diagnosis. The use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents including systemic antifungals and newly approved antibiotics is preferably restricted to infectious diseases specialists. CONCLUSION: These guidelines represent a major step towards initiating a Lebanese national antimicrobial stewardship program. The LSIDCM emphasizes on development of a national AMR surveillance network, in addition to a national antibiogram for cIAI stratified based on the setting (community, hospital, unit-based) that should be frequently updated.

Correlation between antifungal consumption and the distribution of Candida species in different hospital departments of a Lebanese medical Centre.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of fungal infections attributed to Candida species worldwide, with a major shift toward non-albicans Candida (NAC). In this study, we have described the distribution of Candida species among different hospital departments and calculated the antifungal consumption in our facility. We also correlated the consumption of certain antifungals and the prevalence of specific Candida species. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of all the Candida isolates recovered from the computerised microbiology laboratory database of Makassed General Hospital, a tertiary care centre in Beirut, Lebanon, between January 2010 and December 2015. Data on antifungal consumption between January 2008 and December 2015 were extracted from the hospital pharmacy electronic database. We used Spearman's coefficient to find a correlation between Candida species distribution and antifungal consumption. RESULTS: Between 2008 and 2015, we observed that the highest antifungal consumption was in the haematology/oncology department (days of therapy/1000 patient days = 348.12 ± 85.41), and the lowest was in the obstetrics/gynaecology department (1.36 ± 0.47). In general, the difference in antifungal consumption among various departments was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Overall, azoles were the most common first-line antifungals in our hospital. Echinocandins and amphotericin B were mostly prescribed in the haematology/oncology department. As for Candida species distribution, a total of 1377 non-duplicate isolates were identified between 2010 and 2015. A non-homologous distribution of albicans vs. non-albicans was noted among the different departments (P = 0.02). The most commonly isolated NAC was Candida glabrata, representing 14% of total Candida species and 59% of NAC. Candida famata (9% of NAC), Candida parapsilosis (3.6% of NAC) and Candida krusei (3% of NAC) were recovered unequally from the different departments. The total antifungal consumption correlated positively with the emergence of NAC. The use of azoles correlated positively with Candida glabrata, while amphotericin B formulations correlated negatively with it. None of these correlations reached statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Different Candida species were unequally distributed among different hospital departments, and this correlated with consumption of antifungals in respective departments, highlighting the need for antifungal stewardship.

Epidemiology of common resistant bacterial pathogens in the countries of the Arab League.

No uniformly organised collection of data regarding antimicrobial resistance has occurred in the countries of the Arab League. 19 countries of the Arab League have published data for antimicrobial susceptibility for the WHO priority organisms, and seven of 14 of these organisms are included in this Review (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae). Although E coli and Klebsiella spp resistance to third-generation cephalosporins is common in all countries, with prevalence reaching more than 50% in Egypt and Syria, carbapenem resistance is emerging, albeit with a prevalence of less than 10%. Conversely, a large amount of carbapenem resistance has been reported for P aeruginosa and A baumannii across the Arab League, reaching 50% and 88% of isolates in some countries. As for Salmonella spp, the prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance has exceeded 30% in several areas. With regards to the Gram-positive pathogens, the prevalence of meticillin resistance in S aureus is reported to be between 20% and 30% in most countries, but exceeds 60% in Egypt and Iraq. The prevalence of penicillin non-susceptibility among pneumococci has reached more than 20% in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia. These findings highlight the need for structured national plans in the region to target infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.

Bacteraemia post-autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the absence of antibacterial prophylaxis: a decade's experience from Lebanon.

PURPOSE: In this study, we assessed the incidence, contributing factors and outcome of prolonged neutropenia above 7 days and of bacteraemia in patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma who underwent autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) without antibacterial prophylaxis. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of 190 adult patients who underwent AHSCT between 2005 and 2015 at a Lebanese hospital. RESULTS: Neutropenia of 7 days duration and longer was documented in 66% of the patient population. Through univariate analysis, patients with lymphoma were significantly more likely to have prolonged neutropenia (≥ 7 days) compared to those with myeloma. Mucositis above grade 3, diarrhoea and fever were more likely to occur in patients with prolonged neutropenia. Bacteraemia was documented in 12.6% of the patients. Total mortality rate was 3.7%, and that attributed to bacteraemia was 12.5% in the bacteraemia subgroup. Among bacterial isolates recovered from clinical specimens (89 isolates), 70% were Gram-negative, of which 57% were fluoroquinolone susceptible. Ninety-five percent of the Gram-negative bacteria causing bacteraemia were susceptible to fluoroquinolones. CONCLUSION: Bacterial pathogens causing bacteraemia were still highly susceptible to fluoroquinolones, despite the high prevalence of fluoroquinolone-resistant strains in the general bacterial ecology. Accordingly, the pertinence of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis in the AHSCT setting warrants further investigation. Moreover, continuous surveillance of local antibiograms in this patient population has become a must in an era of preponderant antibiotic resistance.

Low rate of human papillomavirus vaccination among schoolgirls in Lebanon: barriers to vaccination with a focus on mothers' knowledge about available vaccines.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is an established predisposing factor of cervical cancer. In this study, we assessed the awareness about genital warts, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccine among mothers having girls who are at the age of primary HPV vaccination attending a group of schools in Lebanon. We also assessed the rate of HPV vaccination among these girls and the barriers to vaccination in this community. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, school-based survey. A 23-item, self-administered, anonymous, pretested, structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions was used to obtain data. The questionnaire was sent to the mothers through their student girls, and they were asked to return it within a week. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0. Bivariate analysis was performed using the chi-square test to compare categorical variables, whereas continuous variables were compared using the Student's t-test. Fisher's exact test was used when chi-square test could not be employed. RESULTS: The response rate in our survey was 39.4%. Among the responders, the rate of awareness about HPV infection was 34%, where 72% of the mothers had heard about cervical cancer, and 34% knew that a vaccine is available to prevent cervical cancer. HPV vaccination uptake rate was 2.5%. This lack of vaccination was primarily attributed to the low rate of mothers' awareness about the vaccine (34%). Factors significantly affecting awareness about the vaccine were the mothers' marital age, nationality, level of education, employment, and family income. Barriers to HPV vaccination, other than awareness, were uncertainty about safety or efficacy of the vaccine, conservative ideas of mothers regarding their girls' future sexual life, and relatively high price of the vaccine. CONCLUSION: Vaccine uptake is low among eligible girls attending this group of schools. The barriers to vaccination are multiple; the most important one is the mothers' lack of knowledge about HPV, cervical cancer, and the modes of prevention. Awareness campaigns along with a multimodal strategy that targets the identified barriers would be recommended to achieve higher rates of HPV vaccination.

An antibiotic stewardship exercise in the ICU: building a treatment algorithm for the management of ventilator-associated pneumonia based on local epidemiology and the 2016 Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society guidelines.

INTRODUCTION: Management of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), the most common infection in patients on mechanical ventilation, should be tailored to local microbiological data. The aim of this study was to determine susceptibility patterns of organisms causing VAP to develop a treatment algorithm based on these findings and evidence from the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of the microbiological etiology of VAP in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a Lebanese tertiary care hospital from July 2015 to July 2016. We reviewed the latest clinical practice guidelines on VAP and tried to adapt these recommendations to our setting. RESULTS: In all, 43 patients with 61 VAP episodes were identified, and 75 bacterial isolates caused VAP. Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii was the most common organism (37%), and it had occurred endemically throughout the year. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the next most common organism (31%), and 13% were XDR. Enterobacteriaceae (15%) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (12%) shared similar incidences. Our algorithm was based on guidelines, in addition to trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that studied the effectiveness of available antibiotics in treating VAP. CONCLUSION: Knowing that resistance can rapidly develop within a practice environment, more research is needed to identify the best strategy for the management of VAP.

Epidemiology of bacteremia after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the absence of antibiotic prophylaxis.

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial infections are frequent complications occurring after autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (AHSCT). Herein, we identified the bacterial ecology and its antibiogram in AHSCT patients. We assessed the incidence, contributing factors and outcome of prolonged neutropenia and bacteremia post-AHSCT in the absence of antibacterial prophylaxis. METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective chart review of 190 adult patients who underwent AHSCT for lymphoma and multiple myeloma, between 2005 and 2015 at a Lebanese hospital. RESULTS: Most of the isolated bacteria originated from urine (49%) followed by blood (30%) and were mainly Gram-negative (70%). Fluoroquinolone susceptibility was 57% among Gram-negative and Gram-positive isolates. Bacteremia was documented in 12.6% of the patients, with a predominant gram-negative etiology having 95% susceptibility to fluoroquinolones. The duration of neutropenia, < or > 7 days, did not affect the incidence of bacteremia (11% vs. 14% respectively, p = 0.17). Patients with lymphoma were more likely to have prolonged neutropenia compared to those with myeloma (p < 0.0001). The use of a central line and the development of central-line infections were significantly higher in Gram-positive bacteremia (p = 0.03, p = 0.008 respectively). Mucositis occurred more in Gram-negative bacteremia (p = 0.02). Total mortality rate was 3.7% in the whole population and that attributed to bacteremia was 12.5% in the bacteremia subgroup. Bacteremia was a predictor for mechanical ventilation (p = 0.003), septic shock and mortality (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: Since organisms causing bacteremia were still highly susceptible to fluoroquinolones and that the duration of neutropenia post-AHSCT didn't affect bacteremia, we concluded that fluoroquinolone prophylaxis is still valid yet, with close monitoring of resistance.

Epidemiology of pneumococcal infections in hospitalised adult patients in Lebanon with a highlight on non-invasive disease.

INTRODUCTION: Streptococcus pneumoniae causes a wide range of infections classified as invasive and non-invasive pneumococcal disease (non-IPD). METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively reviewed over a decade the clinical course and outcome of 103 adult subjects infected with S. pneumoniae. RESULTS: The majority of the subjects (92%) were eligible for pneumococcal vaccination, however none were vaccinated. Most of the infective strains caused non-IPD (64%), with CAP being the leading primary infection (49%). Clinical success was achieved in 71% of the cases and microbiological success in 94% of the cases with available documented follow-up cultures. Yet, 19% of the subjects developed superinfections caused by extensive-drug resistant bacteria with the predominance of ventilator-associated pneumonia (13%). Total in-hospital mortality reached 27% and S. pneumoniae infection attributed mortality was 20%. Using multivariate logistic regression, kidney disease and septic shock were independent risk factors for mortality [Odd's Ratio (OR) = 14.96 (2.34-95.45), p = 0.004; OR = 5.09 (1.33-19.51), p = 0.02, respectively]. On comparing outcome between subjects with IPD and those with non-IPD, death attributed to S. pneumoniae infection was found to be significantly higher in subjects with IPD (23%, p = 0.023). Nevertheless, clinical success and total in-hospital mortality rates were not statistically different between the two groups (p = 0.056, p = 0.174, respectively). CONCLUSION: S. pneumoniae remains a pathogen causing considerable mortality. In adults, non-IPD should be considered of comparable importance as IPD. Increasing pneumococcal vaccine awareness at the healthcare professional and patient levels is essential for increasing vaccine uptake, thus decreasing the incidence, severity and sequelea of pneumococcal disease.

Correlation between antifungal consumption and distribution of Candida spp. in different departments of a Lebanese hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Recently there has been a significant increase in the incidence of fungal infections attributed to Candida species worldwide, with a major shift toward non-albicans Candida (NAC). Herein, we described the distribution of Candida species among different departments in a Lebanese hospital and calculated the antifungal consumption in this facility. We, then, correlated the consumption of antifungals and the prevalence of Candida species. METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective study of Candida isolates recovered from the hospital microbiology laboratory database between 2010 and 2015. Data on antifungal consumption between 2008 and 2015 were extracted from the hospital pharmacy database. Spearman's coefficient was employed to find a correlation between Candida species distribution and antifungal consumption. RESULTS: The highest antifungal consumption was seen in the haematology/oncology department (days of therapy/1000 patient days = 348.12 ± 85.41), and the lowest in the obstetrics department (1.36 ± 0.47). The difference in antifungal consumption among various departments was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Azoles were the most common first-line antifungals. A non-homologous distribution of albicans vs. non-albicans was noted among different departments (p = 0.02). The most commonly isolated NAC was Candida glabrata, representing 14% of total isolates and 59% of NAC. The total antifungal consumption correlated positively with the emergence of NAC. The use of azoles correlated positively with Candida glabrata, while amphotericin B formulations correlated negatively with it. None of these correlations reached statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Different Candida species were unequally distributed among different hospital departments, and this correlated with consumption of antifungals in respective departments, highlighting the need for antifungal stewardship.